“An antivirus software company has discovered a Windows
virus that… has the potential to wreak even more havoc than
that inflicted on computer users worldwide by the Chernobyl
virus in April, according to information from Central Command
Inc., Medina, Ohio, and its Kaspersky Lab research unit issued late
yesterday.”
“The new Chernobyl-like threat is set to activate on Dec. 25,
Christmas Day. The decidedly unfestive virus is known as
Win32.Kriz, Win32Kriz.3740 or Win32.Kriz.3862… A memory-resident
polymorphic virus, Win32.Kriz replicates under Windows 32-bit
systems — Windows 95, 98 and NT. It infects PE (portable
executable) Windows program files with .EXE (executable) and .SCR
(screen saver) filename extensions along with the Windows
KERNEL.32.DLL system library…”
“Win32.Kriz can infect files that are copied, opened and
moved… The virus… overwrites the data in all files on all
available drives. On Dec. 25, the virus destroys the Flash BIOS
(basic input/output system) using the same routine as found in the
Chernobyl virus… The virus also triggers a message criticizing
organized religion.”