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ACG.Ax

October 09, 2012
 Analysis by: Karl Dominguez
 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 REPORTED INFECTION:

  • Threat Type: File infector

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW


This is a type of polymorphic DOS virus that infects COM and EXE files. It uses a complex polymorphic engine to decrypt its code. This virus can be memory or non-memory resident. Non-memory resident variants search for and then infect COM and EXE files in an infected system. Memory-resident variants hook the DOS function interrupt, INT 21h and infect files that are opened or executed. In both variants, the virus appends its encrypted code at the end of infected files and modifies the header to point to its code. The virus also inserts garbage data within its codes. It does not contain any destructive payload.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

8.900

Step 1

For Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 users, before doing any scans, please make sure you disable System Restore to allow full scanning of your computer.

Step 2

Restore your system’s Master Boot Record (MBR)

To restore your system's Master Boot Record (MBR):

  1. Insert your Windows Installation CD into your CD-ROM drive or the USB flash drive then restart your computer.
  2. Press the restart button of your computer.
  3. When prompted, press any key to boot from the CD.
  4. When prompted on the Main Menu, type r to enter the Recovery Console.
    (For Windows 2000 users: After pressing r, type c to choose the Recovery Console on the repair options screen.)
  5. When prompted, type your administrator password to log in.
  6. Once logged in, type the drive that contains Windows in the command prompt that appears, and then press Enter.
  7. Type the following then press Enter:
    fixmbr {affected drive}
    (Note: The affected drive is the bootable drive that this malware/grayware has affected. If no device is specified, the MBR will be written in the primary boot drive.)
  8. Type exit to restart the system.

Step 3

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to clean files detected as ACG.Ax. 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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