……

The Chernobyl virus, which has the characteristics of both a computer virus and a computer worm, and can cross multiple platforms, has refreshed people's perception of the extent of damage to malicious computer programs, but it has also paid a lot of money. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 ｉｎfo

After all, although most BIOS damaged computers can be remedied by returning to the factory for repair and chip replacement, whether those documents that store important information can be recovered depends on whether Lady Luck is willing to take care of them.

And these are only the most direct losses, as for those indirect, invisible losses, it is difficult to accurately assess.

The Wall Street Journal's claim that the Chernobyl virus has caused $10 billion in global damage is not an exaggeration.

Just as all walks of life were scrambling to deal with the raging Chernobyl virus, just four days after the massive outbreak of Chernobyl, that is, the turning point of the Chernobyl virus outbreak, which began to slide from its peak, an account in the free~you and open-source software community, believed to be from Russia, sent out an open letter.

It declares that he is the author of the Chernobyl virus; Purely unintentionally, this "little thing" was accidentally leaked out; Disturbed and sorry for the unexpected damage caused; In order to minimize the harm, the source code is now open to the public, so as to work together to form a more effective and appropriate disposal plan.

As a result, the Chernobyl virus, which has changed the color of countless people, has been completely "revealed to the world".

In the beginning, many people were very resistant to receiving email attachments with the source code of the Chernobyl virus.

Hmph, don't try to fool me! The previous e-mails such as "cover letter" and "I_LOVE_YOU" that were very confusing can make people miserable!

However, when the source code of the Chernobyl virus was confirmed, everyone's attitude immediately changed!

Computer security companies, represented by Symantec, said worriedly, "The publication of the source code of the Chernobyl virus, on the surface, is conducive to figuring out its true mechanism and helping to prevent and control it; But at the same time, it is more likely to be used by people with intentions to breed a variant of the Chernobyl virus. ”

The attitude of the US security services seems to be speculating with the greatest malice: The author of the Chernobyl virus is not necessarily out of good intentions when he publishes the source code at this time, but he is afraid that the purpose of adding fuel to the fire is the main thing.

For this reason, the United States asked Russia to arrest this dangerous hacker who caused tens of billions of dollars in economic losses to the world.

Russia promised very well, but it didn't work out, and I don't know if it was because the author of the Chernobyl virus really saw the beginning and the end, or because of the poor performance of the economy for many years, he began to deviate from the United States.

However, the technical community has been jubilant about the disclosure of the source code of the Chernobyl virus; Especially after an in-depth analysis of the source code of the Chernobyl virus, countless people sent their knees of adoration.

……

The author of the Chernobyl virus, who is simply an alien, how did he come up with such an ingenious mathematical algorithm?

There is no doubt that the author of the Chernobyl virus is a top master who is well aware of the development of computer technology in the last decade or so; Otherwise, the Chernobyl virus will not be full of defects and bugs that are almost impossible to detect

The emergence of the Chernobyl virus has made the contemporary computer industry look back and conduct a serious and comprehensive examination of its own shortcomings under its colorful halo, and to a certain extent, it is not hesitant to spur on.

The Chernobyl virus tells the public what kind of technology a clever hacker should have.

If you are interested in computer technology, then you can become a first-class expert if you study the source code of the Chernobyl virus thoroughly.

……

The admiration for the Chernobyl virus and its authors is like the water of the Yangtze River, flooding uncontrollably.

Later, some people pondered: No, the author of the Chernobyl virus, such a fork, should not stay in the desert of the development of the personal computer industry in Russia.

As a result, the true identity of the author of the Chernobyl virus has been discussed in the dark.

The reason is there, such a master who has trampled the entire computer industry on the soles of his feet, if he wants to hide his traces on the Internet, or create an illusion of his existence on the Internet, it is too easy!

……

Of course, while some people are blazing with gossip, there are also people who are serious about doing practical things.

Fangyuan officially announced that it will launch a dual BIOS design scheme for the motherboard used in Fangyuan's personal computer to resist the devastating damage to system hardware caused by the Chernobyl virus and its variants.

The corresponding principle is also simple to say: one of the BIOS chips still uses the popular kind that can be erased by changing the voltage, which is conducive to adding upgrades and maintenance, including support for the latest CPUs; The other BIOS chip uses the kind that can only be erased by ultraviolet irradiation. In addition, it provides a usable backup in the event that the former is corrupted, resulting in the inability to boot properly.

Although the technology launched by Fangyuan Company has no revolutionary gold content, it is better to do than not to do it, showing a serious and responsible attitude of shame and courage, and it suddenly ushered in a piece of praise, and the industry is also full of responders.

……

However, not everyone can get a positive reward from the review and redress of the Chernobyl virus.

Because the destruction of computer hardware by the Chernobyl virus has left an indelible impression, it is not difficult to imagine that when the source code of the Chernobyl virus was made public, someone immediately began to study it and quickly came to a conclusion.

That is: compared to the indiscriminate destruction of office software files on hard disks by the Chernobyl virus, its devastating attack on hardware is only aimed at computers with a mix of 32-bit and 16-bit operating systems, and only 32-bit operating systems, or 64-bit operating systems.

This is so because in order to destroy the BIOS on the motherboard, the voltage must be changed, which in turn needs to be approved by the system for interrupt calls.

It is precisely those 32-bit and 16-bit mixed-architecture operating systems that do not have perfect access management for interruptions, so that masters like the authors of the Chernobyl virus have found an empty door that can be attacked.

Now that we know what the problem is, the destruction of computer hardware by the Chernobyl virus is not as terrifying as it was when we were completely ignorant at the beginning.

All the user needs to do is to install a pure 32-bit operating system.

This is not a difficult matter, including the StudiOS_i of Zheru Software and the Windows_NT of Microsoft, there is still a lot of leeway.

It's just that this research conclusion has brought a catastrophe to the windows_98 of the operating system launched by Microsoft for the consumer market this year.

It must be admitted that by learning from others' strengths, the new windows_98 has won a good market response; In particular, because of the anti-monopoly lawsuit, Zheru Software Company has given Microsoft room to play.

However, in order to maintain compatibility with the 16 applications that still have a significant market space, the windows_98 adopted a hybrid architecture of 32-bit and 16-bit, rather than Zheru Software equipped StudiOS_i with more technically complex virtual machines.

In this way, the Chernobyl virus, which can destroy computer hardware, windows_98 become the most helpless operating system.

It is important to know that a secure operating system will have a protection mechanism for Interrupt_Description_Table interrupt description table, i.e., IDT, to avoid changes in program code, including computer viruses.

Microsoft's windows_95 and windows_98 in the consumer-level operating system market did not have this protection mechanism, and as a result, it was beaten into a sieve by the Chernobyl virus.

Because the protection mechanism of the interrupt description table designed by the operating system is too core and too low-level, the value of the windows_98 change is not large.

After all, instead of wasting resources tinkering, it's better to develop a completely new replacement that's perfect enough.

In other words, after the Chernobyl virus is so raging, the windows_98 that has made Microsoft happy for a short time may be about to die.

More precisely, Microsoft has lost the trust that exists in the face of the entire windows_9X branch of the consumer operating system market.

……

In Seattle, at Microsoft's headquarters, Gates, Steve Ballmer, and others are discussing how to deal with the entire windows_9X branch product line.

This is not just a waste of windows_95 and windows_98, because Microsoft saw the good response in the windows_98 market, and rushed to develop the next generation for the millennium, the windows_ME.

In this case, the elimination of the windows_9X branch product line would mean giving up the two operating system windows_95 and windows_98 that are still being sold, as well as the successor windows_ME that is being developed, and the resulting loss is too painful.

Steve Ballmer was still holding on to the luck of the windows_ME being developed to make up for the defect of the windows_9X branch product line being broken down by the Chernobyl virus.

So he said: "Since Microsoft decided to develop a graphical user interface operating system in addition to MS-DOS, the windows_9X branch product line was born, under the pressure of Apple Computer's patents, from the windows_1.0 and windows_2.0 in the exploration stage, to the windows_3.X that began to contribute profits, and even the current windows_95 and windows_98, it has developed all the way, and it is not easy. It has condensed our countless hardships and feelings, and now is a good time to collect returns, so let's try to make amends. ”

Gates smiled wryly and didn't answer right away.

He is well versed in technology and understands very well: the windows_9X branch product line has become a quagmire, and the more reluctant to flutter and struggle in it, the faster it sinks!

For the sake of today's plan, the only way to do this is to break the wrist of a strong man and completely press Microsoft's layout on the operating system to the windows_NT branch product line with a significantly better architecture.

Looking around at his subordinates, Gates opened his mouth, and suddenly felt that it was too much of a rage.

If windows_98 skills are inferior to others and are defeated by competitors, Gates will admit it; But the current situation is that windows_98 has not had time to fight head-on with the corresponding version of StudiOS of Zheru Software, and he was forced to have no place by a computer virus in a daze, and he died too aggrieved, how can people be willing?

Gates picked up the cup, took a sip of coffee, extinguished the small fire in his heart, and then said slowly: "Although I am emotionally like you, I don't want to admit that windows_9X branch product line has come to an end, but the truth is so cruel and unchangeable. ”

After the lyricism was finished, Gates's speech speed was noticeably faster.

He showed the courage of the entrepreneur and the decisiveness of the boss, and then instructed: "windows_ME the research and development of the project, stop immediately; windows_9X branch product line is transferred to maintenance status; Our next-generation operating system has only one, and that is the windows_NT of version 5.0. ”

Seeing that Steve Ballmer was reluctant to speak, Gates waved his hand, "For the windows_9X branch product line, the market can sell as much as you want, but the company must move to the windows_NT branch in the center of the operating system, and the relevant materials must be prepared immediately, I will hold a press conference as soon as possible to announce that the 5.0 version windows_NT that is in the research and development stage will be listed. And the business name is set to windows_2000. ”

Steve Ballmer has known Gates for more than 20 years.

Therefore, as soon as he saw the other party behaving like this, he knew in his heart: this is the final decision!

Steve Ballmer can understand Gates's thoughts: the signboard of the windows_9X branch product line has been completely stinked by the Chernobyl virus, so much so that it has affected investor confidence and caused Microsoft's stock price to fall.

In this case, Gates must regain confidence in Microsoft through the windows_NT of the 5.0 version of the press.

……

In fact, Gates held a well-prepared media briefing for the windows_2000, which was still in the research and development stage.

He said that the windows_2000 that will be introduced to the market next year will be divided into two versions: server and workstation; The workstation version will be subdivided into professional version and home version; The latter will have consumer-grade features for windows_9X branch product lines.

……

When it came to the interactive session, the reporter asked very facelessly: What kind of ending will Microsoft give windows_9X branch product line?

Gates replied vaguely: "Given the superiority of the architecture, Microsoft will certainly choose to windows_NT branch product line to undertake the company's future mission." ”

……

In this regard, Wired magazine, which focuses on the impact of science and technology, came up with a very straightforward title, "Windows 98 is finished".

The specific content of the report is praised:

We saw the dangers of the Chernobyl virus everywhere and thought that was all there was to it.

But that's not the case.

I'm going to tell you, at least Microsoft will have to change its business strategy because of the Chernobyl virus, and even scrap a very popular operating system!