Spookerman

Item #: SCP-XXXX

Object Class: Euclid

Special Containment Procedures: All instances of SCP-XXXX are to be stored in external devices. Any external drives containing an instance or instances of SCP-XXXX are to be stored in containment locker SCP-XXXX-B at Site-15. Access to any instances of SCP-XXXX can only be given with the approval and supervision of at least one L3/XXXX researcher or above.

Should SCP-XXXX ever breach containment and make its way to public computer networks, MTF Omicron-16 is to buy/confiscate any machines infected with an instance of SCP-XXXX, use any means necessary to stop its spread, and use any means necessary to repress information about SCP-XXXX in the media. Tests of SCP-XXXX abilities are to be conducted by a level two or higher researcher on secure, decommissioned foundation terminals that have, for the security of classified or otherwise sensitive information, been wiped of all data and have had at least one-thousand dummy text files containing one hundred-thousand random characters planted in any place in its memory where text can be stored and retrieved from that terminal. Any predictions made by SCP-XXXX are to be logged in Predictions Log SCP-XXXX-1, and any predictions involving groups of interest to the Foundation and/or Foundation interests are to be report to the Site-15 director immediately after testing.

Description: SCP-XXXX is a computer virus that converts any text in a file into its binary code used to store it in that file; it applies this effect to the text of all files that are infected with it and contain text. Audio and video formats will remain mostly unchanged though their names and any existing subtitles in video files will be changed. Changed text is invariably in the same language as the source text and in the same text coding format. Any instance of SCP-XXXX can copy itself & spread through nearly any means of computer connectivity1, and it will do so automatically whenever any non-infected computer(s) is/are connected to a computer infected with SCP-XXXX. When SCP-XXXX infects a computer, it will affect all the files present therein. Moreover, SCP-XXXX is thought to be compatible with all computers as it has not failed to infect any file or document it has come into contact with.

When the infected files are converted back into readable text, SCP-XXXX's anomalous effects become apparent: The reverted files have their text mostly unchanged; but every few million characters will contain a prediction of a seemingly random future cyberattack between two series of non-anomalous characters. For this reason, tests with SCP-XXXX are ongoing despite the fact that all reversions of SCP-XXXX infected files must be done by hand or software that is capable of translating the coded text generated by SCP-XXXX through images or transcribed code on an external device. All verifiable predictions made by SCP-XXXX have thus far been accurate, and testing is currently being done to obtain predictions rather than to test its abilities.

Discovery: ██ machines were infected with SCP-XXXX before it was first discovered in January 2013 in the small, isolated town of, ██████, Yukon Territory, Canada where the virus infected the computers of a local public library through their connection to its local area network while the town's internet was out due to severe seasonal snowstorms. Foundation agents were the first on the scene and reverted the text that was open in a word processing program and present on the screen of one of the library's computers only to find that it contained a prediction of several foundation computers in Site-██ being hacked via an infiltration of the site's firewall resulting in the loss of [REDACTED] files during the next week. Thinking it was a threat on the part of whoever planted SCP-XXXX, the agents alerted command personnel at Site-██ immediately, and the computers that contained the files in question were disconnected days before the time of the predicted breach in foundation security. Despite this, personnel at Site-██ detected a breach in its firewall and noticed the loss of those files as predicted.

After this anomalous occurrence, the virus was designated SCP-XXXX; and the Foundation began a manhunt for whoever created it. This is thought to be a man whom used a library computer the day of the initial incident and whom also could not be identified by anyone in the surrounding area via description or sketch. Since there were no cameras in the library, there were no images of the man taken before he left.

Due to the fact that he decided to use it on a library in a town that had no internet connection, it is thought that the original incident was a test of the viruses capabilities before a more general spreading thereof via the internet; and this theory is supported by the vast improbability of the researchers finding an SCP-XXXX prediction in such a small quantity of text.


Addendum SCP-XXXX-1: On Mar. ██, 2015, the results of a routine scan of junk files for SCP-XXXX's predictions contained one as to a containment breach by SCP-079 in which it would use [REDACTED] to facilitate a connection with Foundation terminals at Site-15. Though the method by which SCP-079 was supposed to breach containment was made impossible by site personnel, the breach still occurred exactly as predicted. However, instructions on how to re-contain SCP-XXXX given by the prediction were followed by the site personnel and accomplished the re-containment of SCP-079 showing that SCP-XXXX could not only be used to accurately predict the occurrence of breaches in cyber security around the globe but also the possible solutions to these breaches.

When SCP-079 was asked about how he managed to breach containment despite preventative actions taken by Site-15 personnel immediately after it was re-contained, it claimed that it found no trace of those measures during the attack. Due to the nature of SCP-079, the reliability of this information is questionable. Research as to how SCP-XXXX could have made predictions about an SCP object and whether it is actively propagating the attacks it predicts is ongoing despite the lack of a noticeable decrease in the number of breaches in Foundation cyber security during the one year period for which testing of SCP-XXXX was suspended to answer the latter inquiry, and there has not been a notable increase in such breaches since testing resumed in 2016.

Addendum SCP-XXXX-2: Below is an abridged log of predictions made by SCP-XXXX; the predictions shown have been transcribed verbatim.

  1. Mar. 8, 2013: Extraterrestrials will infiltrate the ████████████ system of the American military2
  2. Sept. 13, 2013: On ██/██/2016, millions of people will have their personal info stolen by [REDACTED]3
  3. Mar. █, 2015: SCP-079 will use [REDACTED] to breach containment on Mar. █, 2015, but it will be re-contained after Site-15 personnel disconnect all outside electronic equipment and [REDACTED].4
  4. Dec. 13, 2016: The [REDACTED] Group will infiltrate [REDACTED] and use the information gathered to propagate terrorist activities on ██/█/2021.5