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. You can find this Web page on Microsoft's World Wide Web Site on the Internet at the following location:

   http://www.microsoft.com/excel/productinfo/vbavirus/emvolc.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.

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."

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.

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.