Classification

Category :

Malware

Type :

-

Aliases :

nul, prn, lpt1, clock$

Summary

This is not a virus. Actually, the typical support query goes like this:

Question: I found a file called "nul" in my root directory. I can not access or delete it. Later I found it existed in each and every directory! This has to be a virus!

Answer: How did you find it? With which program?

Try locating in a same manner files with names such as "lpt1", "prn", "com1", "clock$" and you will see that they too exist in every directory and can not be accessed or deleted. This is normal and is a feature of DOS.

These are virtual names for system devices: prn for printer, nul for null port, clock$ for CMOS memory etc. Ignore them.

Removal

Based on the settings of your F-Secure security product, it will either move the file to the quarantine where it cannot spread or cause harm, or remove it.

A False Positive is when a file is incorrectly detected as harmful, usually because its code or behavior resembles known harmful programs. A False Positive will usually be fixed in a subsequent database update without any action needed on your part. If you wish, you may also:

  • Check for the latest database updates

    First check if your F-Secure security program is using the latest updates, then try scanning the file again.

  • Submit a sample

    After checking, if you still believe the file is incorrectly detected, you can submit a sample of it for re-analysis.

    Note: If the file was moved to quarantine, you need to collect the file from quarantine before you can submit it.

  • Exclude a file from further scanning

    If you are certain that the file is safe and want to continue using it, you can exclude it from further scanning by the F-Secure security product.

    Note: You need administrative rights to change the settings.

Technical Details

N/A