Yankee Doodle

This page shows details and results of our analysis on the malware Yankee Doodle

Download Current DAT: 6712

Threat Detail

Malware Type: Virus

Malware Sub-type: File Infector

Discovery Date: 1989-09-01

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

4002 (1998-12-02)

Updated DAT

4229 (2002-10-16)

Minimum Engine

5.1.00

File Length

2,885-2,899 Bytes

Description Added

1989-09-15

Description Modified

1989-09-15

Malware Proliferation

Characteristics

Yankee Doodle is an overwriting, memory resident, file infecting virus. It infects .COM and .EXE files.

Upon infection, the virus becomes memory resident.

As a side note, some variants of the Yankee Doodle virus seek out and modify Ping Pong viruses, changing them so that they self- destruct after 100 infections.

Other than being disruptive by playing Yankee Doodle, this virus does not cause any damage.

Additional Comments:
The Yankee Doodle virus was isolated by Alexander Holy of the North Atlantic Project in Vienna, Austria, on September 30, 1989. It was also isolated in Bulgaria shortly thereafter, where it is known as TP44VIR. This virus is a parasitic virus which infects both .COM and .EXE files, and installs itself memory resident. After installing itself memory resident, it will play Yankee Doodle on the system speaker at 17:00. Infected programs will be increased in length by 2,899 bytes. Other than being disruptive by playing Yankee Doodle, this virus currently does nothing else harmful besides infecting files. As a side note, some variants of the Yankee Doodle virus will seek out and modify Ping Pong viruses, changing them so that they self- destruct after 100 infections. Known variant(s) of Yankee Doodle are:

Symptoms

Once memory resident, it plays Yankee Doodle on the system speaker at 17:00.

Infected files increase in length by 2,899 bytes.

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:

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.