Ghostball (computer virus)

{{Short description|First discovered multipartite virus}}

{{Refimprove|date=May 2008}}

{{Infobox software

| name = Ghostball

| screenshot =

| screenshot size =

| caption =

| other_names =

| released = October 1989

| genre = Computer virus, malware, multipartite virus, file virus, boot virus

| author = Unknown

| replaces = Modified Vienna (COM file-infecting code), Ping-Pong virus (boot sector-infecting section)

| operating_system = DOS

}}

Ghostball was the first multipartite virus discovered.[http://home.mcafee.com/VirusInfo/VirusProfile.aspx?key=498 Ghostballs Virus Profile & Definition] The virus was discovered in October 1989, by Friðrik Skúlason. The virus is capable of infecting both executable .COM-files and boot sectors.

The virus was written up based on code from two different viruses. The code that is capable of infecting COM files is stated to be inspired from a modified version of the [http://virus.wikidot.com/vienna Vienna virus.] The section of the virus that is capable of infecting boot sectors is extracted from the Ping-Pong virus.