The Hindu : Will Chernobyl strike again?

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 26, 2003

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Will Chernobyl strike again?

By Our Staff Reporter

CHENNAI APRIL 25. Computer users were warned by anti-virus makers today to watch out for the computer virus, CIH or Chernobyl virus as it is known, which could strike on April 26.

City-based Prognet Technologies, in a press release, noted that last year the hit rate of the virus was considerably low at three to four per cent of all the PCs worldwide. Though much lower than the first attack in the year 1999 when more than 26 per cent of the PCs (numbering close to 60 million systems) suffered, the virus was still dormant and could strike affecting the hard disks and the BIOS. This year around, there are two reasons to worry. Many Internet worms such as Anjulie carry CIH and also the virus might have been dormant on the system till the date moves April 26, the day of the major nuclear accident of Chernobyl. The virus was developed by Taiwanese Chen ing Hau (standing for the CIH) and was first traced in 1998. For more details, check www.fireantivirus.com.

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