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Worm.Win32.MEPAOW.B

January 27, 2020
 ALIASES:

Virus:Win32/Autorun.NE (Microsoft); SMG.Heur!gen (Symantec); Virus.Win32.Lamer.cb (Kaspersky); W32/AutoRun-AQR (Sophos)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 DAMAGE POTENTIAL:
 DISTRIBUTION POTENTIAL:
 REPORTED INFECTION:

  • Threat Type: Worm

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

This Worm arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

942,020 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

27 Jan 2020

Arrival Details

This Worm arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

Installation

This Worm adds the following processes:

  • %System%\HelpMe.exe

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.)

Autostart Technique

This Worm drops the following file(s) in the Windows User Startup folder to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

  • %User Startup%\Soft.lnk

(Note: %User Startup% is the current user's Startup folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Profiles\{user name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\Profiles\{user name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows NT, C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows 2003(32-bit), XP and 2000(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit), 10(64-bit).)

Other System Modifications

This Worm modifies the following file(s):

  • %User Startup%\Soft.lnk

(Note: %User Startup% is the current user's Startup folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Profiles\{user name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\Profiles\{user name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows NT, C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows 2003(32-bit), XP and 2000(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit), 10(64-bit).)

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\
Winlogon
Shell = "Explorer.exe HelpMe.exe"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
explorer\Advanced\Folder\
Hidden\SHOWALL
CheckedValue = "0"

Dropping Routine

This Worm drops the following files:

  • %System Root%\excel2k\XLS2KE00.xlt
  • %System Root%\AVScanner.ini.exe
  • %System Root%\excel2k\XLS2KE04.xls
  • %System Root%\$Recycle.Bin\S-1-5-21-2407829820-1079796033-203259571-500\desktop.ini
  • %System Root%\excel2k\XLS2KE04.xls.exe
  • %System Root%\Email and Password List.htm
  • %System Root%\Email and Password List.htm.exe
  • %System Root%\excel2k\XLS2KE01.xls
  • %System Root%\excel2k\XLS2KE02.xls.exe
  • %System Root%\excel2k\XLS2KE00.xlt.exe
  • %System Root%\AUTORUN.INF
  • %System%\HelpMe.exe
  • %System Root%\AUTORUN.INF.exe
  • %System Root%\Email and Password List.js
  • %System Root%\$Recycle.Bin\S-1-5-21-2407829820-1079796033-203259571-1000\desktop.ini.exe
  • %System Root%\AVScanner.ini
  • %System Root%\Email and Password List.txt
  • %System Root%\$Recycle.Bin\S-1-5-21-2407829820-1079796033-203259571-500\$IROWNQH.exe.exe
  • %System Root%\$Recycle.Bin\S-1-5-21-2407829820-1079796033-203259571-500\desktop.ini.exe
  • %System Root%\excel2k\XLS2KE03.xls.exe
  • %System Root%\excel2k\XLS2KExx.xls
  • %System Root%\Email and Password List.js.exe
  • %System Root%\$Recycle.Bin\S-1-5-21-2407829820-1079796033-203259571-500\$IROWNQH.exe
  • %System Root%\excel2k\XLS2KE01.xls.exe
  • %System Root%\Email and Password List.vbs
  • %System Root%\$Recycle.Bin\S-1-5-21-2407829820-1079796033-203259571-1000\desktop.ini
  • %System Root%\excel2k\XLS2KE05.xls
  • %System Root%\$Recycle.Bin\S-1-5-21-2407829820-1079796033-203259571-500\$IC8HJH8.zip
  • %System Root%\Email and Password List.txt.exe
  • %System Root%\$Recycle.Bin\S-1-5-21-2407829820-1079796033-203259571-500\$IC8HJH8.zip.exe
  • %System Root%\Email and Password List.vbs.exe
  • %System Root%\excel2k\XLS2KE03.xls
  • %System Root%\excel2k\XLS2KExx.xls.exe
  • %System Root%\excel2k\XLS2KE02.xls
  • %System Root%\excel2k\XLS2KE05.xls.exe
  • %System Root%\AutoRun.exe

(Note: %System Root% is the Windows root folder, where it usually is C:\ on all Windows operating system versions.. %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.)

This report is generated via an automated analysis system.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

Step 1

Before doing any scans, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 users must disable System Restore to allow full scanning of their computers.

Step 2

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 3

Identify and terminate files detected as Worm.Win32.MEPAOW.B

[ Learn More ]
  1. Windows Task Manager may not display all running processes. In this case, please use a third-party process viewer, preferably Process Explorer, to terminate the malware/grayware/spyware file. You may download the said tool here.
  2. If the detected file is displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer but you cannot delete it, restart your computer in safe mode. To do this, refer to this link for the complete steps.
  3. If the detected file is not displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer, continue doing the next steps.

Step 4

Delete this registry value

[ Learn More ]

Important: Editing the Windows Registry incorrectly can lead to irreversible system malfunction. Please do this step only if you know how or you can ask assistance from your system administrator. Else, check this Microsoft article first before modifying your computer's registry.

  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
    • Shell = "Explorer.exe HelpMe.exe"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\explorer\Advanced\Folder\Hidden\SHOWALL
    • CheckedValue = "0"

Step 5

Search and delete these components

[ Learn More ]
There may be some components that are hidden. Please make sure you check the Search Hidden Files and Folders checkbox in the "More advanced options" option to include all hidden files and folders in the search result.
  • %System Root%\excel2k\XLS2KE00.xlt
  • %System Root%\AVScanner.ini.exe
  • %System Root%\excel2k\XLS2KE04.xls
  • %System Root%\$Recycle.Bin\S-1-5-21-2407829820-1079796033-203259571-500\desktop.ini
  • %System Root%\excel2k\XLS2KE04.xls.exe
  • %System Root%\Email and Password List.htm
  • %System Root%\Email and Password List.htm.exe
  • %System Root%\excel2k\XLS2KE01.xls
  • %System Root%\excel2k\XLS2KE02.xls.exe
  • %System Root%\excel2k\XLS2KE00.xlt.exe
  • %System Root%\AUTORUN.INF
  • %System%\HelpMe.exe
  • %System Root%\AUTORUN.INF.exe
  • %System Root%\Email and Password List.js
  • %System Root%\$Recycle.Bin\S-1-5-21-2407829820-1079796033-203259571-1000\desktop.ini.exe
  • %System Root%\AVScanner.ini
  • %System Root%\Email and Password List.txt
  • %System Root%\$Recycle.Bin\S-1-5-21-2407829820-1079796033-203259571-500\$IROWNQH.exe.exe
  • %System Root%\$Recycle.Bin\S-1-5-21-2407829820-1079796033-203259571-500\desktop.ini.exe
  • %System Root%\excel2k\XLS2KE03.xls.exe
  • %System Root%\excel2k\XLS2KExx.xls
  • %System Root%\Email and Password List.js.exe
  • %System Root%\$Recycle.Bin\S-1-5-21-2407829820-1079796033-203259571-500\$IROWNQH.exe
  • %System Root%\excel2k\XLS2KE01.xls.exe
  • %System Root%\Email and Password List.vbs
  • %System Root%\$Recycle.Bin\S-1-5-21-2407829820-1079796033-203259571-1000\desktop.ini
  • %System Root%\excel2k\XLS2KE05.xls
  • %System Root%\$Recycle.Bin\S-1-5-21-2407829820-1079796033-203259571-500\$IC8HJH8.zip
  • %System Root%\Email and Password List.txt.exe
  • %System Root%\$Recycle.Bin\S-1-5-21-2407829820-1079796033-203259571-500\$IC8HJH8.zip.exe
  • %System Root%\Email and Password List.vbs.exe
  • %System Root%\excel2k\XLS2KE03.xls
  • %System Root%\excel2k\XLS2KExx.xls.exe
  • %System Root%\excel2k\XLS2KE02.xls
  • %System Root%\excel2k\XLS2KE05.xls.exe
  • %System Root%\AutoRun.exe

Step 6

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as Worm.Win32.MEPAOW.B. If the detected files have already been cleaned, deleted, or quarantined by your Trend Micro product, no further step is required. You may opt to simply delete the quarantined files. Please check this Knowledge Base page for more information.

Step 7

Restore deleted/modified files and/or registry entries from backup

*Note: Only Microsoft-related files/keys/values will be restored. If this malware/grayware also deleted registry keys/values related to programs that are not from Microsoft, please reinstall those programs on your computer.

    • %User Startup%\Soft.lnk


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