McAfee > Theat Center > Virus Detail Page

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

• W97M/Eight

• W97M/Eight941

• W97M/Eight941.A

• W97M/Eight941.B

• W97M/Eight941.C

• W97M/Eight941.gen

Characteristics

This is a virus for Word 97 documents. It is able to replicate under the SR-1 and above release of Word 97. It will turn off the macro warning feature of Word 97. This virus infects the first VB Project commonly known as the "ThisDocument" stream, or class module, of a document or template during infection routine.

This virus hooks the system event of opening documents in Word97 by the subroutine "Document_Open" thereby running its code.

The .D variant has a date activated payload of password protecting all DOC files on the local machine, searching for files first in the root of C: and searching all subdirectories. Files found will be opened, password protected and then saved. This will occur on November 10, or on July 1 of any year.

The .A, .B, .C and .D variants of this virus are detected generically. The first 3 variants use the password of "8941" while the .D variant uses the password "xyz".

Symptoms

Macro warning when opening infected files on non infected system. Files not previously password protected now request password when opening.

Method of Infection

Opening infected document will directly infect the global template allowing files used on the system to become infected.

Files which have been password protected already by this virus will require special handling. Remove the password from the file manually prior to cleaning this virus, if cleaning fails by standard removal method.

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

• W97M/Eight941.d

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

• W97M/Eight

• W97M/Eight941

• W97M/Eight941.A

• W97M/Eight941.B

• W97M/Eight941.C

• W97M/Eight941.gen

Characteristics

Characteristics -

This is a virus for Word 97 documents. It is able to replicate under the SR-1 and above release of Word 97. It will turn off the macro warning feature of Word 97. This virus infects the first VB Project commonly known as the "ThisDocument" stream, or class module, of a document or template during infection routine.

This virus hooks the system event of opening documents in Word97 by the subroutine "Document_Open" thereby running its code.

The .D variant has a date activated payload of password protecting all DOC files on the local machine, searching for files first in the root of C: and searching all subdirectories. Files found will be opened, password protected and then saved. This will occur on November 10, or on July 1 of any year.

The .A, .B, .C and .D variants of this virus are detected generically. The first 3 variants use the password of "8941" while the .D variant uses the password "xyz".

Symptoms

Symptoms -

Macro warning when opening infected files on non infected system. Files not previously password protected now request password when opening.

Method of Infection

Method of Infection -

Opening infected document will directly infect the global template allowing files used on the system to become infected.

Files which have been password protected already by this virus will require special handling. Remove the password from the file manually prior to cleaning this virus, if cleaning fails by standard removal method.

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 -

• W97M/Eight941.d