Virus.MSWord.Marker-based

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 is a family of Word 97 macro-viruses. They infect the macros area (Normal template) globally upon opening an infected document. Other documents are infected upon closing. Some virus versions also infect documents upon their opening. While infecting, the viruses append their code to the existing macro-code, if there is any macro. In the case that there are no macro(s), the viruses just copy their code to the document or the template.

They were named for the text comments in their bodies, and this comment is used by the virus to locate the top of the code in an infected file. There are several variants of this text, depending on the virus version:

<- this is a marker!
<- this is another marker!

The viruses of this family run a log of infected computers: each time while infecting a new computer, the viruses add their code text comments with the date of infection and user address (as it is stored in Windows).

The viruses of this family indicate themselves in different manners. "Marker.a" in July starting from 23rd displays the messages:

Did You Wish Shankar on his Birthday ?
Thank You! I Love You. You are wonderfull.
You are Heart Less. You Will Be Punished For This

"Marker.c" and some other variants connect to a ftp site and send their log files there.

Marker.ay

When MS Word opens a document, the infection procedure checks and infects this document. It removes all macros from the document and copies viruse from the global macros area.

This virus also unloads all loaded templates and add-ins and deletes all files in the Word startup directory. It also changes the Word user's information:

UserName = "JonMMx 2000"
UserInitials = "MeMeX"
UserAddress = "JonMMx2000@yahoo.com"

Upon the first infection of a computer and also on 1st of any month, the virus creates, in the Windows system, a directory file "Jon.html" and sets this file as desktop wallpaper. The file contains the text:

     a Poet For My Dear Love

          Dear Iin

  To the very best that happen in mylife
  Long ago and in my mind, I can see your face lonely and lost in time
  You were gone since yester month But the memories, never would dissapear
  I think of you, I THINK OF YOU.
  Yes it's true I can pretend. But the paint of blue, keep beat me till the end.
  Yes it's hard to understand. Why you leaving me and all we dreaming on
  Dear Iin, I close my eyes and see your face. That's all I have to do to be with you.
  Dear Iin, altough I can not touch your face. I know what I can do to be with you
  Long ago so faraway. But the light of blue, still living with me today.
  You were gone since yester month. But the memories never would dissapear.
       Speed Hari

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