XL: Q&A About Excel Macro/Laroux Macro Virus

• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
• Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a
• Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition

SUMMARY

In July 1996, Microsoft learned of a nondestructive macro virus that affects Microsoft Excel. The following information is taken from the online Question and Answer document about the Microsoft Excel macro virus.

NOTE: To obtain the Microsoft Excel Virus Search Version 2.0 add-in, please see the following Microsoft World Wide Web site:

http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/downloadDetails/xlscan97.htm

MORE INFORMATION

Q: What are macro viruses?

A: Macro viruses are a type of virus that use a program's own macro
   programming language to distribute themselves. Unlike previous
   viruses, macro viruses do not infect programs; they infect documents.

Q: What is Sofa?

A: This is a nonharmful, nondestructive macro virus that does not affect
   data in any way. Infected files display the application header
   "Microsofa Excel" instead of "Microsoft Excel."

Q: What is ExcelMacro/Laroux?

A: This is a nonharmful, nondestructive concept virus. It simply appends
   a macro sheet called "laroux" to workbooks. It does not affect data
   or anything else in the workbook. This is the first replicating macro
   virus ever discovered in Microsoft Excel.

Q: What is Laroux B?

A: Laroux B is a variation of the original virus that is the same in all
   respects, but can overwrite existing macros on the user's
   Personal.xls macro sheet. 

REFERENCES

"ExcelMacro/Laroux Customer Q&A" document from Microsoft Excel Marketing.

Additional query words: 5.00a 5.00c 7.00a xl97

Keywords          : kbprg kbualink97 webcontent kbdta PgmOthr xlminfo KbVBA 
Version           : MACINTOSH:5.0,5.0a,98; WINDOWS:5.0,5.0c,7.0,7.0a,97
Platform          : MACINTOSH WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbinfo 

Last Reviewed: June 22, 1999