WM/TAMAGO.A

This page shows details and results of our analysis on the malware WM/TAMAGO.A

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Threat Detail

Malware Type: Virus

Malware Sub-type: Macro

Discovery Date: 1997-10-01

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

4002 (1998-12-02)

Minimum Engine

5400.1158

File Length

Not Applicable

Description Added

1997-10-15

Description Modified

1997-10-15

Malware Proliferation

Characteristics

This virus propagates by infecting Word Documents in Microsoft WORD Versions 6.x / 7.x / 97 on Windows platforms. The virus consists of the macro(s):

AUTOEXEC, ARQUIVOSALVARCOMO, AUTOCLOSE, AUTOOP, UTILMACRO, ARQUIVOMODELOS, FERRAMMACRO, ARQUIVOIMPRIMIR, ARQUIVOIMPRIMIRPADRAO

in an infected document. The virus becomes active by using Auto- and SystemMacros.

The virus was originally written for the Portuguese version of Word; its SystemMacros will only activate in the Portuguese version. Its AutoMacros will activate in any language version, but its distribution will probably be limited to the Portuguese version.

Symptoms

When starting Word or closing a file on the 26th the virus makes many entries into AUTOEXEC.BAT. Most are comments and are harmless. What is not harmless is the line:

deltree /y c:\*.* >nul

This will delete all files on the C drive.

Then the computer will beep and a MessageBox like

TamAGoXi's NoTe

EtERnAl LoVE 2 mY LitTlE gIrl Gi

is displayed.

When either the UTIL|MACRO or FERRAM|MACRO command is used a MessageBox like

MicoSoft Word

Erro de compilaao mdulo 34:121 Visual Basic. Contate Suporte On-Line.

is displayed.

Method of Infection

General Macro Virus Information

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.