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                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

                    ~             MIDI - VIRUSES           ~

                    ~ ATARI-ST        by          ATARI-ST ~

                    ~ ~~~~~~~~                    ~~~~~~~~ ~

                    ~             Niagani Dekcus           ~

                    ~                                      ~

                    ~  21/12/90  Copyright of  M.I.A/M.M.A ~

                    ~                                      ~

                    ~  For more infomation please contact  ~

                    ~  The International MIDI Association  ~

                    ~  Or  MIDI Manufacturers Association  ~

                    ~                                      ~

                    ~    THIS VERSION OF THE DOCUMENT IS   ~

                    ~      ONLY FOR USE WITH ATARI ST'S    ~

                    ~      ============================    ~

                    ~    PLEASE CONTACT US FOR MAC'S ETC.  ~

                    ~          genie : virushunt 666.      ~

                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~











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                              Be on the ALERT!

                              ================



The presence of viruses in computers is a sad but common fact, so why did

some silly fool decide to write a program (programs) wich would effect all

users of the MIDI protacol? We can not answer this but we can advise users

ways to avoid data losses and system resets of there equipment.



The first Known Virus was found in Germany in 11/7/90 but its programer is

still unknown!

This common virus is called the "FIRE VIRUS" reasons for its name shall be

obvious, this virus spreads like Fire secondly it Flashes prompts on the

computers monitor showing that it is Active!

Its obvious the programer had a warped sense of humor but no heart due to the

results this virus shall do to your MIDI Studio,System,Etc.











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The Fire Virus has a task to do and it does it without being noticed unless

you are constantly looking at the monitor (in most cases no!) wich is not

part of being a Musician Etc, It first checks to see if any MIDI Data is

comming in to the MIDI Ports and then if data is, it then looks for an active

Thru Port by either hardware or software ( Atari ST'S use software ) then

adds a series of bytes in the data  "IF ALLOWED" to corrupt your Modules,

Keyboards,Samplers,Time Code devices Etc.



We did state if allowed as some manufacturers have hardware protection so

any changes to the data is entered into a edit buffer until saved if this

is your choice?



But some manufacturers have an override system built in to be activated by

software eg, Editors Libraians which allow data to be changed or received

via MIDI then saved without any prompt warnnings so updates can be quicker!









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A good example of this type of unit is the Roland D110,MT32,D50,D10,D5,D20.

Kawi K1,K4 just about any unit which saves its data internaly without needing

to save to Roms or Disks so data is there on power up!

So make sure you back up all inportant work its up to you!!!!



                           How does this VIRUS spread?

                           ===========================



The two common Viruses ( The second is to be reveald soon ) can only be spread

through computer software and not through MIDI equipment as reported by a

Major Magazine in November 90' by a ill informed journalist who sent panic

and our switchboard crazy!



Like all computer Viruses they spread fast but these ones were wrote with

MIDI being its only destruction, So far we have found that these Viruses

are Link Viruses and are not Bootsector Viruses so detection is hard and

of course most times impossible to detect its presence until it causes

some sort of corruption to data, To be safe follow normal procedures in

avoidance against Viruses contact your local computer store they may give

some valuable advice.









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The other main problem and we can not advise you what to do is the Virus

can link itself to a progam wich may have copy protection on it so there

for your protected software may not ever work or maybe the virus should not

be killed with a Virus Killing Program? Please consult the manufacture of

your software if you think you have this problem!

At the present moment we have not found any Virus Killing Program either

Commercial or PD release which can detect these viruses so again be warnned

Take care of your software and dont let any unwanted Viruses  creep in........





                                The SCRAMBLE Virus

                                ==================



This is the second Virus which is currently spreading through out the world

The SCRAMBLE Virus gives no warnnings on your computer monitor so detection

is only noticed when the Virus is active in your MIDI set up.

Eg,this virus will change the parameters of your midi set up randomly so its

motive is endless on most systems. This Virus can be spread through any type

of computer software just like the FIRE Virus it does not care which software

program it links itself to it only can affect MIDI based software but can be

carried by any type of program and shall keep looking for calls for the MIDI

in out data ports! so be aware of any new or old software you put in your

computer!



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Like the FIRE Virus the SCRAMBLE Virus will mess around with all sorts of data

mostly patches but will also send random program changes and corrupt patches

quicker the the previous Virus. IT also has in some known cases destroyed

sample dump packets on some Sequencer programs which is totaly corrupting

live performances in most cases but this is still not very common!



There was a report that a pirate bulletin board based in Europe was

distributing a program wich will allow you to modify the SCRAMBLE virus

so you could make all sorts of different types of viruses which would result

in an endless search for these viruses but recent reports have suggested

that it has been taken off the boards due to its illeagal origin and most

users lack of knowledge of the MIDI proticol to modify the program.



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                                    THE END



We hope this brief description on MIDI Viruses will help all people who have

read about this subject to be more alert of this new attempt to disrupt

people in there ability to function under the act of freedom of rights.



Please upload or down load this document freely as it has a meaning for all

for more infomation contact the I.M.A or the M.M.A in the U.S.A.

they shall supply further updates on this topic thank you.



                               N. Dekcus 1990.

      Niagain. Dekcus is a Proffessor of Elctronic Music at the U.C.L.A

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