WORM_SOCKS.EH
W32/Socks.MT!worm.p2p (Fortinet), W32/Socks.B (FProt), P2P-Worm.Win32.Socks (Ikarus), Worm:Win32/Koceg.A (Microsoft)
Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows Vista (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows 7 (32-bit, 64-bit)
![](/vinfo/imgFiles/legend.jpg)
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.
It drops an AUTORUN.INF file to automatically execute the copies it drops when a user accesses the drives of an affected system.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
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 the following copies of itself into the affected system:
- %System%\drivers\services.exe
- %User Profile%\svchost.exe
(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, which is usually C:\Windows\System32.. %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.)
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
[system] = "%System%\drivers\services.exe"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
winlogon = "%User Profile%\svchost.exe"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
[system] = "%System%\drivers\services.exe"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
winlogon = "%User Profile%\svchost.exe"
It modifies the following registry entry(ies) to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Userinit = "%System%\userinit.exe,%System%\drivers\services.exe"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is "%System%\userinit.exe,".)
It drops the following file(s) in the Windows User Startup folder to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:
- %User Startup%\userinit.exe
(Note: %User Startup% is the current user's Startup folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Profiles\{user name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\Profiles\{user name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows NT, and C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup.)
Propagation
This worm drops the following copy of itself in all physical and removable drives:
- autorun.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]
ShellExecute=autorun.exe
Other Details
This worm connects to the following possibly malicious URL:
- http://{BLOCKED}ife.info/?&v=xtnsh_&lid=1033
SOLUTION
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
Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product and note files detected as WORM_SOCKS.EH
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
- [system] = "%System%\drivers\services.exe"
- [system] = "%System%\drivers\services.exe"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- winlogon = "%User Profile%\svchost.exe"
- winlogon = "%User Profile%\svchost.exe"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- [system] = "%System%\drivers\services.exe"
- [system] = "%System%\drivers\services.exe"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- winlogon = "%User Profile%\svchost.exe"
- winlogon = "%User Profile%\svchost.exe"
Step 4
Identify and delete files detected as WORM_SOCKS.EH using the Recovery Console
Step 5
Restore these modified registry values
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 NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
- From: Userinit = "%System%\userinit.exe,%System%\drivers\services.exe"
To: Userinit = "%System%\userinit.exe,"
- From: Userinit = "%System%\userinit.exe,%System%\drivers\services.exe"
Step 6
Search and delete this file
- %User Profile%\svchost.exe
- %User Startup%\userinit.exe
Step 7
Search and delete AUTORUN.INF files created by WORM_SOCKS.EH that contain these strings
- [autorun]
- ShellExecute=autorun.exe
Step 8
Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as WORM_SOCKS.EH. 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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