Summary
This virus contains a lot of bugs but also some quite sophisticated routines like stealth capabilities and debug tricks. The virus may be have escaped from its developer when still in beta.
Removal
Based on the settings of your F-Secure security product, it will either move the file to the quarantine where it cannot spread or cause harm, or remove it.
A False Positive is when a file is incorrectly detected as harmful, usually because its code or behavior resembles known harmful programs. A False Positive will usually be fixed in a subsequent database update without any action needed on your part. If you wish, you may also:
Check for the latest database updates
First, check if your F-Secure security program is using the latest updates, then try scanning the file again.
Submit a sample
After checking, if you still believe the file is incorrectly detected, you can submit a sample of it for re-analysis.
Note: If the file was moved to quarantine, you need to collect the file from quarantine before you can submit it.
Exclude a file from further scanning
If you are certain that the file is safe and want to continue using it, you can exclude it from further scanning by the F-Secure security product.
Note: You need administrative rights to change the settings.
Technical Details
EkoTerror set a lot of conditions and therefore spreads slowly. It infects COM files and hard disk master boot sectors (MBR). It may infect a file more than once.
The virus moves the original MBR and partition table to sector 5 of the hard disk, overwriting the original ones with its own code.
Due to a bug in the virus, most computers do not boot after the MBR has been infected.
The virus contains the following text:
Copyright (C) 1984 BORLAND Inc
This probably means that the virus was compiled with a Borland compiler.
EkoTerror activates on random dates when the computer is booted. It displays the following message at system startup:
EkoTerror (C) 1991 ATK-toimisto P.Linkola Oy Kovalevysi on poistettu kaytast. luonnonsuojelun nimessaa Vihre.ss. yhteiskunnassa ei saa olla ydins.hk.ll. toimivia kovalevyj..
The message is in Finnish and reads:
EkoTerror (C) 1991 ATK-toimisto P.Linkola Oy Your hard disk has been disabled for protecting the environment. There must not be any nuclear powered hard disks in a green society.
While displaying the message, the virus overwrites the first sectors of the hard disk. After overwriting them, it hangs the computer by entering an infinite loop.
EkoTerror was reported to be in the wild in Finland in June 1992.
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