Notification of the limited distribution of a self-copying program HTTP://WWW.0100101110101101.ORG + [epidemiC] http://www.epidemic.ws, intend to release an self-copying program, or computer virus, for the occasion of their participation in the forty ninth edition of the Venice Biannual, conceived and developed by them. It is called "biennale.py". This document is intended to furnish the just precautionary measures with which the aforementioned program should be handled. Furthermore it is our intention to underline the technology which permits itself to automatically reproduce, copying itself in various files which could be stored in your computer. Operative environments at risk Computers which have a working version of Python installed and therefore are able to correctly execute programs complied with the Python language sintax, must be considered to be under risk and should absolutely avoid the execution of any Python application containing a copy of "biennale.py". Operative environments not at risk Computers that do not have a working version of the Python are not at risk and can manipulate "biennale.py" at will. Technology The self-copying program "biennale.py" is based on the services offered by the Python execution environment. This environment is able to read the contents of files edited with a particular sintax (Python) and follow the instructions contained therein. This operation is called the execution of the Python program. The "biennale.py" program is to be considered active only when executed, in this case the following operations will appear. -- Scanning of the list of all the files contained in the local disk with the exception of those contained in the "/dev" and "/proc" folders -- Selection of the files with the prefix ".py" e ".pyw" from the obtained list -- The modifications of the files in the selection with the addition at the head of the instruction sequence of "biennale.py". Removal In case some files in your possession have been modified by the execution of the "biennale.py" program you must follows these steps. -- Obtain a list of the modifies files -- Using a text editor cancel all the lines between, and including, the line "# biennale.py ___ go to ___ 49th Biennale di Venezia" and the line "###" These simple instructions are sufficient to remove the modifications. Damage "biennale.py" has been designed to avoid in any manner damage to the contents of your computer. The individuation and the removal of the modification that it could bring, exclusively to python files, are extremely facilitated. For no reason shall the authors consider themselves responsible for the execution of the sequence of instructions belonging to "biennale.py" which has been conceived expressly for the Venice Biannual and nevertheless to be destroyed immediately. Antivirus A copy of "epidemic.py" and this document will be sent to the most well known societies who produce AntiVirus. Authors [epidemiC] http://www.epidemic.ws email biennale.py@epidemic.ws HTTP://WWW.0100101110101101.ORG email biennale.py@0100101110101101.ORG Target 49° Biennale di Venezia slovenian pavillion opening: 8 jun 2001 / h. 19 galleria A+A, San Marco 3073, Venezia