Natas (computer virus)
Encyclopedia
Natas is a virus written by James Gentile, a then-18-year-old hacker
from San Diego, California
who went by the alias of "Little Loc" and later "Priest". It is a memory-resident stealth virus that is highly polymorphic
.http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/v_98225.htm The virus first appeared in Mexico City
in May 1992, spread by a consultant using infected floppy disk
s. The virus became widespread in Mexico
and the southwest United States
. The virus also made its way to the other side of the USA, infecting computers at the United States Secret Service
knocking their network offline for approximately three days. This led to an investigation of Priest and incorrect suspicion that the virus specifically targeted government computers.
Natas also infected computers in Canada, England, Russian Federation and Brazil.
Hacker (computer security)
In computer security and everyday language, a hacker is someone who breaks into computers and computer networks. Hackers may be motivated by a multitude of reasons, including profit, protest, or because of the challenge...
from San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
who went by the alias of "Little Loc" and later "Priest". It is a memory-resident stealth virus that is highly polymorphic
Polymorphic code
In computer terminology, polymorphic code is code that uses a polymorphic engine to mutate while keeping the original algorithm intact. That is, the code changes itself each time it runs, but the function of the code will not change at all...
.http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/v_98225.htm The virus first appeared in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
in May 1992, spread by a consultant using infected floppy disk
Floppy disk
A floppy disk is a disk storage medium composed of a disk of thin and flexible magnetic storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic carrier lined with fabric that removes dust particles...
s. The virus became widespread in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
and the southwest United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The virus also made its way to the other side of the USA, infecting computers at the United States Secret Service
United States Secret Service
The United States Secret Service is a United States federal law enforcement agency that is part of the United States Department of Homeland Security. The sworn members are divided among the Special Agents and the Uniformed Division. Until March 1, 2003, the Service was part of the United States...
knocking their network offline for approximately three days. This led to an investigation of Priest and incorrect suspicion that the virus specifically targeted government computers.
Natas also infected computers in Canada, England, Russian Federation and Brazil.