Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/03/05
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]In a message dated 3/5/99 5:08:06 PM Eastern Standard Time, jahudson@direct.ca writes: > If a virus scanning program ...... eg: McAfee or Norton Anti-virus ....... > is running in the background would the program identify *AND* eliminate > Happy99 before it could do any damage? > > Are there any computer wiz kids on the list who might know the answer? > > jh McAfee v4.02 with definition file v4011 will intercept it and kill it while running in the background. Norton v5.0 with the definitions from 2/98 will intercept it and kill it while running in the background. Here's more for you. /Mitch ++++++++++++ http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/happy99.worm.html Happy99.Worm VirusName: Happy99.Worm Aliases: Trojan.Happy99, I-Worm.Happy Likelihood: Common Region Reported: US, Europe Keys: Trojan Horse, Worm Description: This is a worm program, NOT a virus. This program has reportedly been received through email spamming and USENET newsgroup posting. The file is usually named HAPPY99.EXE in the email or article attachment. When being executed, the program also opens a window entitled "Happy New Year 1999 !!" showing a firework display to disguise its other actions. The program copies itself as SKA.EXE and extracts a DLL that it carries as SKA.DLL into WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory. It also modifies WSOCK32.DLL in WINDOWS\SYSTEM directory and copies the original WSOCK32.DLL into WSOCK32.SKA. WSOCK32.DLL handles internet-connectivity in Windows 95 and 98. The modification to WSOCK32.DLL allows the worm routine to be triggered when a connect or send activity is detected. When such online activity occurs, the modified code loads the worm's SKA.DLL. This SKA.DLL creates a new email or a new article with UUENCODED HAPPY99.EXE inserted into the email or article. It then sends this email or posts this article. If WSOCK32.DLL is in use when the worm tries to modify it (i.e. a user is online), the worm adds a registry entry: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce=SKA.EXE The registry entry loads the worm the next time Windows start. Removing the worm manually: 1.delete WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SKA.EXE 2.delete WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SKA.DLL 3.replace WINDOWS\SYSTEM\WSOCK32.DLL with WINDOWS\SYSTEM\WSOCK32.SKA 4.delete the downloaded file, usually named HAPPY99.EXE Safe Computing: This worm and other trojan-horse type programs demonstrate the need to practice safe computing. One should not execute any executable-file attachment (i.e. EXE, SHS, MS Word or MS Excel file) that comes from an email or a newsgroup article from an unknown or a untrusted source. Norton AntiVirus users can protect themselves from this worm by downloading the virus definitions updates released on Jan 28, 1999 or later either through LiveUpdate or from the following webpage: http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/download.html Write-up by: Raul K. Elnitiarta January 28, 1999