Microsoft designed the macro language of Word to be simple to use. Because the code is inserted into a document, the propagation of the virus is assured. Documents are saved to floppies and taken to a different location to print or edit. Documents are attached via e-mail programs and sent to colleagues. What makes Macro Viruses even more dangerous is their ability to operate on different platforms.
New ones appear daily.
Anti-viral protection against Macro Viruses has only recently caught up with the most common viruses. Updates to shareware and commercial anti-viral software come at regular intervals, but lag one to two months behind existing Macro Viruses. Hoax viruses are messages propagated on the internet warning that an e-mail message exists that, if read, will infect a computer and cause unimaginable damage. The hoax is that the alleged message never exists and couldn't possibly do the damage it claims. The payload of a hoax virus is annoyance and fear.