W97M/Footer

This page shows details and results of our analysis on the malware W97M/Footer

Download Current DAT: 6712

Threat Detail

Malware Type: Virus

Malware Sub-type: Macro

Discovery Date: 1999-02-08

Next Steps:

Overview
Characteristics
Symptoms
Method of Infection
Removal

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.

Minimum DAT

4009 (1999-01-20)

Updated DAT

4009 (1999-01-20)

Minimum Engine

5.1.00

File Length

Not known

Description Added

1999-03-23

Description Modified

1999-03-23

Malware Proliferation

Characteristics

W97M/Footer is a class module infector. It infects documents and templates using an algorithm to input data, from a source file 'c:\footprint.$$1', to the host document. This virus also writes the exported VBA code of the virus to 'c:\footprint.$$$'.

Viruses using class module infection method transfer the virus code to the 'ThisDocument' container. This virus infects all documents that are accessed, also setting a custom document propety:

Name = 'FootPrint1'

This is used to determine if the document is already infected.

It will overwrite the document footer of Section 1 with the full document path.

Currently there are 3 slightly different variants known.

AVERT has developed detection and cleaning for W97M/Footer for all VirusScan products with engine version 3.21 and above. Detection is also available for the Dr Solomon&squot s AVTK.

AVERT recommends completely updating your Virus Definition files on a regular basis.

Symptoms

Not known

Method of Infection

Not Known

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.