ALIASES:

Worm:Win32/Autorun.AAZ (Microsoft); W32/Autorun.worm.gu (McAfee); W32.Colowned.A (Symantec); Worm.Win32.AutoRun.dlbt (Kaspersky); W32/AutoRun-BSY (Sophos); Trojan.Win32.Generic.pak!cobra (Sunbelt); Found Luhe.Fiha.A (AVG)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

 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: 3,264,512 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 21 Oct 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 Profile%\Application Data\taskhost.exe
  • %System Root%\viewDrive.exe

(Note: %User Profile% is a user's profile folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name} 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.. %System Root% is the Windows root folder, where it usually is C:\ on all Windows operating system versions.)

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
Windows Task Host = "%User Profile%\Application Data\taskhost.exe"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Windows Task Host = "%User Profile%\Application Data\taskhost.exe"

Other System Modifications

This worm adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WindowsLive

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WindowsLive
version = "1066"

Dropping Routine

This worm drops the following files:

  • %User Profile%\Application Data\newe
  • %User Temp%\viewdrive
  • %System Root%\autorun.inf
  • %System Root%\viewDrive.exe

(Note: %User Profile% is a user's profile folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name} 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.. %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.. %System Root% is the Windows root folder, where it usually is C:\ on all Windows operating system versions.)

This report is generated via an automated analysis system.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.700

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 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
    • WindowsLive

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\Run
    • Windows Task Host = "%User Profile%\Application Data\taskhost.exe"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • Windows Task Host = "%User Profile%\Application Data\taskhost.exe"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WindowsLive
    • version = "1066"

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.
  • %User Profile%\Application Data\newe
  • %User Temp%\viewdrive
  • %System Root%\autorun.inf
  • %System Root%\viewDrive.exe

Step 6

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