History Of Spacefiller Virus
In the past few years, a new processing crime has gained the attention of computer users all over the world. Some people have found a way to create programs that silently replicate themselves on storage media without the computer users realizing it. These programs are referred to as computer viruses.
Spacefiller virus, also known as “Cavity Viruses”, “CIH Virus” is one of them. spacefiller viruses are more intelligent than most of their counterparts. Luckily, this type of virus is relatively rare, though the growth of Windows Portable Executable files is giving them a new lease of life.
The virus was created by Chen Ing-Hau (CIH), in 1998, who was a student at Tatung University in Taiwan. The original variant was set to destroy data on April 26, the birthday of the virus writer, which coincidentally happened to be the anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster, one of technology’s worst disasters. Later variants have different trigger dates for their payloads, including one that was set to activate on the 26th of every month but which was not widespread.
How Does Spacefiller Virus Work?
Some program files, for a variety of reasons, have empty space inside of them. Spacefiller virus tries to get into the “empty space” which can sometimes be found within the file itself. The typical modus operandi for a spacefiller virus is to attach itself to a vulnerable file (one that has an open” cavity of space”).
This method allows it to infect a program without damaging the program or increasing its size. Unlike viruses that insert themselves at the top or tail of a host file, it inserts into unused bytes within files. This “insertion” doesn’t change the infected file’s size (stealth techniques). it makes the virus harder to detect, thus enabling it to bypass the stealthy anti-detection techniques.
The spacefiller virus can irretrievably destroy data on a user’s computer and even make the machine inoperable.
The CIH virus is far more dangerous to individual computers than Melissa, the much-publicized bug that spread relatively benign problems far and wide on the Internet. The CIH virus family takes advantage of new Windows file format known as Portable Executable (PE). When a CIH-infected file is executed on a system, the virus becomes resident because it infects every executable file that is accessed. It will register itself as a driver to avoid easy disinfection methods.
The files infected by CIH often have the same size as the uninfected copy due to, the way it infects files. CIH can cause irreparable damage to your computer, but only if you’re running Windows 95 or Windows 98. First, it erases the first megabyte of information on your hard drive, a critical area that acts as a table to contents for your computer. The basic input/output system, or BIOS. If the BIOS is infected, the computer will not start. Without it, your computer can’t find anything.
How Spacefiller Virus Infect?
CIH can be contracted by downloading an infected file, inserting an infected floppy disk into your machine, or by opening an infected e-mail attachment. Because of the difficulty of writing this type of virus and a limited number of possible hosts, cavity virus is rare.
How To Remove The Spacefiller Virus ?
1. Most of the time the identifiable command of spacefiller virus is identified as a “CIH_file”.If you have knowledge of cmd prompts you can remove it yourself.
2. You can pick a time period where you know you definitely didn’t already have the virus on your computer. Once you are sure of it, you can then use System Restore to return to an earlier point on your computer before you picked up this or any other viruses.
3. Every major virus package now has protection against CIH. So while CIH has more dangerous consequences, chances of infection are infinitely smaller. I always mention finding some good updated antivirus and keep scanning your computer.