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PE_PIKOR.A

November 09, 2013
 PLATFORM:

Windows 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP, Server 2003

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

  • Threat Type: File infector

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

This file infector infects by appending its code to target host files.

It drops copies of itself into all the removable drives connected to an affected system. It drops an AUTORUN.INF file to automatically execute the copies it drops when a user accesses the drives of an affected system.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

Varies

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Installation

This file infector drops the following files:

  • %system%\drivers\{random}.sys - detected by Trend Micro as RTKT_AGENT.SMB

Other System Modifications

This file infector adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\
Image File Execution Options\
{Application name}
Debugger = ntsd -d


where {Application name} refers to the following values:

  • 360SoftMgrSvc.exe
  • 360hotfix.exe
  • 360rp.exe
  • 360rpt.exe
  • 360safe.exe
  • 360safebox.exe
  • 360sd.exe
  • 360se.exe
  • 360speedld.exe
  • 360tray.exe
  • CCenter.exe
  • KVMonXP.kxp
  • KVSrvXP.exe
  • MPMon.exe
  • MPSVC.exe
  • MPSVC1.exe
  • MPSVC2.exe
  • McNASvc.exe
  • McProxy.exe
  • McSACore.exe
  • Mcagent.exe
  • Mcods.exe
  • Mcshield.exe
  • MpfSrv.exe
  • RavMonD.exe
  • RavTask.exe
  • RsAgent.exe
  • RsTray.exe
  • ScanFrm.exe
  • SfCtlCom.exe
  • TMBMSRV.exe
  • TmProxy.exe
  • UfSeAgnt.exe
  • ast.exe
  • avcenter.e
  • avgnt.exe
  • avguard.exe
  • avmailc.exe
  • avp.exe
  • avwebgrd.exe
  • bdagent.exe
  • ccSvcHst.exe
  • egui.exe
  • ekrn.exe
  • kavstart.exe
  • kissvc.exe
  • kmailmon.exe
  • kpfw32.exe
  • kpfwsvc.exe
  • krnl360svc.exe
  • kswebshield.exe
  • kwatch.exe
  • livesrv.exe
  • mcmscsvc.exe
  • mcsysmon.exe
  • mcvsshld.exe
  • msksrver.exe
  • qutmserv.exe
  • rsnetsvr.exe
  • safeboxTray.exe
  • sched.exe
  • seccenter.exe
  • vsserv.exe
  • zhudongfangyu.exe
  • ÐÞ¸´¹¤¾ß.exe
  • ÐÞ¸´¹¤¾ß.exe

File Infection

This file infector infects the following file types:

  • EXE

It infects by appending its code to target host files.

Propagation

This file infector drops copies of itself into all the removable drives connected to an affected system.

It drops an AUTORUN.INF file to automatically execute the copies it drops when a user accesses the drives of an affected system.

The said .INF file contains the following strings:


[autorun]
OPEN=recycle.{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\Setup.exe
shell\open=´ò¿ª(&O)
shell\open\Command=recycle.{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\Setup.exe Show
shell\open\Default=1//
shell\explore=×ÊÔ´¹ÜÀíÆ÷(&X)
shell\explore\Command=recycle.{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}\Setup.exe Show



Other Details

This file infector overwrites the following files with malformed copies, such that the mobile applications associated with these files do no execute properly:

  • %system%\appmgmts.dll

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

8.900

Step 1

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

Step 2

Remove grayware/spyware files dropped/downloaded by PE_PIKOR.A

    • RTKT_AGENT.SMB

Step 3

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product and note files detected as PE_PIKOR.A

Step 4

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 5

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\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options
    • {Application name}


where {Application name} refers to the following values:

 
 
  • 360SoftMgrSvc.exe
  • 360hotfix.exe
  • 360rp.exe
  • 360rpt.exe
  • 360safe.exe
  • 360safebox.exe
  • 360sd.exe
  • 360se.exe
  • 360speedld.exe
  • 360tray.exe
  • CCenter.exe
  • KVMonXP.kxp
  • KVSrvXP.exe
  • MPMon.exe
  • MPSVC.exe
  • MPSVC1.exe
  • MPSVC2.exe
  • McNASvc.exe
  • McProxy.exe
  • McSACore.exe
  • Mcagent.exe
  • Mcods.exe
  • Mcshield.exe
  • MpfSrv.exe
  • RavMonD.exe
  • RavTask.exe
  • RsAgent.exe
  • RsTray.exe
  • ScanFrm.exe
  • SfCtlCom.exe
  • TMBMSRV.exe
  • TmProxy.exe
  • UfSeAgnt.exe
  • ast.exe
  • avcenter.e
  • avgnt.exe
  • avguard.exe
  • avmailc.exe
  • avp.exe
  • avwebgrd.exe
  • bdagent.exe
  • ccSvcHst.exe
  • egui.exe
  • ekrn.exe
  • kavstart.exe
  • kissvc.exe
  • kmailmon.exe
  • kpfw32.exe
  • kpfwsvc.exe
  • krnl360svc.exe
  • kswebshield.exe
  • kwatch.exe
  • livesrv.exe
  • mcmscsvc.exe
  • mcsysmon.exe
  • mcvsshld.exe
  • msksrver.exe
  • qutmserv.exe
  • rsnetsvr.exe
  • safeboxTray.exe
  • sched.exe
  • seccenter.exe
  • vsserv.exe
  • zhudongfangyu.exe
  • ÐÞ¸´¹¤¾ß.exe
  • ÐÞ¸´¹¤¾ß.exe

Step 6

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to clean files detected as PE_PIKOR.A. 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.


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