New trojan detected for Microsoft Word

A new Trojan virus has been detected that uses a Microsoft Word vulnerability to infect computers, Panda Software Labs reported.

According to the malware software/research firm, the virus called 1Table.A, releases the Gusi Trojan on the system, allowing infected computers to be controlled remotely.

The vulnerability of the Word program allows "the execution of code on affected systems and, more dangerously, allows the construction of malicious code which is indistinguishable at first glance from a normal Word file," Panda Software Labs said.

It also affects versions of MS Office 2003 and XP, and so far, no patch has been released by Microsoft that addresses the vulnerability.

While, the virus can not send itself automatically, the firm said, it can still be done if a malicious user were to intervene. And still, the virus can be sent as attachments to e-mail messages or downloaded from web pages or P2P file-sharing networks.

"This is a very serious security problem, as it allows malicious Word documents to be created which could take a host of actions on computers," Panda Labs' director Luis Corrons said. "Cyber-crooks have seen the enormous potential of this vulnerability, and it has only taken a few hours until we have seen the first malicious code that exploits it, and no doubt there will be more shortly."

Copyright 2006 by United Press International

Citation: New trojan detected for Microsoft Word (2006, May 22) retrieved 19 March 2024 from https://phys.org/news/2006-05-trojan-microsoft-word.html
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

Explore further

A new microfabrication strategy for multifunctional 3D artificial sharkskin

0 shares

Feedback to editors