Content

Yankee Doodle

Type
Virus
SubType
File Infector
Discovery Date
09/01/1989
Length
2,885-2,899 Bytes
Minimum DAT
4002 (12/02/1998)
Updated DAT
4229 (10/16/2002)
Minimum Engine
5.1.00
Description Added
09/15/1989
Description Modified
09/15/1989 12:00 AM (PT)
Risk Assessment
Corporate User
Low
Home User
Low

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Characteristics

Yankee Doodle is an overwriting, memory resident, file infecting virus. It infects .COM and .EXE files.

Upon infection, the virus becomes memory resident.

As a side note, some variants of the Yankee Doodle virus seek out and modify Ping Pong viruses, changing them so that they self- destruct after 100 infections.

Other than being disruptive by playing Yankee Doodle, this virus does not cause any damage.

Additional Comments:
The Yankee Doodle virus was isolated by Alexander Holy of the North Atlantic Project in Vienna, Austria, on September 30, 1989. It was also isolated in Bulgaria shortly thereafter, where it is known as TP44VIR. This virus is a parasitic virus which infects both .COM and .EXE files, and installs itself memory resident. After installing itself memory resident, it will play Yankee Doodle on the system speaker at 17:00. Infected programs will be increased in length by 2,899 bytes. Other than being disruptive by playing Yankee Doodle, this virus currently does nothing else harmful besides infecting files. As a side note, some variants of the Yankee Doodle virus will seek out and modify Ping Pong viruses, changing them so that they self- destruct after 100 infections. Known variant(s) of Yankee Doodle are:

Symptoms

Once memory resident, it plays Yankee Doodle on the system speaker at 17:00.

Infected files increase in length by 2,899 bytes.

Method of Infection

The only way to infect a computer with a file infecting virus is to execute an infected file on the computer. The infected file may come from a multitude of sources including: floppy diskettes, downloads through an online service, network, etc. Once the infected file is executed, the virus may activate.

Removal

All Users :
Script,Batch,Macro and non memory-resident:
Use current engine and DAT files for detection and removal.

PE,Trojan,Internet Worm and memory resident :
Use specified engine and DAT files for detection. To remove, boot to MS-DOS mode or use a boot diskette and use the command line scanner:

SCANPM /ADL /CLEAN /ALL

Additional Windows ME/XP removal considerations


Users should not trust file icons, particularly when receiving files from others via P2P clients, IRC, email or other mediums where users can share files.

AVERT Recommended Updates :

* Office2000 Updates

* Malformed Word Document Could Enable Macro to Run Automatically (Information/Patch )

* scriptlet.typelib/Eyedog vulnerability patch

* Outlook as an email attachment security update

* Exchange 5.5 post SP3 Information Store Patch 5.5.2652.42 - this patch corrects detection issues with GroupShield

For a list of attachments blocked by the Outlook patch and a general FAQ, visit this link .
Additionally, Network Administrators can configure this update using an available tool - visit this link for more information .

It is very common for macro viruses to disable options within Office applications for example in Word, the macro protection warning commonly is disabled. After cleaning macro viruses, ensure that your previously set options are again enabled.

Variants

Variants

    N/A

All Information

Overview -

This is a virus detection. Viruses are programs that self-replicate recursively, meaning that infected systems spread the virus to other systems, which then propagate the virus further. While many viruses contain a destructive payload, it's quite common for viruses to do nothing more than spread from one system to another.

Aliases

  • FiveO'clock Virus
  • TP44VIR
  • YD

Characteristics

Characteristics -

Yankee Doodle is an overwriting, memory resident, file infecting virus. It infects .COM and .EXE files.

Upon infection, the virus becomes memory resident.

As a side note, some variants of the Yankee Doodle virus seek out and modify Ping Pong viruses, changing them so that they self- destruct after 100 infections.

Other than being disruptive by playing Yankee Doodle, this virus does not cause any damage.

Additional Comments:
The Yankee Doodle virus was isolated by Alexander Holy of the North Atlantic Project in Vienna, Austria, on September 30, 1989. It was also isolated in Bulgaria shortly thereafter, where it is known as TP44VIR. This virus is a parasitic virus which infects both .COM and .EXE files, and installs itself memory resident. After installing itself memory resident, it will play Yankee Doodle on the system speaker at 17:00. Infected programs will be increased in length by 2,899 bytes. Other than being disruptive by playing Yankee Doodle, this virus currently does nothing else harmful besides infecting files. As a side note, some variants of the Yankee Doodle virus will seek out and modify Ping Pong viruses, changing them so that they self- destruct after 100 infections. Known variant(s) of Yankee Doodle are:

Symptoms

Symptoms -

Once memory resident, it plays Yankee Doodle on the system speaker at 17:00.

Infected files increase in length by 2,899 bytes.

Method of Infection

Method of Infection -

The only way to infect a computer with a file infecting virus is to execute an infected file on the computer. The infected file may come from a multitude of sources including: floppy diskettes, downloads through an online service, network, etc. Once the infected file is executed, the virus may activate.

Removal -

Removal -

All Users :
Script,Batch,Macro and non memory-resident:
Use current engine and DAT files for detection and removal.

PE,Trojan,Internet Worm and memory resident :
Use specified engine and DAT files for detection. To remove, boot to MS-DOS mode or use a boot diskette and use the command line scanner:

SCANPM /ADL /CLEAN /ALL

Additional Windows ME/XP removal considerations


Users should not trust file icons, particularly when receiving files from others via P2P clients, IRC, email or other mediums where users can share files.

AVERT Recommended Updates :

* Office2000 Updates

* Malformed Word Document Could Enable Macro to Run Automatically (Information/Patch )

* scriptlet.typelib/Eyedog vulnerability patch

* Outlook as an email attachment security update

* Exchange 5.5 post SP3 Information Store Patch 5.5.2652.42 - this patch corrects detection issues with GroupShield

For a list of attachments blocked by the Outlook patch and a general FAQ, visit this link .
Additionally, Network Administrators can configure this update using an available tool - visit this link for more information .

It is very common for macro viruses to disable options within Office applications for example in Word, the macro protection warning commonly is disabled. After cleaning macro viruses, ensure that your previously set options are again enabled.

Variants

Variants -

    N/A