WORM_BRONTOK.HP

This worm arrives as an attachment to email messages spammed by other malware/grayware or malicious users. It arrives by connecting affected removable drives to a system. 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 uses the Windows Task Scheduler to add a scheduled task that executes the copies it drops.

It modifies files, disabling programs and applications from properly running. It disables Task Manager, Registry Editor, and Folder Options.

Arrival Details

This worm arrives as an attachment to email messages spammed by other malware/grayware or malicious users.

It arrives by connecting affected removable drives to a system.

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:

• %Application Data%\br{random}on.exe
• %Application Data%\csrss.exe
• %Application Data%\inetinfo.exe
• %Application Data%\lsass.exe
• %Application Data%\services.exe
• %Application Data%\smss.exe
• %Application Data%\svchost.exe
• %Application Data%\winlogon.exe
• %System%\CMD-BRO-{random}.EXE
• %System%\DXBLBV.exe
• %System%\{user name}'S SETTING.SCR
• %User Profile%\TEMPLATES\{random}-NENDANGBRO.COM
• %Windows%\SEMBAKO-{random}.EXE
• %Windows%\SHELLNEW\BBM-{random}.exe
• %System%\drivers\etc\HOSTS-DENIED BY-{USER NAME}.COM

(Note: %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Profiles\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\Profiles\{user name}\Application Data on Windows NT, and C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003.. %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.. %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Profiles\{user name} on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\Profiles\{user name} on Windows NT, and C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003.. %Windows% is the Windows folder, which is usually C:\Windows or C:\WINNT.)

It uses the Windows Task Scheduler to add a scheduled task that executes the copies it drops.

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
Tok-Cirrhatus-{random} = "%Application Data%\{br{random}on.exe"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Bron-Spizaetus-{random} = "%Windows%\ShellNew\bbm-{random}.exe"

It modifies the following registry entries to ensure it automatic execution at every system startup:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Shell = "Explorer.exe %Windows%\sembako-{random}"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is "Explorer.exe".)

It drops the following file(s) in the Windows User Startup folder to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

• %User Startup%\Empty.pif – copy of itself

(Note: %User Startup% is the current user's Startup folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Profiles\{user name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\Profiles\{user name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows NT, and C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup.)

Other System Modifications

This worm modifies the following files:

• %System Root%\AUTOEXEC.BAT

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

It modifies the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Control\SafeBoot
AlternateShell = "cmd-bro-{random}.exe"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is cmd.exe.)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Advanced
Hidden = "0"

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

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Advanced
HideFileExt = "1"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 0.)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Advanced
"ShowSuperHidden" = "0"

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

It creates the following registry entry(ies) to disable Task Manager, Registry Tools and Folder Options:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
System
DisableRegistryTools = "1"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
System
DisableCMD = "0"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
Explorer
NoFolderOptions = "1"

Dropping Routine

This worm drops the following files:

• %System%\sistem.sys

(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.)

Other Details

This worm connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

• http://www.{BLOCKED}b.com/Kids/droppt