WORM_VOBFUS.SMD3
VirTool:Win32/VBInject.WX (Microsoft); Generic.dx!b2fw (McAfee); Trojan.Gen (Symantec); Trojan.Win32.VB.boff, Trojan.Win32.VB.boff (Kaspersky); Trojan.Win32.Generic.pak!cobra (Sunbelt); Gen:Variant.VBInject.11 (FSecure)
Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003
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
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 creates the following folders:
- %Program Files%\Common Files\Shell
(Note: %Program Files% is the default Program Files folder, usually C:\Program Files.)
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
xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /y"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /k"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /l"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /z"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /n"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /r"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /i"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /s"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /e"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /t"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /w"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /j"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /c"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /u"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /v"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /h"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /x"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /g"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
cogad = "%User Profile%\cogad.exe /r"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
ShellThumbnail = "%Program Files%\Common Files\Shell\ShellThumbnail.exe /y"
Other System Modifications
This worm deletes the following files:
- %User Profile%\xtniuz.exe
(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Profiles\{user name} on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\Profiles\{user name} on Windows NT, and C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003.)
It adds the following registry entries:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Advanced
ShowSuperHidden = "0"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\
Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\
AU
NoAutoUpdate = "1"
Dropping Routine
This worm drops the following files:
- %Program Files%\Common Files\Shell\ShellThumbnail.exe
(Note: %Program Files% is the default Program Files folder, usually C:\Program Files.)
Other Details
This worm connects to the following possibly malicious URL:
- http://howdy.{BLOCKED}n.com:60077/a.php
This report is generated via an automated analysis system.
SOLUTION
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
Restart in Safe Mode
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
- xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /y"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /k"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /l"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /z"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /n"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /r"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /i"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /s"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /e"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /t"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /w"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /j"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /c"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /u"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /v"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /h"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /x"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- xtniuz = "%User Profile%\xtniuz.exe /g"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- cogad = "%User Profile%\cogad.exe /r"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- ShellThumbnail = "%Program Files%\Common Files\Shell\ShellThumbnail.exe /y"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
- ShowSuperHidden = "0"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU
- NoAutoUpdate = "1"
Step 4
Search and delete this file
- %Program Files%\Common Files\Shell\ShellThumbnail.exe
Step 5
Search and delete this folder
- %Program Files%\Common Files\Shell
Step 6
Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as WORM_VOBFUS.SMD3. 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.
Step 7
Restore this file from backup only Microsoft-related files will be restored. If this malware/grayware also deleted files related to programs that are not from Microsoft, please reinstall those programs on you computer again.
- %User Profile%\xtniuz.exe
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