Lamex
Lamex
Type Boot sector virus
Creator
Date Discovered 1989.10
Place of Origin Elmshorn, Germany
Source Language
Platform Amiga OS
File Type(s)
Infection Length 1,024 bytes
Reported Costs

Lamex, sometimes also called Lamer Exterminator or Lamer is an Amiga boot sector virus.

Behavior

When a disk infected with LamerExterminator is booted, the virus will load itself into memory. It will install itself to any disk that is accessed. The virus is encrypted, and if it is not in memory, it will show the encrypted virus when the boot sector is read. If the virus is in memory when the boot sector is read, it will show the original clean boot sector.

LamerExterminator has a damage routine that will activate at any reset or disk access. It overwrites bootblocks 84 times with the string "LAMER!". This will cause a read-write error n the disk.

Variants

  • Lamex.2 through 8
  • Clist- also known as Lame Style U.K., as it is probably from Britain.
  • Guardians- overwrites the bootblock with "HIV". It is not encrypted.
  • IngosReturn- overwrites bootblocks with "FUCK!!". It gets its name from the text contained in the virus code: "INGO`S RETURN"
  • MadIV- overwrites bootblocks with "MAD".
  • Starcom 4- overwrites bootblocks with "STC!". The virus contains the text "A touch of STARCOM virus!".
  • Starcom Return- same as Starcom 4, but contains the text "The Return of STARCOM!!!!".
  • TAI 7
  • Hilly

Name

Lamex gets its name from the text contained in the viral code. It is sometimes also called "Lamer", partly because LamerExterminator is an unusually long name for a virus and also because it overwrites bootblocks with "LAMER!".

Sources

Computer Virus Catalog (through totse.com), 54 AMIGA Viruses.

Amiga Virus Encyclopedia, The Lamer Exterminator.

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