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

• AussieParasite.Kuang

Characteristics

Kuang is a memory resident, spawning, file infecting virus. It infects .EXE files by creating corresponding .COM files containing the viral code.

Upon infection, the Kuang virus becomes memory resident at the top of system memory but below the 640K DOS boundary. Interrupts 21 and 66 are hooked by the virus in memory.

Once the Kuang virus is memory resident, it infects .EXE files as they are executed. The .EXE file is not altered, instead the virus creates a .COM file with the same base file name.

Additional Comments:
The Kuang or Aussie Parasite.Kuang virus was received in January, 1995. Its origin or point of isolation is unknown. Kuang is a memory resident companion or spawning virus which infects .EXE programs by creating corresponding .COM files containing the viral code. When the first Kuang infected program is executed, the Kuang virus will install itself memory resident at the top of system memory but below the 640K DOS boundary. Total available memory, as indicated by the DOS CHKDSK program from DOS 5.0, will have decreased by approximately 848 bytes. Interrupts 21 and 66 will be hooked by the virus in memory. Once the Kuang virus is memory resident, it will infect .EXE programs when they are executed. The .EXE file is not altered, instead the virus will create a .COM file with the same base file name. These created .COM files will have a length of 718 bytes and the file date/time stamp in the DOS disk directory of "02-20;6 10:02". The .COM files will not be visible in the DOS disk directory listing as the virus sets the System, Hidden, and Read-Only flags. The following text strings are visible within the Kuang viral code located in the hidden .COM files: "STACK" "W.I.N.T.E.R.M.U.T.E." "jANE is a bItcH" "I wanna set of Mollys shades" "Case lives.... Somewhere in the NET!" "Kuang Virus 2.0" "N.E.U.R.O.M.A.N.C.E.R." "(C) 1992 Australian Parasite" The Kuang virus can be disinfected by cold-booting the system from an uninfected system disk, and deleting all of the 718 byte hidden files containing the Kuang viral code. The user must be careful to not execute any .EXE program in this process which has a companion hidden .COM file.

Symptoms

The following text strings are visible within the Kuang viral code located in the hidden .COM files:

"STACK"
"W.I.N.T.E.R.M.U.T.E."
"jANE is a 'Expletive'"
"I wanna set of Mollys shades"
"Case lives....Somewhere in the NET!"
"Kuang Virus 2.0"
"N.E.U.R.O.M.A.N.C.E.R."
"(C) 1992 Australian Parasite"

Total available memory decreases by approximately 848 bytes. These created .COM files have a length of 718 bytes. Their file date/time stamp in the DOS disk directory of "02-20;6 10:02". The .COM files are not visible in the DOS disk directory listing as the virus sets the System, Hidden, and Read-Only flags.

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:

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

• AussieParasite.Kuang

Characteristics

Characteristics -

Kuang is a memory resident, spawning, file infecting virus. It infects .EXE files by creating corresponding .COM files containing the viral code.

Upon infection, the Kuang virus becomes memory resident at the top of system memory but below the 640K DOS boundary. Interrupts 21 and 66 are hooked by the virus in memory.

Once the Kuang virus is memory resident, it infects .EXE files as they are executed. The .EXE file is not altered, instead the virus creates a .COM file with the same base file name.

Additional Comments:
The Kuang or Aussie Parasite.Kuang virus was received in January, 1995. Its origin or point of isolation is unknown. Kuang is a memory resident companion or spawning virus which infects .EXE programs by creating corresponding .COM files containing the viral code. When the first Kuang infected program is executed, the Kuang virus will install itself memory resident at the top of system memory but below the 640K DOS boundary. Total available memory, as indicated by the DOS CHKDSK program from DOS 5.0, will have decreased by approximately 848 bytes. Interrupts 21 and 66 will be hooked by the virus in memory. Once the Kuang virus is memory resident, it will infect .EXE programs when they are executed. The .EXE file is not altered, instead the virus will create a .COM file with the same base file name. These created .COM files will have a length of 718 bytes and the file date/time stamp in the DOS disk directory of "02-20;6 10:02". The .COM files will not be visible in the DOS disk directory listing as the virus sets the System, Hidden, and Read-Only flags. The following text strings are visible within the Kuang viral code located in the hidden .COM files: "STACK" "W.I.N.T.E.R.M.U.T.E." "jANE is a bItcH" "I wanna set of Mollys shades" "Case lives.... Somewhere in the NET!" "Kuang Virus 2.0" "N.E.U.R.O.M.A.N.C.E.R." "(C) 1992 Australian Parasite" The Kuang virus can be disinfected by cold-booting the system from an uninfected system disk, and deleting all of the 718 byte hidden files containing the Kuang viral code. The user must be careful to not execute any .EXE program in this process which has a companion hidden .COM file.

Symptoms

Symptoms -

The following text strings are visible within the Kuang viral code located in the hidden .COM files:

"STACK"
"W.I.N.T.E.R.M.U.T.E."
"jANE is a 'Expletive'"
"I wanna set of Mollys shades"
"Case lives....Somewhere in the NET!"
"Kuang Virus 2.0"
"N.E.U.R.O.M.A.N.C.E.R."
"(C) 1992 Australian Parasite"

Total available memory decreases by approximately 848 bytes. These created .COM files have a length of 718 bytes. Their file date/time stamp in the DOS disk directory of "02-20;6 10:02". The .COM files are not visible in the DOS disk directory listing as the virus sets the System, Hidden, and Read-Only flags.

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:

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