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How to detect and remove the Acad.vlx virus

Issue

Users of AutoCAD-based products have reported a malicious acad.vlx file that causes drawing corruption.

Solution

This is not an actual AutoCAD file provided by Autodesk. When the malicious acad.vlx file is loaded in AutoCAD, it corrupts the drawing, which may result in a Missing Language Pack dialog box displaying when you save and reopen the drawing.

The acad.vlx file creates a copy of itself in the Help folder (for example, C:\Program Files\AutoCAD 20xx\Help\logo.gif). Several other files are also modified and the ACADLSPASDOC system variable is set to 1, allowing the acad.vlx file to be loaded into other opened drawings, thereby corrupting them.

The cleanup process outlined below detects and deletes any acad.vlx file before AutoCAD attempts to load it, preventing the spread of the virus.

To prevent additional file corruptions

You must be a system administrator on your Microsoft® Windows® operating system to complete this process.

  1. In your product installation folder, locate the Support folder (for example, C:\Program Files\AutoCAD 20xx\Support).

  2. In the Support folder, double-click the acad20xx.lsp file (for example, the acad20xx.lsp file). Add the code below to the file. AutoCAD will detect and delete the acad.vlx and logo.gif files.

    (defun cleanvirus( / lspfiles lspfile x)
      (setq lspfiles '("acad.vlx" "logo.gif"))
      (foreach lspfile lspfiles
        (while (setq x (findfile lspfile))
          (progn
            (vl-file-delete x)
            (princ "\nDeleted file ")
            (princ x)
          );progn
        );while
      );foreach
    )
    (cleanvirus)


  3. Open each of the following files:
    • C:\Program Files\AutoCAD 20xx\Express\acetauto.lsp
    • C:\Program Files\AutoCAD 20xx\Support\ai_utils.lsp
    • ROAMABLEROOTPREFIX\Support\acad.mnl
      Note: Replace ROAMABLEROOTPREFIX with the value returned by the ROAMABLEROOTPREFIX system variable.
  4. If present, delete the following line of code:

    (vl-file-copy(findfile(vl-list->string'(108 111 103 111 46 103 105 102)))(vl-list->string'(97 99 97 100 46 118 108 120)))

  5. Save each file.

How to Avoid Viruses in AutoCAD 2013

Service Pack 1 for AutoCAD 2013 includes new security options that help prevent malware and viruses. Details can be found in the following document:

AutoLISP and VBA Security Controls in AutoCAD 2013 SP1


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  • Document Information

    Published date: 2013-Jan-17
    ID: TS13717811

     

    Applies to:
    AutoCAD® 2013
    AutoCAD® 2012
    AutoCAD® 2011
    AutoCAD® 2010
    AutoCAD® 2009
    AutoCAD® 2008
    AutoCAD® Architecture 2013
    AutoCAD® Architecture 2012
    AutoCAD® Architecture 2011
    AutoCAD® Architecture 2010
    AutoCAD® Architecture 2009
    AutoCAD® Architecture 2008
    AutoCAD® Civil 3D® 2013
    AutoCAD® Civil 3D® 2012
    AutoCAD® Civil 3D® 2011
    AutoCAD® Civil 3D® 2010
    AutoCAD® Civil 3D® 2009
    AutoCAD® Civil 3D® 2008
    AutoCAD® Electrical 2013
    AutoCAD® Electrical 2012
    AutoCAD® Electrical 2011
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    AutoCAD® Map 3D 2013
    AutoCAD® Map 3D 2012
    AutoCAD® Map 3D 2011
    AutoCAD® Map 3D 2010
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    AutoCAD® Map 3D 2008
    AutoCAD® Mechanical 2013
    AutoCAD® Mechanical 2012
    AutoCAD® Mechanical 2011
    AutoCAD® Mechanical 2010
    AutoCAD® Mechanical 2009
    AutoCAD® Mechanical 2008
    AutoCAD® MEP 2013
    AutoCAD® MEP 2012
    AutoCAD® MEP 2011
    AutoCAD® MEP 2010
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    AutoCAD® P&ID 2013
    AutoCAD® P&ID 2012
    AutoCAD® P&ID 2011
    AutoCAD® P&ID 2010
    AutoCAD® P&ID 2009
    AutoCAD® P&ID 2008
    AutoCAD® Raster Design 2013
    AutoCAD® Raster Design 2012
    AutoCAD® Raster Design 2011
    AutoCAD® Raster Design 2010
    AutoCAD® Raster Design 2009
    AutoCAD® Raster Design 2008