Scores (computer virus)
Encyclopedia
Scores was a computer virus
affecting Macintosh
machines. It was first discovered in Spring 1988. It was written by a disgruntled programmer and specifically attacks two applications that were under development at his former company. These programs were never released to the public.
Scores infects the System, Notepad, and Scrapbook files under System 6
and System 7
. There is a simple way to identify infection. Normal Notepad and Scrapbook icons will have specific icons under System 7, or little Macintosh icons under System 6. If the icons are blank document icons, it is a good indication the system is infected.
Scores begins to spread to other applications two days after infection. The Finder and DA
Handler often become infected as well.
Scores was not designed to do anything besides spread itself and attack the two specific applications. However, there is a serious conflict between the virus and System 6.0.4 or above, where Apple began using resources of the same type that Scores uses. In these cases the system files will be damaged.
The alleged author of the virus was questioned by the FBI soon after the virus was discovered. Unfortunately there were no federal laws on the books at that time with which to charge him so to this day he remains free. This loophole resulted in the "Computer Virus Eradication Act of 1988".
Computer virus
A computer virus is a computer program that can replicate itself and spread from one computer to another. The term "virus" is also commonly but erroneously used to refer to other types of malware, including but not limited to adware and spyware programs that do not have the reproductive ability...
affecting Macintosh
Macintosh
The Macintosh , or Mac, is a series of several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The first Macintosh was introduced by Apple's then-chairman Steve Jobs on January 24, 1984; it was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a...
machines. It was first discovered in Spring 1988. It was written by a disgruntled programmer and specifically attacks two applications that were under development at his former company. These programs were never released to the public.
Scores infects the System, Notepad, and Scrapbook files under System 6
System 6
System 6 is a graphical user interface-based operating system for Macintosh computers. It was released in 1988 by Apple Computer and was part of the Mac OS line of operating systems. System 6 was shipped with various Macintosh computers until it was succeeded by System 7 in 1991. The boxed...
and System 7
System 7 (Macintosh)
System 7 is a single-user graphical user interface-based operating system for Macintosh computers. It was introduced on May 13, 1991 by Apple Computer. It succeeded System 6, and was the main Macintosh operating system until it was succeeded by Mac OS 8 in 1997...
. There is a simple way to identify infection. Normal Notepad and Scrapbook icons will have specific icons under System 7, or little Macintosh icons under System 6. If the icons are blank document icons, it is a good indication the system is infected.
Scores begins to spread to other applications two days after infection. The Finder and DA
Desk Accessory
A desk accessory is a small helper-type application that can be run concurrently with any other application on the system. Early examples, such as SideKick and Macintosh desk accessories, used special programming models to provide a small degree of multitasking on a system that initially did not...
Handler often become infected as well.
Scores was not designed to do anything besides spread itself and attack the two specific applications. However, there is a serious conflict between the virus and System 6.0.4 or above, where Apple began using resources of the same type that Scores uses. In these cases the system files will be damaged.
The alleged author of the virus was questioned by the FBI soon after the virus was discovered. Unfortunately there were no federal laws on the books at that time with which to charge him so to this day he remains free. This loophole resulted in the "Computer Virus Eradication Act of 1988".