W97M.Candle.A

SUMMARY

W97M.Candle.A is a Microsoft Word macro virus that spreads by infecting the active Microsoft Word document and the global template, Normal.dot. The virus also launches C:Welcome.exe and drops an .htm file on specific days.

Protection

• Virus Definitions (Intelligent Updater) March 23, 2001

Threat Assessment

Wild

• Wild Level: Low
• Number of Infections: 0 - 49
• Number of Sites: 0 - 2
• Geographical Distribution: Low
• Threat Containment: Easy
• Removal: Easy

Damage

• Damage Level: Low
• Payload Trigger: Friday 1st or Friday 22nd
• Payload: Launches C:Welcome.exe and drops .htm file in the Startup folder.

Distribution

• Distribution Level: Low

TECHNICAL DETAILS

W97M.Candle.A is similar to many other Microsoft Word macro viruses. When run, it disables the warning message that appears by default when you open a document that contains a macro. If the day of the week is Friday, and the day of the month is the 1st or the 22nd, the virus launches the Windows file C:Welcome.exe, and drops the following file:

C:WindowsSystemStart MenuProgramsStartUpJauh di Relung Hatiku.htm

Jauh di Relung Hatiku.htm will run each time that you start the computer.

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 virus:

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. If any files are detected as infected by W97M.Candle.A, click Repair.
4. Using Windows Explorer, delete the following file:
   
   C:WindowsSystemStart MenuProgramsStartUpJauh di Relung Hatiku.htm