Delphi malware is an unusual threat

It’s looking like fewer software packages can escape the notice of virus creators.

Earlier this month, a rare AutoCAD virus appeared, targeting users of that specialized application.

Now, reports from F-Secure and Sophos say that Delphi, software that helps developers build Windows applications, is vulnerable to a threat that Sophos calls W32/Induc-A.

The virus creates a bad system function and writes code that calls that function into key Delphi system files, according to Sophos and F-Secure.

So far, the threat may be minimal: Antivirus vendors say that the virus doesn’t include a malicious payload. But it’s capable of spreading quickly, and its method of infecting files indirectly makes the virus more difficult to remove.

“W32/Induc-A is a virus that infects Delphi files at compile time. As such, these files cannot be disinfected and need to be recompiled cleanly,” href=”http://www.sophos.com/security/analyses/viruses-and-spyware/w32induca.html”>Sophos warned.

“Please be aware — this virus isn’t just a threat if you are a software developer who uses Delphi. It’s possible that you are running programs which are written in Delphi on your computers, and they could be affected,” wrote Richard Cohen of Sophos Labs in a blog post.