VBS_AUTORUN.IOK

 Analysis by: Rhena Inocencio

 ALIASES:

VBS/Autorun.worm.aapd (McAfee), VBS/Agent-ADRG (Sophos)

 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows Vista (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows 7 (32-bit, 64-bit)

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

  • Threat Type: Worm

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

This worm arrives via removable drives. It 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:

19,744 bytes

File Type:

VBS

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

17 Sep 2013

Arrival Details

This worm arrives via removable drives.

It 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 drops the following copies of itself into the affected system and executes them:

  • %User Temp%\{malware file name}.vbs

(Note: %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista and 7.)

Autostart Technique

This worm adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
{malware file name} = "wscript.exe //B "%User Temp%\{malware file name}.vbs""

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
{malware file name} = "wscript.exe //B "%User Temp%\{malware file name}.vbs""

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

  • %User Startup%\{malware file name}.vbs

(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, and C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup.)

Other System Modifications

This worm adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\{malware file name}

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\{malware file name}
(Default) = "{true or false} - {Date of execution}"

Propagation

This worm drops the following copy(ies) of itself in all removable drives:

  • {Drive Letter}:\{malware file name}.vbs

Other Details

This worm connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • adamdamm.{BLOCKED}o.org

NOTES:

It drops shortcut files pointing to the copy of itself in removable drives. These dropped .LNK files use the names of the folders and files located on the said drives for their file names. It then sets the attributes of the original folders and files to Hidden to trick the user into clicking the .LNK files.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.300

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

10.292.02

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

21 Sep 2013

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

10.293.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

22 Sep 2013

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

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product and note files detected as VBS_AUTORUN.IOK

Step 3

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

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_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • {malware file name} = "wscript.exe //B "%User Temp%\{malware file name}.vbs""
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • {malware file name} = "wscript.exe //B "%User Temp%\{malware file name}.vbs""
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\{malware file name}
    • (Default) = "{true or false} - {Date of execution}"

Step 5

Delete this registry key

[ 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
    • {malware file name}

Step 6

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as VBS_AUTORUN.IOK. 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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