WORM_GAMETHI.GGN
Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003
Threat Type: Worm
Destructiveness: No
Encrypted: Yes
In the wild: Yes
OVERVIEW
This worm arrives via removable drives. It may be downloaded by other malware/grayware/spyware from remote sites.
It modifies registry entries to hide files with System and Read-only attributes.
It drops an AUTORUN.INF file to automatically execute the copies it drops when a user accesses the drives of an affected system.
It deletes the initially executed copy of itself.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Arrival Details
This worm arrives via removable drives.
It may be downloaded by other malware/grayware/spyware from remote sites.
Installation
This worm drops the following component file(s):
- %System%\jpking0.dll - also detected as WORM_GAMETHI.GGN
- %User Temp%\4tddfwq0.dll - also detected as WORM_GAMETHI.GGN
(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.. %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003.)
It drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:
- %System%\jpking.exe
- %User Temp%\xvassdf.exe
(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.. %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003.)
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
king_jp = "%System%\jpking.exe"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
54dfsger = "%User Temp%\xvassdf.exe"
Other System Modifications
This worm adds the following registry keys as part of its installation routine:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\MADOWN
It modifies the following registry entries to hide files with System and Read-only attributes:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Advanced
Hidden = 2
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 1.)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Advanced
ShowSuperHidden = 0
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 1.)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Advanced\Folder\Hidden\
SHOWALL
CheckedValue = 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:
- puia6h.exe
It drops an AUTORUN.INF file to automatically execute the copies it drops when a user accesses the drives of an affected system.
The said .INF file contains the following strings:
[AutoRun]
open=puia6h.exe
shell\open\Command=puia6h.exe
Process Termination
This worm terminates the following processes if found running in the affected system's memory:
- ALUSCHEDULERSVC.EXE
- ASHDISP.EXE
- AVGNT.EXE
- AVGRSX.EXE
- AVP.EXE
- AYAGENT.AYE
- AYUpdate.aye
- CCSVCHST.EXE
- EKRN.EXE
- SfFnUp.exe
- UFSEAGNT.EXE
- UfUpdUi.exe
- Update.exe
- VCRMON.EXE
- VSTSKMGR.EXE
- avast.setup
- avgupd.exe
- eguiEmon.dll
- eguiEpfw.dll
- ekrnEmon.dll
- ekrnEpfw.dll
- luall.exe
- mcupdate.exe
- preupd.exe
- prupdate.ppl
- setup.ovr
- update.exe
- updater.dll
- vsupdate.dll
Download Routine
This worm downloads an updated copy of itself from the following website(s):
- http://www.{BLOCKED}d3.com/1rb/ar1.rar
- http://www.{BLOCKED}os.com/1rb/ar.rar
- http://www.{BLOCKED}os.com/1rb/ar1.rar
- http://www.{BLOCKED}js.com/1rb/ar.rar
- http://www.{BLOCKED}js.com/1rb/ar1.rar
Other Details
This worm deletes the initially executed copy of itself
NOTES:
It injects its dropped .DLL files to all running processes to renamin memory resident.
Information Theft Routine
This spyware monitors the following URLs in an attempt to steal user credentials:
- www.arad.jp
- arad.hangame.co.jp
- member.gungho.jp
It attempts to steal login information, such as user names and passwords, from the following processes related to popular online games:
- ARAD.exe
- Atlantica.exe
- cabalmain.exe
- coc.exe
- maplestory.exe
- pol.exe
- Ragexe.exe
- red stone.exe
It also attempts to steal information from the following file if present on the affected system:
- aaa.dat
It attempts to connect to any of the following remote sites to send the gathered information:
- {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.95.140
- {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.95.146
- {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.95.138
- {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.95.144
- {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.95.148
- {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.95.134
- {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.95.142
- {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.95.150
- {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.95.136
- {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.95.130
- {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.95.128
- {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.95.132
- {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.95.152
- {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.95.154
- {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.95.156
- {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.95.158
- {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.95.160
- {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.94.145
- {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.94.147
- {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.94.146
- {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.94.148
- {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.94.149
- {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.94.150
- {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.94.151
- {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.94.152
- {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.94.153
- {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.94.154
However, these remote sites are already inaccessible as of this writing.
SOLUTION
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
Restart in Safe Mode
Step 3
Delete this registry value
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\Run
- 54dfsger = "%User Temp%\xvassdf.exe"
- 54dfsger = "%User Temp%\xvassdf.exe"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- king_jp = "%System%\jpking.exe"
- king_jp = "%System%\jpking.exe"
Step 4
Restore this modified registry value
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\Explorer\Advanced
- From: Hidden = 2
To: Hidden = 1
- From: Hidden = 2
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
- From: ShowSuperHidden = 0
To: ShowSuperHidden = 1
- From: ShowSuperHidden = 0
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Folder\Hidden\SHOWALL
- From: CheckedValue = 0
To: CheckedValue = 1
- From: CheckedValue = 0
Step 5
Delete this registry key
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. Before you could do this, you must restart in Safe Mode. For instructions on how to do this, you may refer to this page If the preceding step requires you to restart in safe mode, you may proceed to edit the system registry.
- In HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID
- MADOWN
- MADOWN
Step 6
Search and delete AUTORUN.INF files created by WORM_GAMETHI.GGN that contain these strings
Step 7
Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as WORM_GAMETHI.GGN. 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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