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| THE KAIST TIMES http://kaisttimes.com | |||||||
Are you presently using virus chaser? Then change the setting immediately! There is a rumor that Virus Chaser deletes Microsoft Office files such as .ppt and .doc randomly.
Recently, a complaint that certain .ppt files were being deleted out of the blue was posted on the KAIST internet bulletin board. A student whose ID name is "real" said with some embarrassment, "The .ppt files for the seminar this week were deleted." Several cases similar to this one were also reported.
Many students suspect Virus Chaser to be the case.
The Information and Communication team has had similar suspicions and has begun looking into the matter. The damage inquiry began only on November 17th, and thus has been underway only 2 days. Nonetheless, it has already uncovered 24 incidents.
The Information and Communication team confirms that Virus Chaser might have caused the trouble. Jin-hyung Kim, a member of the team says, "Nothing is sure yet. However, considering that the Office files were deleted after people ran Virus Chaser manually, it is definitely possible.
The Information and Communication team also reported this case to Newtech Wave - the maker of Virus Chaser - and to Microsoft. Microsoft replied, "This is not a Microsoft problem. It is not possible for Office programs to delete Office files. We have heard about this case several times already but are unable to help you." Newtech sent their engineers to KAIST on November 18th. Shin-sik Choi, the Newtech Wave Team Leader, said, "We will examine the matter very carefully. If we find our software is at fault, we will pay for the damage. Four engineers, including Team Leader Choi, are now examining damaged PCs and scrutinizing hard disks.
Therefore, Virus Chaser users are advised to change their settings to avoid further damage. The problem seems to be caused by manual check. People should probably not check files manually until more is known. It might also be wise to stop automatic check too.
The Information and Communication Team has issued the following urgent instructions:
| 1. | Go to control panel and change security to "user default". |
| 2. | Then change the reponse to detecting a virus to "report to user". |
| 3. | Click on NO automatic check. |
This team will also attempt to restore deleted files. In case the team cannot restore some important files, Newtech Wave promises to hire a professional restoration company to do the job, and to fully cover the costs, even for students.
This problem is extremely serious for students. Important theses could be deleted without notice. The graduate student council commented on this and urged more rapid investigation. It posted a message on the KAIST portal bulleting board saying, "This case worries KAIST students who have to concentrate on their research."
Virus chaser is a virus vaccine program
officially purchased by KAIST.
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