WORM_BUZUS.DJ

 Analysis by: David John Agni

 ALIASES:

Worm:Win32/Pushbot.QB (Microsoft)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

 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:

109,197 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

10 Dec 2014

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:

  • %Windows%\rndll.exe

(Note: %Windows% is the Windows folder, where it usually is C:\Windows on all Windows operating system versions.)

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Firevall Administrating = "rndll.exe"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Terminal Server\
Install\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Firevall Administrating = "rndll.exe"

Other System Modifications

This worm modifies the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Main
Start Page = "http://www.freeart1cile.com"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is {User Defined Settings}.)

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

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\
List
{malware path and filename} = "{malware path and filename}:*:Enabled:Firevall Administrating"

Propagation

This worm creates the following folders in all removable drives:

  • {Removable Drive Letter}:\driver
  • {Removable Drive Letter}:\driver\usb\

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

  • {Removable Drive Letter}:\driver\usb\{Special Characters}

The said .INF file contains the following strings:

[autorun]
open=driver\usb\{Special Characters}
action=Open
shell\open=Open
shell\open\command=driver\usb\{Special Characters}
Usb_Driver installed

Other Details

This worm connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • {BLOCKED}icles.com

NOTES:

This malware drops the following files in all removable drives:

  • {Removable Drive Letter}:\autorun.inf
  • {Removable Drive Letter}:\driver\usb\Desktop.ini

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.700

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

11.338.02

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

11 Dec 2014

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

11.339.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

12 Dec 2014

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

Note that not all files, folders, and registry keys and entries are installed on your computer during this malware's/spyware's/grayware's execution. This may be due to incomplete installation or other operating system conditions. If you do not find the same files/folders/registry information, please proceed to the next step.

Step 3

Identify and terminate files detected as WORM_BUZUS.DJ

[ Learn More ]
  1. Windows Task Manager may not display all running processes. In this case, please use a third-party process viewer, preferably Process Explorer, to terminate the malware/grayware/spyware file. You may download the said tool here.
  2. If the detected file is displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer but you cannot delete it, restart your computer in safe mode. To do this, refer to this link for the complete steps.
  3. If the detected file is not displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer, continue doing the next steps.

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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • Firevall Administrating = "rndll.exe"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Terminal Server\Install\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • Firevall Administrating = "rndll.exe"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\List
    • {malware path and filename} = "{malware path and filename}:*:Enabled:Firevall Administrating"

Step 5

Restore these modified registry values

[ Learn More ]

Important:Editing the Windows Registry incorrectly can lead to irreversible system malfunction. Please do this only if you know how to or you can seek your system administrator's help. You may also check out this Microsoft article first before modifying your computer's registry.

  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
    • From: Start Page = "http://www.freeart1cile.com"
      To: Start Page = {Your preferred Home Page}

Step 6

Search and delete these folders

[ Learn More ]
Please make sure you check the Search Hidden Files and Folders checkbox in the More advanced options option to include all hidden folders in the search result.  
  • {Removable Drive Letter}:\driver

Step 7

Search and delete AUTORUN.INF files created by WORM_BUZUS.DJ that contain these strings

[ Learn More ]
  • [autorun]
  • open=driver\usb\{Special Characters}
  • action=Open
  • shell\open=Open
  • shell\open\command=driver\usb\{Special Characters}
  • Usb_Driver installed

Step 8

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as WORM_BUZUS.DJ. 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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