WORM_ACKANTTA.C

This worm checks if Mozilla Thunderbird is installed in the affected system. It checks for the SMTP server used by this application by checking the file prefs.js and use it to send email messages containing a copy of itself to harvested email addresses.

This worm does not have any downloading capability.

This worm does not have any information-stealing capability.

This worm arrives as attachment to mass-mailed email messages. It 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.

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

It also has rootkit capabilities, which enables it to hide its processes and files from the user.

It executes the dropped file(s). As a result, malicious routines of the dropped files are exhibited on the affected system.

Arrival Details

This worm arrives as attachment to mass-mailed email messages.

It arrives via removable drives.

It may arrive via network shares.

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:

• %System%\AdobeAQM.exe

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, which is usually C:\Windows\System on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\System32 on Windows NT and 2000, or C:\Windows\System32 on Windows XP and Server 2003.)

It adds the following mutexes to ensure that only one of its copies runs at any one time:

• AdobeAQM.exe{random characters}

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
Adobe Updater 7.2 = "%System%\AdobeAQM.exe"

Other System Modifications

This worm adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\AdobeARM7

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\AdobeARM7

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
gnome1ass = "12"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
gnome2ass = "22"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\
List
%System%\AdobeAQM.exe = "%System%\AdobeAQM.exe:*:Enabled:Explorer"

Propagation

This worm creates the following folders in all removable drives:

• {drive letter}:\RECYCLER
• {drive letter}:\RECYCLER\S-1-6-21-2434476521-1645641927-702000330-1542

It drops copies of itself into the following folders used in peer-to-peer (P2P) networks:

• %Program Files%\icq\shared folder
• %Program Files%\grokster\my grokster
• %Program Files%\emule\incoming
• %Program Files%\morpheus\my shared folder
• %Program Files%\limewire\shared
• %Program Files%\tesla\files
• %Program Files%\winmx\shared
• %System Root%\Downloads
• Kazaa Download Directory
• DC++ Download Directory
• Frostwire Download Directory

(Note: %Program Files% is the default Program Files folder, usually C:\Program Files.. %System Root% is the root folder, which is usually C:\. It is also where the operating system is located.)

It searches the network for the following shared networks onto which it attempts to drop copies of itself:

• C$
• D$
• E$
• admin$

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

• {drive letter}:\RECYCLER\S-1-6-21-2434476521-1645645927-702000330-1542\autorun.exe

It drops copies of itself in all removable drives.

It uses the following file names for the copies it drops into shared networks:

• CCleaner.exe
• Firefox.exe
• KB.exe
• LoveLetter.doc.exe
• Readme.exe
• Runme.exe
• WindowsUpdate.exe
• WorldOfWarcraft.exe
• banklogins.doc.exe
• cashflow.pdf.exe
• creditcards.xls.exe
• payroll.doc.exe
• salaries.txt.exe

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=RECYCLER\S-1-6-21-2434476521-1645645927-702000330-1542\autorun.exe
icon=%SystemRoot%\system32\SHELL32.dll,4
action=Open folder to view files
shell\open=Open
shell\open\command=RECYCLER\S-1-6-21-2434476521-1645645927-702000330-1542\autorun.exe
shell\open\default=1

It uses the following user name and password to gain access to password-protected shares:

• 00000
• 000000
• 0000000
• 00000000
• 12345
• 123456
• 1234567
• 12345678
• 123456789
• Admin
• Password
• abc123
• access
• admin
• admin
• admin1
• admin2
• administrator
• alpha
• anonymous
• asdfgh
• backdoor
• backup
• coffee
• computer
• database
• debug
• default
• guest
• guest
• hello
• iloveyou
• install
• internet
• letmein
• login
• manager
• money
• monitor
• network
• newpass
• nicole
• nobody
• nopass
• oracle
• owner
• passwd
• password
• princess
• private
• public
• qwerty
• random
• remote
• rockyou
• secret
• secure
• security
• server
• setup
• shadow
• super
• system
• test1
• test2
• visitor
• windows

It gathers target email addresses from files with the following extensions:

• .asp
• .dbx
• .doc
• .htm
• .log
• .lst
• .nfo
• .php
• .rtf
• .txt
• .wab
• .wpd
• .wps
• .xls
• .xml

It avoids sending email messages to addresses containing the following strings:

• abuse
• acd-group
• acdnet.com
• acdsystems.com
• acketst
• admin
• ahnlab
• alcatel-lucent.com
• anyone
• apache
• arin.
• avg.comsysinternals
• avira
• badware
• berkeley
• bitdefender
• bluewin.ch
• borlan
• bpsoft.com
• buyrar.com
• certific
• cisco
• clamav
• contact
• debian
• drweb
• eset.com
• example
• f-secure
• firefox
• ghisler.com
• gold-certs
• honeynet
• honeypot
• ibm.com
• icrosoft
• idefense
• ikarus
• immunityinc.com
• inpris
• isc.o
• isi.e
• jgsoft
• kaspersky
• kernel
• lavasoft
• linux
• linux
• listserv
• mcafee
• messagelabs
• mit.e
• mozilla
• mydomai
• nobody
• nodomai
• noone
• nothing
• novirusthanks
• ntivi
• nullsoft.org
• panda
• postmaster
• prevx
• privacy
• qualys
• quebecor.com
• rating
• redhat
• rfc-ed
• ruslis
• sales
• samba
• samples
• secur
• secur
• security
• security
• sendmail
• service
• slashdot
• somebody
• someone
• sopho
• sourceforge
• ssh.com
• submit
• sun.com
• support
• syman
• tanford.e
• the.bat
• usenet
• utgers.ed
• virus
• virusbuster
• webmaster
• websense
• winamp
• winpcap
• wireshark
• www.ca.com

Rootkit Capabilities

This worm also has rootkit capabilities, which enables it to hide its processes and files from the user.

Dropping Routine

This worm drops the following files:

• %System%\adobeflv.exe - detected as TROJ_RENOS.BKE
• %System%\adobemkv.exe - detected as TROJ_HILOTI.FP

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, which is usually C:\Windows\System on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\System32 on Windows NT and 2000, or C:\Windows\System32 on Windows XP and Server 2003.)

It executes the dropped file(s). As a result, malicious routines of the dropped files are exhibited on the affected system.

NOTES:

Download Routine

This worm does not have any downloading capability.

Information Theft

This worm does not have any information-stealing capability.

Other Details

This worm connects to the following URL(s) to get the affected system's IP address:

• http://whatismyip.com/automation/n09230945.asp

It checks if Mozilla Thunderbird is installed in the affected system. It checks for the SMTP server used by this application by checking the file prefs.js and use it to send email messages containing a copy of itself to harvested email addresses.

It checks for the presence of the following registry entry to check for SMTP server used in the affected system:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Account Manager\Accounts
SMTP Server = ""

If no SMTP servers are found from the abovementioned routines, it tries to guess the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) server of the affected system, using the gathered domain name and the following prefixes:

• mail.
• smtp.
• mx1.
• mxs.
• mail1.
• relay.
• ns.
• gate.

It then creates threads that are used to create its own SMTP engine.

The said engine uses the SMTP servers gathered from the machine and sends email messages containing a copy of itself to email addresses gathered from the abovementioned routine.

It checks for the location of the Windows Address Book by querying the following registry key to gather email addresses:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\WAB\WAB4\
{WAB file name}

It uses the following names for the copies that it drops in folders used in peer-to-peer networks:

• Ad-aware 2010.exe
• Adobe Acrobat Reader keygen.exe
• Adobe Illustrator CS4 crack.exe
• Adobe Photoshop CS5 crack.exe
• Alcohol 120 v1.9.7.exe
• Anti-Porn v13.5.12.29.exe
• AnyDVD HD v.6.3.1.8 Beta incl crack.exe
• Ashampoo Snap 3.02.exe
• AVS Video Converter v6.3.1.365 CRACKED.exe
• BitDefender AntiVirus 2010 Keygen.exe
• Blaze DVD Player Pro v6.52.exe
• CleanMyPC Registry Cleaner v6.02.exe
• Daemon Tools Pro 4.50.exe
• Divx Pro 7 + keymaker.exe
• Download Accelerator Plus v9.exe
• Download Boost 2.0.exe
• DVD Tools Nero 10.5.6.0.exe
• G-Force Platinum v3.7.5.exe
• Google SketchUp 7.1 Pro.exe
• Grand Theft Auto Episodes From Liberty City 2010.exe
• Image Size Reducer Pro v1.0.1.exe
• Internet Download Manager V5.exe
• K-Lite Mega Codec v5.5.1.exe
• K-Lite Mega Codec v5.6.1 Portable.exe
• Kaspersky AntiVirus 2010 crack.exe
• LimeWire Pro v4.18.3.exe
• MagicISO Magic ISO Maker v5.5.0276 Cracked.exe
• McAfee Total Protection 2010.exe
• Microsoft.Windows 7 ULTIMATE FINAL activator+keygen x86.exe
• Motorola, nokia, ericsson mobil phone tools.exe
• Mp3 Splitter and Joiner Pro v3.48.exe
• Myspace theme collection.exe
• Nero 9 9.2.6.0 keygen.exe
• Norton Anti-Virus 2010 crack.exe
• Norton Internet Security 2010 crack.exe
• PDF password remover (works with all acrobat reader).exe
• PDF to Word Converter 3.0.exe
• PDF Unlocker v2.0.3.exe
• PDF-XChange Pro.exe
• Power ISO v4.2 + keygen axxo.exe
• Rapidshare Auto Downloader 3.8.exe
• RapidShare Killer AIO 2010.exe
• Sony Vegas Pro v9.0a incl crack.exe
• Sophos antivirus updater bypass.exe
• Starcraft2 battle.net key generator.exe
• Starcraft2 battle.net keys.txt.exe
• Starcraft2 REGION-UNLOCKER.exe
• Starcraft2 SERVER-CHANGER.exe
• Starcraft2.exe
• Super Utilities Pro 2009 11.0.exe
• Total Commander7 license+keygen.exe
• Trojan Killer v2.9.4173.exe
• Tuneup Ultilities 2010.exe
• Twitter FriendAdder 2.1.1.exe
• Uniblue RegistryBooster 2010.exe
• VmWare 7.0 keygen.exe
• VmWare keygen.exe
• Winamp.Pro.v7.33.PowerPack.Portable+installer.exe
• Windows 2008 Enterprise Server VMWare Virtual Machine.exe
• Windows 7 Ultimate keygen.exe
• Windows XP PRO Corp SP3 valid-key generator.exe
• Windows2008 keygen and activator.exe
• WinRAR v3.x keygen RaZoR.exe
• Youtube Music Downloader 1.0.exe
• YouTubeGet 5.4.exe

It accesses network drives to search for *.EXE and *.MSI files. Using the legitimate programs Wextract and Iexpress, it creates a Win32 Cabinet Self-Extractor containing the found file and a copy of itself. It then deletes the original file and replaces this with the created self-extracting file. Executing this file runs both the legitimate application and the malware copy. Trend Micro detects the said file as TROJ_DRPLACO.SM1.

This worm does not exploit any vulnerability.