Analysis by: kathleenno

ALIASES:

W32.Harakit (Symantec); Worm:Win32/Renocide.gen!C (Microsoft); W32/Autoit-KP (Sophos); Trj/Autoit.gen (Panda)

 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003

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

  • Threat Type: Worm

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: No

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel: Propagates via removable drives

This worm drops copies of itself in all removable drives. 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 itself after execution.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 731,654 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 23 Jun 2010

Installation

This worm drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %System%\csrcs.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.)

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\RunServices
csrcs = "%System%\csrcs.exe"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\
Explorer\Run
csrcs = "%System%\csrcs.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 csrcs.exe"

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

Other System Modifications

This worm adds the following registry keys as part of its installation routine:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
DRM\amty

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 1.)

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

(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.)

Propagation

This worm drops copies of itself in all removable drives.

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:

;{garbage characters}
[AutoRun]
;{garbage characters}
aCTiON=View files
;{garbage characters}
OPEn={random file name}.exE
;{garbage characters}
icoN=%System%\SHELl32.DLL,7
useAUTOPLAY=1
ActiON= @{random file name}.exe
sheLL\oPEN\coMMANd={random file name}.eXe
;{garbage characters}
SHell\OPEN\dEFauLt=1

(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.)

Other Details

This worm deletes itself after execution.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 8.900
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 7.260.17
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 23 Jun 2010

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

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. 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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\DRM
    • amty

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\RunServices
    • csrcs = %System%\csrcs.exe
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\Explorer\Run
    • csrcs = %System%\csrcs.exe

Step 4

Restore this modified 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 NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
    • From: Shell = Explorer.exe csrcs.exe
      To: Shell = Explorer.exe
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
    • From: Hidden = 2
      To: Hidden = 1
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
    • From: SuperHidden = 0
      To: SuperHidden = 1
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
    • From: ShowSuperHidden = 0
      To: ShowSuperHidden = 1

Step 5

Search and delete AUTORUN.INF files created by WORM_UTOTI.WLE that contain these strings

[ Learn More ]
;{garbage characters}
[autoRUN]
;{garbage characters}
aCTiON=View files
;{garbage characters}
OPEn={random file name}.exE
;{garbage characters}
icoN=%System%\SHELl32.DLL,7
useAUTOPLAY=1
ActiON= @{random file name}.exe
sheLL\oPEN\coMMANd={random file name}.eXe
;{garbage characters}
SHell\OPEN\dEFauLt=1

Step 6

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