WORM_AGENT.VRX

October 08, 2012
 Analysis by: Karl Dominguez
 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, XP, Server 2003

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

  • Threat Type: Worm

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: Yes

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

This worm may be dropped by other malware.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

507,392 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

26 Apr 2011

Payload:

Displays graphics/image

Arrival Details

This worm may be dropped by other malware.

Installation

This worm drops the following files:

  • %Current%\ipz-db.bin
  • %Current%\log.txt

Autostart Technique

This worm 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\IPZ
Type = 10

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\IPZ
Start = 2

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\IPZ
ErrorControl = 0

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\IPZ
ImagePath = {malware path and file name}

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\IPZ
DisplayName = Intelligent P2P Zombie

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\IPZ
ObjectName = LocalSystem

Other System Modifications

This worm creates the following registry entry(ies) to bypass Windows Firewall:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\
List
{malware path and file name} = {malware path and file name}:*:Enabled:{malware filename}

Other Details

This worm does the following:

  • Displays the following window upon execution:



  • Sends ICMP PING requests to random IP addresses and scans for port 4899 (Radmin Port) to check if those IP addresses have RADMIN service running. Once successful, it uses the following hardcoded list of user names and passwords to gain access to password-protected systems:
    • 0987654321
    • 111111
    • 11111111
    • 121212
    • 12121212
    • 123123
    • 12341234
    • 123456
    • 12345678
    • 123456789
    • 1234567890
    • 1q2w3e
    • 1q2w3e4r
    • 1q2w3e4r5t
    • 654321
    • 87654321
    • aaaaaa
    • aaaaaaaa
    • admin
    • Admin
    • administrator
    • aerial
    • aerodynamics
    • aeroplane
    • alien
    • altera
    • altitude
    • america
    • american
    • anchorite
    • annihilation
    • archer
    • asdfghjk
    • asdfghjkl
    • atmel
    • atmosphere
    • atomic
    • backward
    • battle
    • bender
    • billgates
    • boeing
    • brentcorrigan
    • brutal
    • bullshit
    • burning
    • callofduty
    • cannon
    • cdrom
    • children
    • computer
    • coolface
    • copyleft
    • copyright
    • creative
    • creator
    • darthvader
    • deathcore
    • deathstar
    • debian
    • deltaplane
    • destroy
    • disable
    • display
    • domination
    • doomsday
    • elephant
    • elimination
    • emoboy
    • emokid
    • emperor
    • enable
    • enigma
    • europe
    • evangellion
    • fallout
    • fighter
    • folder
    • forward
    • freedom
    • fuckyou
    • godzilla
    • google
    • gothic
    • grinder
    • guitar
    • happiness
    • happy
    • hardcore
    • harddisk
    • helicopter
    • hippie
    • hitler
    • horishima
    • horizon
    • ignore
    • imageboard
    • income
    • incoming
    • insane
    • internet
    • israel
    • jesus
    • jetpack
    • kamikaze
    • keyboard
    • kremlin
    • latitude
    • lineage2
    • login
    • longtitude
    • lucifer
    • lurkmore
    • machine
    • memory
    • metall
    • microchip
    • microsoft
    • minigun
    • missile
    • monkey
    • motorbike
    • mouse
    • mozilla
    • music
    • negative
    • nekoboy
    • nigger
    • nuclear
    • oracle
    • overmind
    • password
    • people
    • pilotage
    • police
    • positive
    • predator
    • pretty
    • processor
    • propeller
    • prototype
    • qazwsx
    • qazwsxedc
    • qqqqqq
    • qqqqqqqq
    • qweasd
    • qweasdzxc
    • qwerty
    • qwertyui
    • qwertyuiop
    • radmin
    • rastaman
    • reactor
    • receiver
    • revolution
    • rocketman
    • router
    • samael
    • satan
    • sattelite
    • scientology
    • secret
    • secure
    • shadow
    • shcool
    • skynet
    • skywalker
    • smoking
    • solder
    • speaker
    • stalin
    • starcraft
    • stinger
    • sunlight
    • superman
    • supply
    • suxxxx
    • terminator
    • thieft
    • thread
    • thunderbird
    • tolerance
    • topsecret
    • tranciever
    • transmitter
    • trollface
    • ubuntu
    • unknown
    • username
    • utorrent
    • warcraft
    • warhammer
    • washington
    • whitehouse
    • windows
    • wireless
    • xlinx
    • youandme
    • youtube
    • zeitgeist
    This routine of sending PING requests to the IP addresses may cause denial of service (DoS) and heavy network traffic. Saves a copy, installs and executes itself on the machine as %System%\ipz.exe. Uses port 3992 to communicate between machines infected with this backdoor.

NOTES:

This is a worm infected by PE_VIRUX.R. As such, the routines of WORM_BIZOME and PE_VIRUX. are exhibited in the affected system once executed.

May be executed using command-line and may have the following parameters:

  • /l, --log - enable logging of activities
  • /i, --install - install its own service
  • /s, --service - restart its own service
  • /r, --remove - remove its own service
The malware logs may contain the following activities and saved in the file log.txt:

  • (peer_broadcast_link) broadcasting link to {IP}
  • (peer_link_to_self) buddy {IP} kicked due to synchronization error
  • (peer_link_to_self) synchronized link to {IP}
  • (peer_new_buddy) {IP} - added new buddy
  • (peer_new_buddy) {IP} - buddy already in list
  • (peer_new_buddy) {IP} - connection closed
  • (peer_new_buddy) {IP} - trying to connect
  • (peer_process_link_message) linked to new buddy {IP}
  • (peer_process_link_message) synchronized link with {IP}
  • (peer_process_message) new message
  • (peer_process_message) new message accepted
  • (peer_process_poll_message) message delivered to {IP}
  • (peer_process_poll_message) no messages to deliver to {IP}
  • (peer_process_poll_message) {IP} polled his mailbox
  • [{Date and Time}]#{ID} (ACT) connected to {IP}
  • [{Date and Time}]#{ID} (ACT) disconnected from {IP}
  • [{Date and Time}]#{ID} (ACT) failed to connect to {IP}
  • [{Date and Time}]#{ID} (ACT) message delivered to {IP}
  • [{Date and Time}]#{ID} (ACT) message received from {IP}
  • [{Date and Time}]#{ID} (ACT) no messages on {IP}
  • [{Date and Time}]#{ID} (ACT) polling mailbox on {IP}
  • [{Date and Time}]#{ID} (ACT) sending messages to {IP}
  • [{Date and Time}]#{ID} (ACT) trying to connect to {IP}
  • [{Date and Time}]#{ID} (PASS) connection from {IP} closed
  • [{Date and Time}]#{ID} (PASS) LINK from {IP}
  • [{Date and Time}]#{ID} (PASS) message from {IP}
  • [{Date and Time}]#{ID} (PASS) POLL from {IP}
  • [{Date and Time}]#{ID} (PASS) received connection from {IP}

This malicious file builds a peer-to-peer network which may then receive and send commands from/to other infected machines/malicious networks to download and execute other malicious files.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

8.900

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

8.120.12

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

27 Apr 2011

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

Remove malware files dropped/downloaded by WORM_AGENT.VRX

Step 3

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product and note files detected as WORM_AGENT.VRX

Step 4

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

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\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services
    • IPZ

Step 6

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\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\List
    • {malware path and file name} = {malware path and file name}:*:Enabled:{malware filename}

Step 7

Search and delete this file

[ Learn More ]
There may be some component files that are hidden. Please make sure you check the Search Hidden Files and Folders checkbox in the More advanced options option to include all hidden files and folders in the search result.
%Current%\ipz-db.bin
%Current%\log.txt

Step 8

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