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.

Characteristics

Penza is a memory resident, file infecting virus. It infects .COM and .EXE files, including COMMAND.COM.

Upon infection, this virus becomes memory resident at the top of system memory but below the 640K DOS boundary. It does not move interrupt 12's return. Interrupt 21 is hooked by Penza in memory.

Once the Penza virus is memory resident, it infects .COM and .EXE files, including COMMAND.COM, as they are executed.

Additional Comments:
The Penza virus was submitted in July, 1992. Its origin or point of isolation is unknown. Penza is based on the Vacsina family of viruses. It is a memory resident infector of .COM and .EXE programs, including COMMAND.COM. The first time a program infected with the Penza virus is executed, this virus will install itself memory resident at the top of system memory but below the 640K DOS boundary. It does not move interrupt 12's return. Total system and available free memory, as indicated by the DOS CHKDSK program, will have decreased by 2,288 bytes. Interrupt 21 will be hooked by Penza in memory. Once the Penza virus is memory resident, it will infect .COM and .EXE programs, including COMMAND.COM, when they are executed. Infected programs will have a file length increase of 700 bytes with the virus being located at the end of the infected file. The program's date and time in the DOS disk directory listing will not be altered. No text messages are visible within infected programs. The Penza virus will occassionally display the following message accompanied by a beep when programs are executed: "Welcome to Penza!" Penza doesn't appear to do anything besides display its message and replicate. Known variant(s) of Penza are:

Symptoms

The Penza virus occasionally displays the following message accompanied by a beep when files are executed:

"Welcome to Penza!"

Total system and available free memory decreases by 2,048 bytes. Infected files have a file length increase of 700 bytes. The virus is located at the end of the infected file. The file's date and time in the DOS disk directory listing are not 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

• Penza-1210

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.

Characteristics

Characteristics -

Penza is a memory resident, file infecting virus. It infects .COM and .EXE files, including COMMAND.COM.

Upon infection, this virus becomes memory resident at the top of system memory but below the 640K DOS boundary. It does not move interrupt 12's return. Interrupt 21 is hooked by Penza in memory.

Once the Penza virus is memory resident, it infects .COM and .EXE files, including COMMAND.COM, as they are executed.

Additional Comments:
The Penza virus was submitted in July, 1992. Its origin or point of isolation is unknown. Penza is based on the Vacsina family of viruses. It is a memory resident infector of .COM and .EXE programs, including COMMAND.COM. The first time a program infected with the Penza virus is executed, this virus will install itself memory resident at the top of system memory but below the 640K DOS boundary. It does not move interrupt 12's return. Total system and available free memory, as indicated by the DOS CHKDSK program, will have decreased by 2,288 bytes. Interrupt 21 will be hooked by Penza in memory. Once the Penza virus is memory resident, it will infect .COM and .EXE programs, including COMMAND.COM, when they are executed. Infected programs will have a file length increase of 700 bytes with the virus being located at the end of the infected file. The program's date and time in the DOS disk directory listing will not be altered. No text messages are visible within infected programs. The Penza virus will occassionally display the following message accompanied by a beep when programs are executed: "Welcome to Penza!" Penza doesn't appear to do anything besides display its message and replicate. Known variant(s) of Penza are:

Symptoms

Symptoms -

The Penza virus occasionally displays the following message accompanied by a beep when files are executed:

"Welcome to Penza!"

Total system and available free memory decreases by 2,048 bytes. Infected files have a file length increase of 700 bytes. The virus is located at the end of the infected file. The file's date and time in the DOS disk directory listing are not 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 -

• Penza-1210