WORM_SOHANAD.DQ
Worm.Win32.AutoIt.cb (F-Secure); Win32.Worm.Sohanat.BP(GData); Worm.Win32.AutoIt (Ikarus); Worm.Win32.AutoIt.cb (Kaspersky); W32/YahLover.worm.gen (McAfee); Win32/Autoit.EP.Gen (NOD32); Mal/Sohana-A (Sophos); Worm.Win32.Sohanat.BP (Sunbelt); W32.Imaut.E (Symantec)
Windows 2000, Windows, XP, Windows Server 2003
Threat Type: Worm
Destructiveness: No
Encrypted: Yes
In the wild: Yes
OVERVIEW
This worm arrives by connecting affected removable drives to a system. 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 disables Task Manager, Registry Editor, and Folder Options.
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 by connecting affected removable drives to a system.
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%\gphone.exe
- %Windows%\gphone.exe
(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, which is usually C:\Windows\System32.. %Windows% is the Windows folder, which is usually C:\Windows.)
It drops the following files:
- %System%\autorun.ini
- %Windows%\Tasks\At1.job
(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, which is usually C:\Windows\System32.. %Windows% is the Windows folder, which is usually C:\Windows.)
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
Yahoo Messengger = "%System%\gphone.exe"
It modifies the following registry entries to ensure it automatic execution at every system startup:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Shell = "Explorer.exe gphone.exe"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is Explorer.exe.)
Other System Modifications
This worm adds the following registry entries as part of its installation routine:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\Schedule
AtTaskMaxHours = "0"
It modifies the following registry key(s)/entry(ies) as part of its installation routine:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Main
Default_Page_URL = "http://{BLOCKED}inindia.blogspot.com "
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is {default homepage}.)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Main
Default_Search_URL = "http://{BLOCKED}inindia.blogspot.com "
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is {default search page}.)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Main
Search Page = "http://{BLOCKED}inindia.blogspot.com "
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is {default search page}.)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Main
Start Page = "http://{BLOCKED}inindia.blogspot.com "
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is {default homepage}.)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Main
Start Page = "http://{BLOCKED}inindia.blogspot.com "
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is {default homepage}.)
It creates the following registry entry(ies) to disable Task Manager, Registry Tools and Folder Options:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
Explorer
NofolderOptions = 1
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
System
DisableTaskMgr = 1
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
System
DisableRegistryTools = 1
Propagation
This worm searches for folders in all physical and removable drives then drops copies of itself inside the folder as {folder name}.EXE.
It drops the following copy of itself in all physical and removable drives:
- New Folder.exe
- gphone.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=gphone.exe
Shellexecute=gphone.exe
Shell\Open\command=gphone.exe
Shell=Open
Other Details
This worm connects to the following possibly malicious URL:
- http://{BLOCKED}eandemotion.googlepages.com/setting.ini
- http://{BLOCKED}lgo.googlepages.com/setting.ini
- http://{BLOCKED}vatecam.googlepages.com/setting.ini
- http://{BLOCKED}yoga.googlepages.com/setting.ini
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
Identify and delete files detected as WORM_SOHANAD.DQ using either the Startup Disk or Recovery Console
Step 3
Enable Registry Editor, Task Manager, and Folder options
Step 4
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
- Yahoo Messengger = "%System%\gphone.exe"
- Yahoo Messengger = "%System%\gphone.exe"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Schedule
- AtTaskMaxHours "0"
- AtTaskMaxHours "0"
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: Shell = "Explorer.exe gphone.exe"
To: Shell = Explorer.exe
- From: Shell = "Explorer.exe gphone.exe"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
- From: Default_Page_URL = "http://{BLOCKED}inindia.blogspot.com <!-- {BLOCKED} http://googleinindia.blogspot.com -->"
To: Default_Page_URL = {default homepage}
- From: Default_Page_URL = "http://{BLOCKED}inindia.blogspot.com <!-- {BLOCKED} http://googleinindia.blogspot.com -->"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
- From: Default_Search_URL = "http://{BLOCKED}inindia.blogspot.com <!-- {BLOCKED} http://googleinindia.blogspot.com -->"
To: Default_Search_URL = {default search page}
- From: Default_Search_URL = "http://{BLOCKED}inindia.blogspot.com <!-- {BLOCKED} http://googleinindia.blogspot.com -->"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
- From: Search Page = "http://{BLOCKED}inindia.blogspot.com <!-- {BLOCKED} http://googleinindia.blogspot.com -->"
To: Search Page = {default search page}
- From: Search Page = "http://{BLOCKED}inindia.blogspot.com <!-- {BLOCKED} http://googleinindia.blogspot.com -->"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
- From: Start Page = "http://{BLOCKED}inindia.blogspot.com <!-- {BLOCKED} http://googleinindia.blogspot.com -->"
To: Start Page = {default homepage}
- From: Start Page = "http://{BLOCKED}inindia.blogspot.com <!-- {BLOCKED} http://googleinindia.blogspot.com -->"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
- From: Start Page = "http://{BLOCKED}inindia.blogspot.com <!-- {BLOCKED} http://googleinindia.blogspot.com -->"
To: Start Page = {default homepage}
- From: Start Page = "http://{BLOCKED}inindia.blogspot.com <!-- {BLOCKED} http://googleinindia.blogspot.com -->"
Step 6
Search and delete this file
- %System%\autorun.ini
- %Windows%\Tasks\At1.job
Step 7
Search and delete AUTORUN.INF files created by WORM_SOHANAD.DQ that contain these strings
Step 8
Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as WORM_SOHANAD.DQ. 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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