Macro viruses

Could someone tell me how macro viruses turn off the macro protection, on Word for example?

Also, is there any way to view the macro code before opening a file to look for the 'turn protection off' code, otherwise wouldn't you just have to chance it, even if it scanned OK with a virus checker?

Thanks in advance.

macro viruses don't turn of macro protection on word do they? since word has to be started first the "do you want to run this with macros" window pops up and asks you if you allow it to run then it's your own stupidity....but as far as i know it doesn't shut it down or stop it

Last I knew, M$ default security model was "everything open." So, unless you've turned it off, it's probably still on... and, well, there are other ways around that, as well, thanks to M$ tight coupling with other programs.

if you allow it to run once, then it can disable it for the normal template, and through that just about any file you open/write in word from then untill you discover/clean it.

The best way to stop word macros from messing with you HDD is avoid it.
I use AbiWord (Which is free) and it can open word docs anyways!

well...i think defualt is that u dont accept macro's when u install office 2000 it asks ya i think maybe i am wrong

there is a macro security setting in the options of excel (word maybe aswell?) high, medium or low.

*I think* The first time you open a document, you choose to enable or disable macros. It remembers this setting for each document. If you are opening a document which potentially could have a macrovirus imbeddded, disable them. Then open up the Visual BAsic editor (Alt F11) and check the code of the macros. *I think*

Hope this helps, Prankster