Davinia virus and solution

Free Malware and Virus Solutions from APCS
VACM - Virus Alerts for the Common Man

VACM Home VACM - Stuff That Works 2012 APCS Home

DAVINIA email virus

Protect your identity and your computer with VACM-approved "Stuff That Works"

Greetings from The VACM Team,

If you use Office 2000, you need to read this. This includes users of the following products:

Word 2000
Excel 2000
Powerpoint 2000
Access 2000
Photodraw 2000
FrontPage 2000
Project 2000
Publisher 2000
Outlook 2000
Works 2000 Suite

The component that makes you vulnerable ships as part of all of these products, even if you purchased them seperately, rather than the complete Office 2000 package.

The Bottom Line
-----------------------------------------
-There is an email virus called DAVINIA that automatically executes itself without you double-clicking an attachment. If you open this email (or if you have your Preview Window turned on and you select the email), the virus runs.
-Davinia emails itself to everyone in your address book and IT OVERWRITES ALL YOUR FILES SUCH THAT THEY CAN NOT BE RETRIEVED.
-There is no info regarding what the email subject or text might be. Due to the nature of the virus, it could look like anything.
-Although Davinia (aliases Davinia.A, LittleDavinia, JS/Davinia, W97M/Davinia, VBS/Davinia) is not widespread at this time, it uses a vulnerability in Office 2000's "ShowMe" help feature that will undoubtedly result in the creation of other viruses that use this same vulnerability. Protect yourself now!

What (else) You Should Do
-----------------------------------------
-Download and install the Office 2000 patch from Microsoft
-Disable the Windows Scripting Host on your system(s)
-Turn off your Preview Window in Outlook
-Update your antivirus software frequently

The patch for this vulnerability is available from Microsoft at:

http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/2000/downloadDetails/Uactlsec.htm

Once you get to this web page, simply follow the instructions to install the updated Office 2000 UA Control.

If you had previously followed the instructions we sent out for disabling the Windows Scripting Host, you are unlikely to be affected by Davinia or similar email viruses. If you subscribed to the VACM Newsletter after we had sent out these instructions, simply send us an email with "WSH Remove" in the email subject and we will forward you the back issue with complete instructions for Windows 98 and Windows 2000.

In Closing...
-----------------------------------------
That's all for this edition. Be careful out there! Remember, just because an email comes from someone you know, it doesn't mean it's virus-free! ***Why? Because most viruses actually use your own personal address book in order to email themselves to all your friends without you even knowing!

Be safe: Keep your antivirus software up to date and get the latest news from VACM!

Best Regards,
Marc Deschenes, VACM Editor
The VACM Project at
Automated PC Solutions

*** Be sure to check out the appendix at the end of this alert
if you are having trouble booting your computer into "Safe Mode".
The process is all spelled out for you there.

Why should you be very
concerned about Spyware? Learn how to avoid Identity Theft and Windows corruption in this
free VACM Video:
VACM-tested #1 AntiSpyware Software

How did they steal my Identity?

Why do I get so much SPAM ?

Why is your computer
running so slow ?
Today, every PC needs just a few protection softwares. Find out what and why. Visit our Links Page to avoid Indentiry Theft and costly computer repairs.
VACM Links to Protection Tools and Softwares

Keep your PC Safe and
Avoid a costly trip to the shop...
with these VACM approved tools.
You need 3 things to protect your PC(s) automatically. Use these links to go directly to the Download and Purchase pages:

the best AntiSpyware product

the best Firewall product

the best AntiVirus product

Old Shotgun Shell Boxes
are collector's items and
worth good money!
(yes... just the empty boxes)

get your
ShotShell BlueBook
price guide
now.

To cancel your subscription to VACM, reply to this email with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject.

If you click on the link below, the "unsubscribe" email will be created for you and you can simply hit "Send" in you email program:

Create My Unsubscribe Email

IMPORTANT: please include the email address at which you are currently receiving VACM Alerts in the body of the message.

******** APPENDIX - Handy How-To Tips **********

* How To Boot into Safe Mode

Shut the computer down so that the power is off.

Turn the computer on, wait 1 second and begin pressing the F8 key
on the keyboard, once every second repeatedly. Do this until
the Windows Startup Menu appears. If you get a keyboard
error, press F1 to resume and then continue pressing the
F8 key once every second, or your PC may tell you to press another key for BIOS setup.

Select Safe Mode from the Windows Startup Menu, then press
the Enter key on the keyboard.

Windows will then boot into Safe Mode.
NOTE: This may take longer than a normal boot.

At the end of the boot process a dialog box will appear
informing you that Windows is in Safe Mode. Click OK on this dialog box.

Windows is now in Safe Mode.

If you miss hitting the F8 at the right time, Windows will boot
normally and you will not see the "Safe Mode" message. In this
case, start from the top of these instructions until you get the
boot menu screen where you can choose "Safe Mode". This can be
a little tricky the first time you do it.