Adware.Idocha

SUMMARY

Behavior

Adware.Idocha is an adware program that steals email addresses and registers a porn service without notification.

Note: Definitions prior to August 24, 2005 may detect this risk as Trojan.Idocha.

Symptoms

Your Symantec program detects Adware.Idocha.

Transmission

This security risk can be manually installed or installed as a component of another program.

Protection

• Virus Definitions (LiveUpdate™ Weekly) July 6, 2005
• Virus Definitions (Intelligent Updater) July 3, 2005

TECHNICAL DETAILS

When Adware.Idocha is executed, it performs the following actions:

1. Adds the value:
   
   "Start Page" = "[http://]idolch.net/[REMOVED]?n=[USER NAME]-l"
   
   to the registry subkey:
   
   HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerMain
   
   to redirect the Internet Explorer home page to the idolch.net domain.
   
   Note: The Web site asks the user to pay fee for a porn service.
   
   
2. Collects the following information from the compromised computer:
   
   
   • Email Address
   • Email Name
     
     
3. Sends collected information to the following email address:
   
   idolch@iotechno.net
   
   
4. Attempts to open a WMV file from [http://]idolch.net/[REMOVED]/movie/
   
   
5. Creates the file [JAPANESE CHARACTERS].txt, which asks the user to pay fee for a porn service.
   
   
6. Displays the following image:
   
   Title: 9e65_144as9f7
   Body: Interface ????????????.
   
   
   

REMOVAL

The following instructions pertain to all Symantec antivirus products that support security risk detection.

1. Update the definitions.
2. Run a full system scan.
3. Reset the Internet Explorer home page.
   

For specific details on each of these steps, read the following instructions.

1. To update the definitions
To obtain the most recent definitions, start your Symantec program and run LiveUpdate.


2. To run the scan

1. Start your Symantec antivirus program, and then run a full system scan.
   
2. If any files are detected, and depending on which software version you are using, you may see one or more of the following options:
   
   Note: This applies only to versions of Norton AntiVirus that support security risk detection. If you are running a version of Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition that supports security risk detection, and security risk detection has been enabled, you will only see a message box that gives the results of the scan. If you have questions in this situation, contact your network administrator.
   
   • Exclude (Not recommended): If you click this button, it will set the risk so that it is no longer detectable. That is, the antivirus program will keep the security risk on your computer and will no longer detect it to remove from your computer.
     
     
   • Ignore or Skip: This option tells the scanner to ignore the risk for this scan only. It will be detected again the next time that you run a scan.
     
     
   • Cancel: This option is new to Norton Antivirus 2005. It is used when Norton Antivirus 2005 has determined that it cannot delete a security risk. This Cancel option tells the scanner to ignore the risk for this scan only, and thus, the risk will be detected again the next time that you run a scan.
     
     To actually delete the security risk:
     • Click its file name (under the Filename column).
     • In the Item Information box that displays, write down the full path and file name.
     • Then use Windows Explorer to locate and delete the file.
       
       
   • Delete: This option will attempt to delete the detected files. In some cases, the scanner will not be able to do this.
     • If you see a message, "Delete Failed" (or similar message), manually delete the file.
     • Click the file name of the risk that is under the Filename column.
     • In the Item Information box that displays, write down the full path and file name.
     • Then use Windows Explorer to locate and delete the file.
       
       

Important: If you are unable to start your Symantec antivirus product or the product reports that it cannot delete a detected file, you may need to stop the risk from running in order to remove it. To do this, run the scan in Safe mode. For instructions, read the document, How to start the computer in Safe Mode. Once you have restarted in Safe mode, run the scan again.

After the files are deleted, restart the computer in Normal mode.

3. To reset the Internet Explorer home page

1. Start Microsoft Internet Explorer.
2. Connect to the Internet, and then go to the page that you want to set as your home page.
3. Click Tools > Internet Options.
4. In the Home page section of the General tab, click Use Current > OK.

For additional information, or if this procedure does not work, read the Microsoft® Knowledge Base article: Home Page Setting Changes Unexpectedly, or You Cannot Change Your Home Page Setting, Article ID 320159.