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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

• Groov

• W97M/Groov.gen

• WM97/Groovie-B

Characteristics

W97M/Groov.B was first listed "In the Wild" on the August 1998 WildList. It has since fallen from the top half of the list and may be localized to one area. Risk assessment is thus set to `Low'.

W97M/Groov.B is quite different from the two Groov variants (.A and .I) listed in the current (August 1999) WildList. The list of differences are included below:

1) Upon selecting `File Save As' or `File Save', W97M/Groov.B first removes the existing remarked code, then inserts new remarked statements in every other line of the macro source code. Remarked statements consists of:

a) Application's registered user initials
b) Current date & time
c) A random number between 1 and 998
d) Application's registered user name
e) Application's registered user address
f) A random number between 1 and 998 *(the same # as appearing in `c)'

2) W97M/Groov.B does not contain the code to upload system IP information (see W97M/Groov.A for details).

W97M/Groov.B infects Word 97 documents. It will also infect Word's NORMAL.DOT file. W97M/Groov.B turns off the macro warning feature of Word 97. In addition, W97M/Groov.B disables 'Tools|Macro', 'Tools|Templates and Add-Ins...' and invalidates File templates.

Pressing Alt+F11 (the keyboard shortcut to `Tools|Macro|Visual Basic Editor') results in the virus displaying the following message box: "ALT-F11 says it's groovie!"

W97M/Groov.B changes the document properties, Comments section to: `ALT-F11 says it's groovie!'. This change is not reversed during cleaning because VirusScan has no way to know what it was prior to the infection of the document. To change the comments section back, open the document, then choose File, then Properties.

W97M/Groov.B creates the file C:\GROOVIE.SYS. This file contains the virus macro code and is imported into the documents as they are infected.

W97M/Groov.B also creates an infected copy of NORMAL.DOT - naming it DATA.DOT and placing it into MS-Office ...\Startup directory.

In addition, W97M/Groov.B changes the label on the C: drive to `GROOVIE'.

Symptoms

Existence of files "DATA.DOT" and "GROOVIE.SYS" as mentioned above, macro warning when opening infected documents on non-infected systems.

Method of Infection

Opening infected document on non-infected system will create the dropper infectious file DATA.DOT which will infect the global template as well as any document used thereafter.

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:

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

• Groov

• W97M/Groov.gen

• WM97/Groovie-B

Characteristics

Characteristics -

W97M/Groov.B was first listed "In the Wild" on the August 1998 WildList. It has since fallen from the top half of the list and may be localized to one area. Risk assessment is thus set to `Low'.

W97M/Groov.B is quite different from the two Groov variants (.A and .I) listed in the current (August 1999) WildList. The list of differences are included below:

1) Upon selecting `File Save As' or `File Save', W97M/Groov.B first removes the existing remarked code, then inserts new remarked statements in every other line of the macro source code. Remarked statements consists of:

a) Application's registered user initials
b) Current date & time
c) A random number between 1 and 998
d) Application's registered user name
e) Application's registered user address
f) A random number between 1 and 998 *(the same # as appearing in `c)'

2) W97M/Groov.B does not contain the code to upload system IP information (see W97M/Groov.A for details).

W97M/Groov.B infects Word 97 documents. It will also infect Word's NORMAL.DOT file. W97M/Groov.B turns off the macro warning feature of Word 97. In addition, W97M/Groov.B disables 'Tools|Macro', 'Tools|Templates and Add-Ins...' and invalidates File templates.

Pressing Alt+F11 (the keyboard shortcut to `Tools|Macro|Visual Basic Editor') results in the virus displaying the following message box: "ALT-F11 says it's groovie!"

W97M/Groov.B changes the document properties, Comments section to: `ALT-F11 says it's groovie!'. This change is not reversed during cleaning because VirusScan has no way to know what it was prior to the infection of the document. To change the comments section back, open the document, then choose File, then Properties.

W97M/Groov.B creates the file C:\GROOVIE.SYS. This file contains the virus macro code and is imported into the documents as they are infected.

W97M/Groov.B also creates an infected copy of NORMAL.DOT - naming it DATA.DOT and placing it into MS-Office ...\Startup directory.

In addition, W97M/Groov.B changes the label on the C: drive to `GROOVIE'.

Symptoms

Symptoms -

Existence of files "DATA.DOT" and "GROOVIE.SYS" as mentioned above, macro warning when opening infected documents on non-infected systems.

Method of Infection

Method of Infection -

Opening infected document on non-infected system will create the dropper infectious file DATA.DOT which will infect the global template as well as any document used thereafter.

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:

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