Trojan.Killproc!gen

SUMMARY

Trojan.Killproc!gen is a generic detection for a suspicious file that may disable security-related programs.

Protection

• Virus Definitions (LiveUpdate™ Weekly) July 20, 2005
• Virus Definitions (Intelligent Updater) July 19, 2005

Threat Assessment

Wild

• Wild Level: Low
• Number of Infections: 0 - 49
• Number of Sites: 0 - 2
• Geographical Distribution: Low
• Threat Containment: Easy
• Removal: Easy

Damage

• Damage Level: Low

Distribution

• Distribution Level: Low

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Trojan.Killproc!gen is a generic detection for a suspicious file that contains some program names, product names, registry subkeys, or registry value names, and that may disable security-related programs such as antivirus, firewall, intrusion detection, and so on.

It typically ends various predetermined processes, closes windows of security-related products, modifies registry entries, or uses other methods in order to disable such programs.

Recommendations

Symantec Security Response encourages all users and administrators to adhere to the following basic security "best practices":

• Turn off and remove unneeded services. By default, many operating systems install auxiliary services that are not critical, such as an FTP server, telnet, and a Web server. These services are avenues of attack. If they are removed, blended threats have less avenues of attack and you have fewer services to maintain through patch updates.
• If a blended threat exploits one or more network services, disable, or block access to, those services until a patch is applied.
• Always keep your patch levels up-to-date, especially on computers that host public services and are accessible through the firewall, such as HTTP, FTP, mail, and DNS services (for example, all Windows-based computers should have the current Service Pack installed.). Additionally, please apply any security updates that are mentioned in this writeup, in trusted Security Bulletins, or on vendor Web sites.
• Enforce a password policy. Complex passwords make it difficult to crack password files on compromised computers. This helps to prevent or limit damage when a computer is compromised.
• Configure your email server to block or remove email that contains file attachments that are commonly used to spread viruses, such as .vbs, .bat, .exe, .pif and .scr files.
• Isolate infected computers quickly to prevent further compromising your organization. Perform a forensic analysis and restore the computers using trusted media.
• Train employees not to open attachments unless they are expecting them. Also, do not execute software that is downloaded from the Internet unless it has been scanned for viruses. Simply visiting a compromised Web site can cause infection if certain browser vulnerabilities are not patched.

REMOVAL

The following instructions pertain to all current and recent Symantec antivirus products, including the Symantec AntiVirus and Norton AntiVirus product lines.

1. Update the virus definitions.
2. Run a full system scan.
3. Submit the files to Symantec Security Response.

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

1. To update the virus definitions
A generic detection can often occur if the antivirus program discovers a threat, but does not have the latest definitions. In these cases, you should download the latest definitions, then run the scan again.

The Intelligent Updater virus definitions are posted daily. You should download the definitions from the Symantec Security Response Web site and manually install them. To determine whether definitions for this threat are available by the Intelligent Updater, refer to the document: Virus Definitions (Intelligent Updater). The latest Intelligent Updater virus definitions can be obtained here: Intelligent Updater virus definitions. For detailed instructions read the document: How to update virus definition files using the Intelligent Updater.

2. To scan for the infected files

1. Start your Symantec antivirus program and make sure that it is configured to scan all the files.
   • For Norton AntiVirus consumer products: Read the document: How to configure Norton AntiVirus to scan all files.
   • For Symantec AntiVirus Enterprise products: Read the document: How to verify that a Symantec Corporate antivirus product is set to scan all files.
2. Run a full system scan.
3. If the files previously detected as generic are now detected as another threat, please read the threats writeup for removal instructions.
4. If the files are still detected as this generic threat, continue with the next step.

3. To submit the files to Symantec Security Response
Symantec Security Response suggests that you submit any files that are detected as generic to Symantec Security Response. For instructions on how to do this, read the following documents:

• Norton AntiVirus: How to submit a file to Symantec Security Response using Scan and Deliver
• Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition and Norton AntiVirus Corporate Edition: How to submit a file to Symantec Security Response using Scan and Deliver