PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003

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

  • Threat Type: Worm

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

This worm 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: 72,704 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 09 Jan 2014

Arrival Details

This worm 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:

  • %User Temp%\a~UaUv^3.exe

(Note: %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, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista and 7.)

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
WinC = "%User Temp%\a~UaUv^3.exe"

Other System Modifications

This worm adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\
List
%User Temp%\a~UaUv^3.exe = "%User Temp%\a~UaUv^3.exe:*:Enabled:Windows Live 2010"

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

It modifies the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Advanced
Hidden = "2"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 2.)

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

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

Dropping Routine

This worm drops the following files:

  • %Start Menu%\Programs\Accessories .exe
  • %Start Menu%\Programs\Administrative Tools .exe
  • %Start Menu%\Programs\Games .exe
  • %Common Startup% .exe
  • %Start Menu%\Programs\WinPcap .exe
  • %Program Files%\Adobe .exe
  • %Program Files%\Common Files .exe
  • %Program Files%\ComPlus Applications .exe
  • %Program Files%\Internet Explorer .exe
  • %Program Files%\Messenger .exe
  • %Program Files%\microsoft frontpage .exe
  • %Program Files%\Microsoft.NET .exe
  • %Program Files%\Movie Maker .exe
  • %Program Files%\MSBuild .exe
  • %Program Files%\MSN .exe
  • %Program Files%\MSN Gaming Zone .exe
  • %Program Files%\MSXML 6.0 .exe
  • %Program Files%\NetMeeting .exe
  • %Program Files%\Online Services .exe
  • %Program Files%\Outlook Express .exe
  • %Program Files%\Reference Assemblies .exe
  • %Program Files%\Uninstall Information .exe
  • %Program Files%\Windows Media Player .exe
  • %Program Files%\Windows NT .exe
  • %Program Files%\WindowsUpdate .exe
  • %Program Files%\WinPcap .exe
  • %Program Files%\xerox .exe
  • %User Profile%\My Documents\My Music .exe
  • %User Profile%\My Documents\My Pictures .exe
  • %Windows%\$MSI31Uninstall_KB893803v2$ .exe
  • %Windows%\$NtUninstallWIC$ .exe
  • %Windows%\addins .exe
  • %Windows%\AppPatch .exe
  • %Windows%\assembly .exe
  • %Windows%\Config .exe
  • %Windows%\Connection Wizard .exe
  • %Windows%\Cursors .exe
  • %Windows%\Debug .exe
  • %Windows%\Downloaded Program Files .exe
  • %Windows%\Driver Cache .exe
  • %Windows%\ehome .exe
  • %Windows%\Fonts .exe
  • %Windows%\Help .exe
  • %Windows%\ime .exe
  • %Windows%\inf .exe
  • %Windows%\Installer .exe
  • %Windows%\java .exe
  • %Windows%\Media .exe
  • %Windows%\Microsoft.NET .exe
  • %Windows%\msagent .exe
  • %Windows%\msapps .exe
  • %Windows%\mui .exe
  • %Windows%\Offline Web Pages .exe
  • %Windows%\pchealth .exe
  • %Windows%\PeerNet .exe
  • %Windows%\Prefetch .exe
  • %Windows%\Provisioning .exe
  • %Windows%\Registration .exe
  • %Windows%\repair .exe
  • %Windows%\Resources .exe
  • %Windows%\security .exe
  • %Windows%\SoftwareDistribution .exe
  • %Windows%\srchasst .exe
  • %System% .exe
  • %Windows%\Tasks .exe
  • %Temp% .exe
  • %Windows%\twain_32 .exe
  • %Windows%\Web .exe
  • %Windows%\WinSxS .exe

(Note: %Start Menu% is the current user's Start Menu folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Start Menu or C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu on Windows Vista and 7.. %Common Startup% is the system's shared Startup folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003.. %Program Files% is the default Program Files folder, usually C:\Program Files in Windows 2000, Server 2003, and XP (32-bit), Vista (32-bit), and 7 (32-bit), or C:\Program Files (x86) in Windows XP (64-bit), Vista (64-bit), and 7 (64-bit).. %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista and 7.. %Windows% is the Windows folder, which is usually C:\Windows.. %System% is the Windows system folder, which is usually C:\Windows\System32.. %Temp% is the Windows Temporary folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Temp.)

This report is generated via an automated analysis system.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.300

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

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 3

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
    • WinC = "%User Temp%\a~UaUv^3.exe"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\List
    • %User Temp%\a~UaUv^3.exe = "%User Temp%\a~UaUv^3.exe:*:Enabled:Windows Live 2010"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
    • ShowSuperHidden = "0"

Step 4

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\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
    • From: Hidden = "2"
      To: Hidden = ""2""
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
    • From: HideFileExt = "1"
      To: HideFileExt = ""1""

Step 5

Search and delete these components

[ Learn More ]
There may be some components 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.
  • %Start Menu%\Programs\Accessories .exe
  • %Start Menu%\Programs\Administrative Tools .exe
  • %Start Menu%\Programs\Games .exe
  • %Common Startup% .exe
  • %Start Menu%\Programs\WinPcap .exe
  • %Program Files%\Adobe .exe
  • %Program Files%\Common Files .exe
  • %Program Files%\ComPlus Applications .exe
  • %Program Files%\Internet Explorer .exe
  • %Program Files%\Messenger .exe
  • %Program Files%\microsoft frontpage .exe
  • %Program Files%\Microsoft.NET .exe
  • %Program Files%\Movie Maker .exe
  • %Program Files%\MSBuild .exe
  • %Program Files%\MSN .exe
  • %Program Files%\MSN Gaming Zone .exe
  • %Program Files%\MSXML 6.0 .exe
  • %Program Files%\NetMeeting .exe
  • %Program Files%\Online Services .exe
  • %Program Files%\Outlook Express .exe
  • %Program Files%\Reference Assemblies .exe
  • %Program Files%\Uninstall Information .exe
  • %Program Files%\Windows Media Player .exe
  • %Program Files%\Windows NT .exe
  • %Program Files%\WindowsUpdate .exe
  • %Program Files%\WinPcap .exe
  • %Program Files%\xerox .exe
  • %User Profile%\My Documents\My Music .exe
  • %User Profile%\My Documents\My Pictures .exe
  • %Windows%\$MSI31Uninstall_KB893803v2$ .exe
  • %Windows%\$NtUninstallWIC$ .exe
  • %Windows%\addins .exe
  • %Windows%\AppPatch .exe
  • %Windows%\assembly .exe
  • %Windows%\Config .exe
  • %Windows%\Connection Wizard .exe
  • %Windows%\Cursors .exe
  • %Windows%\Debug .exe
  • %Windows%\Downloaded Program Files .exe
  • %Windows%\Driver Cache .exe
  • %Windows%\ehome .exe
  • %Windows%\Fonts .exe
  • %Windows%\Help .exe
  • %Windows%\ime .exe
  • %Windows%\inf .exe
  • %Windows%\Installer .exe
  • %Windows%\java .exe
  • %Windows%\Media .exe
  • %Windows%\Microsoft.NET .exe
  • %Windows%\msagent .exe
  • %Windows%\msapps .exe
  • %Windows%\mui .exe
  • %Windows%\Offline Web Pages .exe
  • %Windows%\pchealth .exe
  • %Windows%\PeerNet .exe
  • %Windows%\Prefetch .exe
  • %Windows%\Provisioning .exe
  • %Windows%\Registration .exe
  • %Windows%\repair .exe
  • %Windows%\Resources .exe
  • %Windows%\security .exe
  • %Windows%\SoftwareDistribution .exe
  • %Windows%\srchasst .exe
  • %System% .exe
  • %Windows%\Tasks .exe
  • %Temp% .exe
  • %Windows%\twain_32 .exe
  • %Windows%\Web .exe
  • %Windows%\WinSxS .exe

Step 6

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as WORM_OTORUN.AEK. 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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