Eliza (computer virus)
Eliza is a computer virus discovered in December 1991.[1] It infects COM files including COMMAND.COM. It has been reported that it is defective, yet destroys the .EXE files it creates.[2] The .COM files do not get deleted. The date of the file will not be altered by the infection to avoid detection, and infected files increase in length by 1,193 or 1,194 bytes. Eliza is also found in later versions of Windows.
| Common name | Eliza |
|---|---|
| Technical name | Eliza |
| Family | File Replicator |
| Classification | Virus |
| Type | DOS |
| Isolation | December 1991 |
| Point of isolation | Unknown |
| Point of origin | Unknown |
| Author(s) | Unknown |
DOS Strain
One of the forms of Eliza attacks the MS-DOS operating system by reproducing itself into COM and .EXE files. However, the virus has a bug in it which does not allow it to behave properly. It only attacks .EXE files. Because it is defective and easy to track, Eliza has been considered a minimal threat.
Windows NT/2000/XP/Vista/7 Strain
It is not known whether the Windows strain was developed by the same person, but the particular strain targeting Windows is much more damaging and is considered a legitimate threat. One site reports that it does the following:
- Remotely controls your computer
- Wastes system resources and clogs CPU usage
- Tracks internet and keystrokes, allowing the hacker to record/steal passwords, credit card numbers, etc.
The virus can be removed with an antivirus program or by going into safe mode to remove the infected files manually.
References
- "Eliza Virus". VSUM. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
- "Eliza Description | F-Secure Labs". www.f-secure.com. Retrieved 2020-07-05.