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  4. Virus:W97M/Argh

Virus:W97M/Argh

Name : Virus:W97M/Argh
Category:Malware
Type:Virus
Platform:W97M

Summary

A program that secretly and maliciously integrates itself into program or data files. It spreads by integrating itself into more files each time the host program is run.

Disinfection

Allow F-Secure Anti-Virus to disinfect the relevant files.

For more general information on disinfection, please see Removal Instructions.

Additional Details

Virus:W97M/Argh is a small family of macro viruses that infect Microsoft Word documents.

At random intervals, the virus will display a message while executing its infection routine. The message is shown with the balloon Assistant, and appears as follows:

  •  title:
         Help me
  • Message:
         I'm not feeling very well .. AAARGHH!!!

This family has one known variant, Virus:WM/Argh.B, which is functionally identical to Virus:WM/Argh.A.



Infection

Argh infects global template when an infected document is opened and creates two copies of the "NORMAL.DOT" to the Word installation directory, "WINDOT.DLL" and "WININF.DLL".

Subsequently, the virus infects all documents that are created, opened or saved.

The "File/Macros/Macro" menu selection is replaced as well with a message box containing the following text:

  •   Microsoft is protecting your normal.dot from virus infection. You can only add macros to other documents

This selection is only available when there is no documents open in Word.




Variant:Argh.A
Description:
W97M/Argh.A infects the Word's global template when an infected document is opened and creates two copies of the "NORMAL.DOT" to the Word installation directory, "WINDOT.DLL" and "WININF.DLL". After this has been done, the virus infects all documents that are created, opened or saved. It also changes the Assistant animation, and it sometimes shows a message while it infects the global template or the active document. This message is shown with the balloon Assistant, and it contains the following title: Help me and the following text: I'm not feeling very well .. AAARGHH!!! The "File/Macros/Macro" menu selection is replaced as well with a message box containing the following text: Microsoft is protecting your normal.dot from virus infection You can only add macros to other documents This selection is only available when there is no documents open in Word.
Variant:Argh.B
Description:
W97M/Argh.B is functionally identical with W97M/Argh.A, except this variant does not hook the "Tools/Macros/Macro" menu.