PE_LOVGATE.GEN

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

Arrival Details

This file infector 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 file infector drops the following files:

• %User Temp%\~.tmp.dll
• %System%\reg678.dll
• %System%\Task688.dll
• %System%\win32vxd.dll
• %System%\111.dll

(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.. %System% is the Windows system folder, which is usually C:\Windows\System32.)

It drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

• %System%\WinDriver.exe
• %System%\winexe.exe
• %System%\WinGate.exe
• %System%\WinHelp.exe
• %System%\IEXPLORE.exe
• %System%\RAVMOND.exe
• %System%\kernel66.dll

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, which is usually C:\Windows\System32.)

Autostart Technique

This file infector registers itself as a system service to ensure its automatic execution at every system startup by adding the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\ll_reg
ImagePath = "Rundll32.exe Task688.dll ondll_server "

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

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
run = "RAVMOND.exe"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Remote Procedure Call Locator = "RUNDLL32.EXE reg678.dll ondll_reg"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
WinHelp = "%System%\WinHelp.exe"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
WinGate initialize = "%System%\WinGate.exe -remoteshell"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Program In Windows = "%System%\IEXPLORE.EXE"

It registers as a system service to ensure its automatic execution at every system startup by adding the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\ll_reg

Other System Modifications

This file infector modifies the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
exefile\shell\open\
command
(Default) = "%System%\winexe.exe "%1" %*"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is ""%1" %*".)