Spyware.Sesui

SUMMARY

Behavior

Spyware.Sesui is a spyware program that gathers sensitive information and registers a pornographic service without notification.

Symptoms

Your Symantec program detects Spyware.Sesui.

Transmission

This security risk can be manually installed.

Protection

• Virus Definitions (LiveUpdate™ Weekly) November 2, 2005
• Virus Definitions (Intelligent Updater) October 30, 2005

TECHNICAL DETAILS

When Spyware.Sesui is installed, it performs the following actions:

1. Gathers email addresses and user names from the compromised computer, and attempts to send this information to a predetermined email address on the se-sui.com domain.
   
   
2. Adds the value:
   
   "Start Page" = "[http://]se-sui.com/[REMOVED].php?m=[EMAIL ADDRESS]0&n=[USER NAME]-l"
   
   to the registry subkey:
   
   HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerMain
   
   in order to redirect the Internet Explorer home page to a Web site on the se-sui.com domain.
   
   Note: This results in an attempt to register a pornographic service.
   
   
3. Attempts to open a WMV file from [http://]se-sui.com/[REMOVED]/movie/
   
   
4. Creates the file [JAPANESE CHARACTERS].txt on the Windows desktop, which asks the user to pay a fee for the pornographic service registered above.
   
   Note: The variable [JAPANESE CHARACTERS] may be displayed as a string of random characters on compromised computers that do not have a Japanese language operating system installed.

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 and proceed with the next section.

Warning messages may be displayed when the computer is restarted, since the risk may not be fully removed at this point. You can ignore these messages and click OK. These messages will not appear when the computer is restarted after the removal instructions have been fully completed. The messages displayed may be similar to the following:

Title: [FILE PATH]
Message body: Windows cannot find [FILE NAME]. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again. To search for a file, click the Start button, and then click Search.


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.