Parent class: VirWare
Viruses and worms are malicious programs that self-replicate on computers or via computer networks without the user being aware; each subsequent copy of such malicious programs is also able to self-replicate. Malicious programs which spread via networks or infect remote machines when commanded to do so by the “owner” (e.g. Backdoors) or programs that create multiple copies that are unable to self-replicate are not part of the Viruses and Worms subclass. The main characteristic used to determine whether or not a program is classified as a separate behaviour within the Viruses and Worms subclass is how the program propagates (i.e. how the malicious program spreads copies of itself via local or network resources.) Most known worms are spread as files sent as email attachments, via a link to a web or FTP resource, via a link sent in an ICQ or IRC message, via P2P file sharing networks etc. Some worms spread as network packets; these directly penetrate the computer memory, and the worm code is then activated. Worms use the following techniques to penetrate remote computers and launch copies of themselves: social engineering (for example, an email message suggesting the user opens an attached file), exploiting network configuration errors (such as copying to a fully accessible disk), and exploiting loopholes in operating system and application security. Viruses can be divided in accordance with the method used to infect a computer:- file viruses
- boot sector viruses
- macro viruses
- script viruses
Class: Virus
Viruses replicate on the resources of the local machine. Unlike worms, viruses do not use network services to propagate or penetrate other computers. A copy of a virus will reach remote computers only if the infected object is, for some reason unrelated to the virus function, activated on another computer. For example: when infecting accessible disks, a virus penetrates a file located on a network resource a virus copies itself to a removable storage device or infects a file on a removable device a user sends an email with an infected attachment.Read more
Platform: MSWord
Microsoft Word (MS Word) is a popular word processor and part of Microsoft Office. Microsoft Word files have a .doc or .docx extension.Description
Technical Details
The virus contains seven macros in one module "Cipher": AutoNew, AutoOpen, AutoClose, cphrdoc, hideb, WindowsDirectory, and spreadIB. It replicates upon document creating, opening and closing (AutoNew, AutoOpen, AutoClose).Depending on the system random counter, the virus sets the password "MisterCipher" on a current document or displays the following MessageBox:
Time Signal I say to you that it'sOn Friday the 17th, on the 31st of the month (excluding those with less days), and on the 25th of April, the virus drops a file infected by the the "Italian.578" DOS virus.
Upon closing documents on the 25th of April, or depending on the system random counter, the virus encrypts the text in the current document and displays the following MessageBox:
I want to say to you: L'Italia una ed indivisibile e c' la morte per chi la divide!!!!!..... Are you angry because you lost your document?+; Kill Bossi, the fault is his Mister Cipher reigning
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