Do virus infect zip drives and or flash drives

[hawkdaddy]

Hello Gurus

I may make a house call to attempt to repair a friends computer that may have a virus. The web browser will not allow downloads of anti-virus programs. I have downloaded several zipped files to install the programs to an imogea zip drive. My question is this: What are the chances the virus infects my drive? Are the disks then toast? Can they be safely disinfected by another computer?

I suspect that it is spy-ware that has infected the computer.

 

[Grenage]

Always work on basis of a worst case scenario; your disks are now rife with viruses intent on destroying everything you know and love!

They can be safely scanned and disinfected (if required) on another machine. As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

"We can categorically state that we have not released man-eating badgers into the area" - Major Mike Shearer

 

[2ffat]

What are the chances the virus infects my drive? Are the disks then toast? Can they be safely disinfected by another computer?

The earliest viruses were written when floppy disks were floppy (8 1/2 and 5 1/4 inch disks). They infected other computers when another disk was inserted into the infected computer by writing themselves onto the floppy which could then be put into another computer. Since flash and zip drives look just like any other drive, hard or floppy, yes, viruses can write themselves to that drive. For that reason I always use CD's (not CD-RW's) when I put a AV program onto another, possibly infected computer.

If you insert an infected device into your computer, as Grenage says, "work on basis of a worst case scenario." You better make certain that your AV program is up to date and that it will disinfect the device. Otherwise your device is "toast."



James P. Cottingham
^{I'm number 1,229!
I'm number 1,229!}

 

[BadBigBen]

Once you cleaned your friends PC, take a look at the device you are using (ON HIS PC), if there is a file called AUTORUN.INF, delete it, don't worry if it is not there...

then follow the advice of the other members, in that you run a full scan of the device...

see: thread760-1521235
for a safer alternative...

and thread760-1523972
for more AMMO (kjv1611's post) to kill what ever nasties have infested the PC...

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.

 

[2ffat]

One a side note, Network World has an article about CERT's alert regarding the new viruses that infect USB devices.


James P. Cottingham
^{I'm number 1,229!
I'm number 1,229!}

 

[hawkdaddy]

Thank you very much for informationn provided. Based on advice given, I ran, from cd, "cureit" quick scan which found nothing then set to run the Dr Web live cd with a full scan. It is running now. I will report if anything interesting is found.

 

[BadBigBen]

more info about FLASH drive malware:

Nick Browns blog: Memory stick worms
W32.Downadup
MS08-067 Worm, Downadup/Conflicker


Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.