VBS.Oap@mm

SUMMARY

VBS.Oap@mm is a worm that spreads by replying to all messages in the Microsoft Outlook inbox. The message that the worm sends is the same message that is in the inbox, but with the worm attached at the bottom.

VBS.Oap@mm is, like many other worms, written in the Visual Basic Scripting (VBS) language. Due to the fact that many worms are written in the Visual Basic Scripting language, SARC offers a tool to disable the Windows Scripting Host.

NOTE: Definitions dated prior to March 2, 2001, detect this worm as Bloodhound.VBS.Worm.

Protection

• Virus Definitions (Intelligent Updater) March 2, 2001

Threat Assessment

Wild

• Wild Level: Medium
• Number of Infections: 0 - 49
• Number of Sites: 3 - 9
• Geographical Distribution: Low
• Threat Containment: Easy
• Removal: Easy

Damage

• Damage Level: Low
• Large Scale E-mailing: Replies to all messages in the Microsoft Outlook inbox

Distribution

• Distribution Level: Medium
• Name of Attachment: Read_Me_Legal_Notice.pdf.vbs

TECHNICAL DETAILS

VBS.Oap@mm is a worm written in the Visual Basic Scripting language that utilizes Microsoft Outlook to propagate. The worm spreads by replying to all messages that are in the Inbox folder of Microsoft Outlook. The email message that this worm sends is the same message that is in the Inbox, but with the worm attached. The name of the attachment will always be:

Read_Me_Legal_Notice.pdf.vbs

This worm does not do any damage to the system. At the end of the worm file is the comment:

In memory of "I Love You". "Anna Kournikova" and "Brazilian Carnival"

At this time, SARC has received submissions of this worm from six customers.

Recommendations

Symantec Security Response encourages all users and administrators to adhere to the following basic security "best practices":

• Turn off and remove unneeded services. By default, many operating systems install auxiliary services that are not critical, such as an FTP server, telnet, and a Web server. These services are avenues of attack. If they are removed, blended threats have less avenues of attack and you have fewer services to maintain through patch updates.
• If a blended threat exploits one or more network services, disable, or block access to, those services until a patch is applied.
• Always keep your patch levels up-to-date, especially on computers that host public services and are accessible through the firewall, such as HTTP, FTP, mail, and DNS services (for example, all Windows-based computers should have the current Service Pack installed.). Additionally, please apply any security updates that are mentioned in this writeup, in trusted Security Bulletins, or on vendor Web sites.
• Enforce a password policy. Complex passwords make it difficult to crack password files on compromised computers. This helps to prevent or limit damage when a computer is compromised.
• Configure your email server to block or remove email that contains file attachments that are commonly used to spread viruses, such as .vbs, .bat, .exe, .pif and .scr files.
• Isolate infected computers quickly to prevent further compromising your organization. Perform a forensic analysis and restore the computers using trusted media.
• Train employees not to open attachments unless they are expecting them. Also, do not execute software that is downloaded from the Internet unless it has been scanned for viruses. Simply visiting a compromised Web site can cause infection if certain browser vulnerabilities are not patched.

REMOVAL

To remove this worm:

1. Run LiveUpdate to make sure that you have the most recent virus definitions.
2. Start Norton AntiVirus (NAV), and run a full system scan, making sure that NAV is set to scan all files.
3. Delete any files detected as VBS.Oap@mm.