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WORM_QHOST.AEZ

November 17, 2017
 Analysis by: Nikko Tamana
 ALIASES:

Worm.BAT.Agent (Ikarus), Worm.BAT.Agent.cz (Kaspersky), BAT/Agent.NDZ worm (NOD32), Trojan.QhostCS.S680828 (Quickheal)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 DISTRIBUTION POTENTIAL:
 REPORTED INFECTION:
 SYSTEM IMPACT RATING:

  • 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:

123,392 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

16 Nov 2017

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 and executes the following files:

  • %User Temp%\{random four digit alphanumeric characters}.tmp\New folder.bat - Deleted after execution
  • %Application Data%\registery.reg
  • %Application Data%\set.bat
  • %Start Menu%\Programs\Startup\explorer.vbs

(Note: %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.. %Application Data% is the Application Data folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.. %Start Menu% is the Start Menu folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Start Menu on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)

Autostart Technique

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

  • %Start Menu%\Programs\Startup\New-folder.exe

(Note: %Start Menu% is the Start Menu folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Start Menu on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)

Other System Modifications

This Worm deletes the following folders:

  • C:\UsbFix\*

It modifies the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
System
EnableLUA = 0

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

Propagation

This Worm drops the following copy of itself in all physical and removable drives:

  • {Drives C to V}:\New-folder.exe

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

13.787.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

17 Nov 2017

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

Terminate a malware/grayware process

[ Learn More ]

*Note: If the detected process is not displayed in theWindows Task Manager, continue doing the next steps.

    • cmd.exe /c %Application Data%\set.bat

Step 4

Search and delete these files

[ Learn More ]
There may be some 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.  
  • %Application Data%\registery.reg
  • %Application Data%\set.bat
  • %Start Menu%\Programs\Startup\explorer.vbs

Step 5

Restore this file from backup only Microsoft-related files will be restored. If this malware/grayware also deleted files related to programs that are not from Microsoft, please reinstall those programs on you computer again.

  • c:\UsbFix\*

Step 6

Restore this modified registry value

[ 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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
    • From: EnableLUA = 0
      To: EnableLUA = 1

Step 7

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to clean files detected as WORM_QHOST.AEZ. 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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