Content

W97M/Panther

Type
Virus
SubType
Macro
Discovery Date
10/14/1999
Length
Minimum DAT
4050 (11/03/1999)
Updated DAT
4638 (11/28/2005)
Minimum Engine
5.1.00
Description Added
10/24/1999
Description Modified
09/27/2002 3:17 AM (PT)
Risk Assessment
Corporate User
Low
Home User
Low

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Characteristics

This class module virus propagates by infecting Word documents in Microsoft Word 97 and 2000 and Word's normal.dot file. This virus consists of a module called ThisDocument. It is able to replicate under the SR-1 release of Word 97. It will turn off the macro warning feature of Word 97.

This virus gets its name from a variable used during the infection routine named "Panther". This virus is otherwise not very significant.

Symptoms

Macro warning when opening infected documents on non-infected system.

Method of Infection

Opening infected documents will directly infect the local Word environment and 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:

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

  • Panther
  • W97M/Panther.gen

Characteristics

Characteristics -

This class module virus propagates by infecting Word documents in Microsoft Word 97 and 2000 and Word's normal.dot file. This virus consists of a module called ThisDocument. It is able to replicate under the SR-1 release of Word 97. It will turn off the macro warning feature of Word 97.

This virus gets its name from a variable used during the infection routine named "Panther". This virus is otherwise not very significant.

Symptoms

Symptoms -

Macro warning when opening infected documents on non-infected system.

Method of Infection

Method of Infection -

Opening infected documents will directly infect the local Word environment and 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:

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