Summary
This virus is not very interesting, but nevertheless multiple variants are known. The virus code is only around 334 bytes, which made it for a while one of the shortest PC virus known. The rest contains zeros and a text string which is occasionally displayed. Until the virus reaches the 5th generation, no effects are visible, but in generation 5 or later there is a 50% chance that the message will appear.
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
One variant contains an advertisement for Amstrad computers, but in another one the message is different:
En tu PC hay un virus RV1, y sta es su quinta generaci n.
Originally this virus was published in a Greek magazine named "Pixel" in the form of a BASIC program that would create an infected program when run. This program contained a different message:
"Program sick error: Call doctor or buy PIXEL for cure description"
A disinfection program, written by the virus author was then published in the next issue of Pixel.
Variant:Cancer
This is a "buggy" 740 byte variant.
Numerous other variants of this virus are now known, most from Bulgaria. The major difference is in the length - ranging from 257 to 936 bytes. It seems that some virus writers there are competing with each other to create the shortest possible version of the virus. One of the shortest variant, with a length of 277 displays a "PARITY ERROR" message when it activates, simulating a hardware failure. This variant is similar to one 300 byte variant from Russia.
Variant:Polish Pixel
Two variants of the virus were first reported in Poland. They are 550 and 457 bytes long and employ a primitive self-modification mechanism.
Variant:Rosen
The smallest variant by far, only 131 bytes.
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