This Microsoft Excel macro virus replicates when an infected spreadsheet window is closed. This virus has a payload similar to X97M.Barisada.A, but the payload will never execute.
Payload: Clearing all entries in the current Excel workbook sheets
This virus adds a Visual Basic Application (VBA) module to infected spreadsheets and adds its viral code to every worksheet in the spreadsheet file. The infection routine is triggered on deactivation of an infected worksheet. (An active worksheet is deactivated when you edit another worksheet window.)
The virus creates the Hd.xls file and inserts it in the Microsoft Excel startup folder (usually \Xlstart). This causes the viral code to load when Excel starts.
The virus triggers a routine that was intended to clear the contents of the currently opened Excel file on a specific day and time. However, because the references to the day and time have been removed from the virus code, the payload will never execute.
Payload
The payload is intended to do the following. As noted previously, because of a flaw in the virus code, the payload never executes:
A message box appears with the following message:
Hyundai Unicorns left from Incheon, What do you think of it?
The choices are Yes and No. The correct answer to this question, according to the virus, is "Yes."
What happens next depends on whether you clicked Yes or No:
If you clicked Yes, the virus displays the following message:
Good! You're pretty good guy!!
The payload routine then closes.
If you clicked No, the virus displays the following message:
Oh! no, Next question is last time for you.
The last question appears as follows:
We do not buy Hyundai's product, is it right?. If you have wrong answer, you will have punishment.
The choices are Yes and No. Again, the virus sees Yes as the correct answer.
What happens next depends on whether you clicked Yes or No:
If you clicked Yes, the virus displays the following message:
You got it!, You have right answer.
The payload routine then closes.
If you clicked No, the virus displays the following message:
Wrong Answer, Your file will be deleted! You are SOB, too.
Symantec Security Response encourages all users and administrators to adhere to the following basic security "best practices":
Turn off and remove unneeded services. By default, many operating systems install auxiliary services that are not critical, such as an FTP server, telnet, and a Web server. These services are avenues of attack. If they are removed, blended threats have less avenues of attack and you have fewer services to maintain through patch updates.
If a blended threat exploits one or more network services, disable, or block access to, those services until a patch is applied.
Always keep your patch levels up-to-date, especially on computers that host public services and are accessible through the firewall, such as HTTP, FTP, mail, and DNS services (for example, all Windows-based computers should have the current Service Pack installed.). Additionally, please apply any security updates that are mentioned in this writeup, in trusted Security Bulletins, or on vendor Web sites.
Enforce a password policy. Complex passwords make it difficult to crack password files on compromised computers. This helps to prevent or limit damage when a computer is compromised.
Configure your email server to block or remove email that contains file attachments that are commonly used to spread viruses, such as .vbs, .bat, .exe, .pif and .scr files.
Isolate infected computers quickly to prevent further compromising your organization. Perform a forensic analysis and restore the computers using trusted media.
Train employees not to open attachments unless they are expecting them. Also, do not execute software that is downloaded from the Internet unless it has been scanned for viruses. Simply visiting a compromised Web site can cause infection if certain browser vulnerabilities are not patched.
To remove this virus:
Run LiveUpdate to make sure that you have the most recent virus definitions.
Start Norton AntiVirus (NAV), and run a full system scan, making sure that NAV is set to scan all files.
If any files are detected as infected by X97M.Barisada.P, click Repair.
Click Start, point to Find, and click Files or Folders.
Make sure that "Look in" is set to (C:) and that "Include subfolders" is checked.
In the Named box, type the following file and then click Find Now:
hd.xls
