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

• 1374

• Pieces

Characteristics

Little Pieces is a memory resident, file infecting virus. It infects .EXE files.

Upon infection, the virus becomes memory resident. The area where it is memory resident is 1,392 bytes long and labeled COMMAND Data in low system memory. Some memory mapping utilities combine this area with the command interpreter, so the command interpreter appears to be 1,392 bytes longer than expected. Interrupts 13, 16, and 21 are hooked by the Little Pieces virus.

Once Little Pieces is memory resident, it infects .EXE files as they are executed.

Additional Comments:
The Little Pieces virus was isolated in January, 1991, in Italy. This virus is a 1,374 byte memory resident infector of .EXE files. The first time a program infected with Little Pieces is executed, the virus will install itself memory resident. The area where it is memory resident is 1,392 bytes long and labeled COMMAND Data in low system memory. Some memory mapping utilities will combine this area with the command interpreter, so the command interpreter will appear to be 1,392 bytes longer than expected. Interrupts 13, 16, and 21 are hooked by the Little Pieces virus. Once Little Pieces is memory resident, it will infect .EXE programs as they are executed. Infected .EXE programs will increase in size by 1,374 bytes and have the virus located at the end of the infected file. Infected files will not have their date and time in the disk directory altered. Systems infected with the Little Pieces virus may experience the system display being cleared unexpectedly after a key is pressed on the keyboard. The following message is usually displayed after the screen is cleared, though not always: "One of these days I'm going to cut you into little pieces" This message cannot be viewed in infected files as it is encrypted within the virus. Infected system may also experience unexpected system hangs occurring, requiring the system to be rebooted. These hangs sometimes occur after the above message is displayed.

Symptoms

Systems infected with the Little Pieces virus may experience the system display being cleared unexpectedly after a key is pressed on the keyboard. The following message is usually displayed after the screen is cleared:

"One of these days I'm going to cut you into little pieces"

This message cannot be viewed in infected files as it is encrypted within the virus.

Infected system may also experience unexpected system hangs, requiring the system to be rebooted.

Infected .EXE files increase in size by 1,374 bytes. The virus is located at the end of the infected file. Infected files do not have their date and time in the disk directory altered.

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

• 1374

• Pieces

Characteristics

Characteristics -

Little Pieces is a memory resident, file infecting virus. It infects .EXE files.

Upon infection, the virus becomes memory resident. The area where it is memory resident is 1,392 bytes long and labeled COMMAND Data in low system memory. Some memory mapping utilities combine this area with the command interpreter, so the command interpreter appears to be 1,392 bytes longer than expected. Interrupts 13, 16, and 21 are hooked by the Little Pieces virus.

Once Little Pieces is memory resident, it infects .EXE files as they are executed.

Additional Comments:
The Little Pieces virus was isolated in January, 1991, in Italy. This virus is a 1,374 byte memory resident infector of .EXE files. The first time a program infected with Little Pieces is executed, the virus will install itself memory resident. The area where it is memory resident is 1,392 bytes long and labeled COMMAND Data in low system memory. Some memory mapping utilities will combine this area with the command interpreter, so the command interpreter will appear to be 1,392 bytes longer than expected. Interrupts 13, 16, and 21 are hooked by the Little Pieces virus. Once Little Pieces is memory resident, it will infect .EXE programs as they are executed. Infected .EXE programs will increase in size by 1,374 bytes and have the virus located at the end of the infected file. Infected files will not have their date and time in the disk directory altered. Systems infected with the Little Pieces virus may experience the system display being cleared unexpectedly after a key is pressed on the keyboard. The following message is usually displayed after the screen is cleared, though not always: "One of these days I'm going to cut you into little pieces" This message cannot be viewed in infected files as it is encrypted within the virus. Infected system may also experience unexpected system hangs occurring, requiring the system to be rebooted. These hangs sometimes occur after the above message is displayed.

Symptoms

Symptoms -

Systems infected with the Little Pieces virus may experience the system display being cleared unexpectedly after a key is pressed on the keyboard. The following message is usually displayed after the screen is cleared:

"One of these days I'm going to cut you into little pieces"

This message cannot be viewed in infected files as it is encrypted within the virus.

Infected system may also experience unexpected system hangs, requiring the system to be rebooted.

Infected .EXE files increase in size by 1,374 bytes. The virus is located at the end of the infected file. Infected files do not have their date and time in the disk directory altered.

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