Editing Abraxas (computer virus) (section)

{{Short description|DOS computer virus discovered in 1993}}
{{More footnotes|date=March 2010}}
{{Infobox computer virus
 | Fullname                = Abraxas
 | Common name             = Abraxas
 | Technical name          = Abraxas
 | Family                  = N/A
 | Aliases                 = Abraxas5
 | Classification          = [[Computer virus|Virus]]
 | Type                    = [[DOS]]
 | Subtype                 = [[COM file|COM]] and [[EXE]] infector.
 | IsolationDate           = 1993
 | Isolation               = Unknown
 | Origin                  = [[Russian Federation]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Virus.DOS.Abraxas.Cleton.1518 [Kaspersky Lab] is also known as |url=http://www.threatexpert.com/threats/virus-dos-abraxas-cleton-1518.html |publisher=Threat Expert |accessdate=11 February 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304092318/http://www.threatexpert.com/threats/virus-dos-abraxas-cleton-1518.html |archivedate=4 March 2016 }}</ref> 
 | Author                  = [[Association of Really Cruel Viruses|ARCV]]
}}

'''Abraxas''', also known as Abraxas5, discovered in April 1993, is an encrypted, overwriting, file infecting [[computer virus]] which infects [[COM file|.COM]] and .[[EXE]] files, although it does not infect {{samp|[[command.com]]}}. It does not become memory resident. Each time an infected file is executed, Abraxas infects the copy of {{samp|[[DOS Shell|dosshell.com]]}} located in the C:\DOS directory (creating the file if it does not exist), as well as one EXE file in the current directory. Due to a bug in the virus, only the first EXE file in any directory is infected.

Abraxas-infected files will become 1,171 [[byte]]s in length and contain Abraxas' viral code. The file's date and time in the [[DOS]] disk directory listing will be set to the system date and time when infection occurred. The following text strings can be found within the viral code in all Abraxas infected programs:
[[File:Abraxas-MS-DOS.jpg|thumb|491x491px|a Screenshot of the Computer virus saying ABRAXAS ]]
"*.exe c:\dos\dosshell.com .. MS-DOS (c)1992"

"->>ABRAXAS-5<<--"

"...For he is not of this day"

"...Nor he of this mind"

Execution of infected programs will also result in the display of a graphic "ABRAXAS" on the system display, accompanied by an ascending scale being played on the system speaker.

Abraxas was created with the [[Phalcon-Skism Mass Produced Code Generator|PS-MPC]] virus creation tool, which can be used to create similar, easily detected viruses, which are usually encrypted as well.

More than 20 viruses have appeared which have clearly been produced with the PS-MPC: 
* [[203 (computer virus)]] 
* [[644 (computer virus)]] 
* Abraxas (computer virus) 
* [[ARCV-n (computer virus)]] Remark: [[Association of Really Cruel Viruses|ARCV group]] has also produced viruses with the [[Trident Polymorphic Engine|TPE]] and developed the ARCV strain. 
* [[Joshua (computer virus)]]
* [[Kersplat (computer virus)]]
* [[McWhale (computer virus)]]
* [[Mimic (computer virus)]]
* [[Small ARCV (computer virus)]]
* [[Small EXE (computer virus)]]
* [[Swan Song (computer virus)]]

The name "Abraxas" was also used for a virus in the video game [[Tron: Evolution]].