Harvard Fights Viral Attack

The insidious Michelangelo computer virus, designed to destroy information on infected IBM hard drives, left most major computer systems at Harvard untouched yesterday.

Over 80 people called a hotline set up by the Office of Information Technology to deal with questions about the virus and 20 came into the office, according to Annalise J. Martin, manager of the system.

"Only three reported the presence of Michelangelo on their systems," said Martin.

The virus automatically erases the contents of an infected hard drive when the computer's internal clock reads March 6, the birthday of the artist Michelangelo.

The biggest case reported to the office's hotline was a computer crash at the Harvard Institute of International Development, but damage to that system was minimal, said Joseph G. Sharp, manager of facilities and administrative services at the Institute.

Sharp said that only two of the Institute's 150 computers were attacked by the virus.

All information was lost on one of the computers, but the other was completely saved, he said.

Preparation Crucial

Frank B. Bernstein, a computer specialist at the Harvard Technology Product Center, said most of the University's computer operators were sufficiently informed and equipped to handle the virus.

Officials at the Law School and the Business School said that systems in those schools were unaffected by the virus, and that officials there had been prepared in advance for its arrival.

A recorded message on the Kennedy School of Government's hotline advised administrators and faculty members to bring new disks to the operations staff for copies of anti-viral programs.

"We're all busy right now scanning for these viruses, as you all know," the recording added.

No Big Thing

Bob Montgomery, a systems engineer for the Harvard Coop's computer department, said that the outbreak of the virus was much smaller than expected.

Montgomery said, however, that problems could arise in the future for many computer users, since many people don't bother to set the internal clocks of their computers when they purchase them.

"New computer clocks start off in January. So, depending on when people got them, those who haven't changed the clocks on their systems may experience the virus later on," he said.

The existence of Michelangelo has been known for about a year among most computer operators, Bernstein said.

"It was a great nuisance," said Sharp. "But that's about all it was."