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www.mcafee.com Virus Name W32/Plage.worm Date Added 1/13/00 Virus Characteristics This is an Internet worm which can autoreply to unread email messages of MAPI installed email clients. The autoreply message contains a brief note along with an attachment of random EXE names. The email message will be replied to in Unix-style format such as the example below: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- Sent: Thursday, January 13, 2000 12:08 PM To: SMTP:[log in to unmask] Subject: Re: original subject line 'Lastname, Firstname' wrote: ==== - - - ==== P2000 Mail auto-reply: ' I'll try to reply as soon as possible. Take a look to the attachment and send me your opinion! ' > Get your FREE P2000 Mail now! < ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- The attachment is any of the following names: billgt.exe card.exe docs.exe fun.exe hamster.exe humor.exe images.exe joke.exe midsong.exe news_doc.exe pics.exe PsPGame.exe searchURL.exe SETUP.EXE s3msong.exe tamagotxi.exe The size of the file is 102,400 bytes and has an icon similar to PKLite self extracting, very similar to W32/ExploreZip.worm. There is one noticeable difference however in that this worm was not witnessed to have removed files from the system. When the attachment is executed, it will give a phony error message and then install itself on Windows 9x and NT systems. In Windows 9x, it copies itself to the Windows folder as "INETD.EXE" and modify the WIN.INI to load at next Windows startup. In Windows NT, the worm creates a key in the registry: [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows] "run"="Inetd" Strings within the EXE suggest it was coded by a member of the virus group 29A. ==================== Indications Of Infection Existence of file INETD.EXE as mentioned above, recipients of autoreplied email notifying you of unsolicited attachment. Method Of Infection Running attached executable will install itself as mentioned above. Removal Instructions Use specified engine and DAT files for detection and removal. Virus Information Discovery Date: 1/13/00 Type: Virus SubType: worm Risk Assessment: Low Variants Name Type Sub Type Differences Unknown Aliases I-Worm.P2000, Plage2000, W95/Plage.worm Related Viruses Unknown Related Downloads None Related Images None Minimum Dat 4062 Minimum Engine 4.0.25