F-Secure Virus Descriptions : Safwan

NAME:	Safwan
ORIGIN:	Kuwait

For more information on macro viruses, see the description of WordMacro/Concept.

The Safwan virus consist of one encrypted AutoOpen macro. When the virus infects NORMAL.DOT, it splits to macros named FileOpen and System32.

WordMacro/Safwan activates on the 10th of October. At this time it displays a dialog box with this text:

        Happy Birthday

        Is it your birthday today?

        Yes  No

If the answer is yes the virus does not infect the opened document.

Otherwise the virus only spreads. The name of the virus comes from a text macro it created to check if it has already infected NORMAL.DOT.

Safwan was reported to be in the wild in summer 1997.

[Analysis: Mikko Hypponen, F-Secure]