Virus.MSWord.Magnum

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

Any program within this subclass can have additional Trojan functions. It should also be noted that many worms use more than one method in order to spread copies via networks.

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.

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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

This encrypted macro virus contains three macros: Magnum, ToolsMacro, ExtrasMakro. The virus does not have any auto-macro, but gets control in another way. While infecting a document or global macros area the virus copies its macros to there and assigns the SPACE key with "Magnum" macro. MS Word saves such information and restores it on loading global macros or opening an infected document.

As a result, when MS Word is opening an infected document or loading global macros, it sets "Magnum" macro as routine that will be executed on SPACE keystroke.

After infecting global macros the virus displays a message box with the text:

MaGnUm

The ToolsMacro and ExtrasMakro macros are there to hide the virus in system - on selecting Tool/Macro the virus displays dummy menu that on any item (except CANCEL) displays the error messages:

WordBasic Err = 7
Not enough memory!
WordBasic Err = 7
Nicht genügend Arbeitsspeicher!

The virus drops the DOS virus "HLLO.Havoc" by using the trick with DEBUG utility - writes hexadecimal virus dump to disk and runs DEBUG to convert it to DOS executable file HTC.COM. Then the virus appends to the end of the C:AUTOEXEC.BAT file the commands:

@echo off
htc.com
cls

and then creates and writes to system profile (WIN.INI) the text:

[DosVirus]
Installed=Yes

On April 13 it creates the NORMAL.DOT file and writes the strings to there:

Schon mal im blasen Mondlicht mit dem Teufel getanzt?
;-))
The Magnum Virus!  NJ 1996

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