Analysis by: Anthony Joe Melgarejo

ALIASES:

Virus:Win32/Viking.X (Microsoft), W32.Looked.P (Symantec), W32/HLLP.Philis.bg (McAfee)

 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003

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

  • Threat Type: File infector

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: Yes

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel: Propagates via network shares, Infects files

.

This file infector 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: Varies
File Type: PE
File Compression: Upack
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 08 Apr 2009
Payload: Downloads files, Terminates processes

Arrival Details

This file infector 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 file infector drops the following files:

  • %Windows%\Dll.dll
  • %Windows%\Logo1_.exe
  • %Windows%\rundl132.exe

(Note: %Windows% is the Windows folder, which is usually C:\Windows.)

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Windows
load = "%Windows%\rundl132.exe"

Other System Modifications

This file infector adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Soft\
DownloadWWW

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Soft

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Soft\
DownloadWWW
auto = "1"

File Infection

This file infector infects the following file types:

  • .EXE

It searches for target files in the following drives:

  • C to Z

Other Details

This file infector connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://domains.{BLOCKED}mba.net/333.txt

NOTES:

This file infector drops the following file(s) to every directory except the Windows folder and its sub-folders:

  • _desktop.ini

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.300
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 5.883.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 08 Apr 2009

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

Identify and terminate files detected as PE_LOOKED.ZM

[ 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 3

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\SOFTWARE
    • Soft

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_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Windows
    • load = "%Windows%\rundl132.exe"

Step 5

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.
  • %Windows%\Dll.dll
  • %Windows%\Logo1_.exe
  • %Windows%\rundl132.exe
  • _desktop.ini

Step 6

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as PE_LOOKED.ZM. 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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