W32.HLLW.Loxar

SUMMARY

W32.HLLW.Loxar is a worm that spreads using the KaZaA peer-to-peer network. It is written in Delphi and packed by the tElock runtime packer. It copies itself to the root folder of all drives, and to the KaZaA shared folder, using a name chosen randomly from a list that the worm carries. On December 13, the worm might start Notepad and display a message in the window.

The worm attempts to terminate the processes of a number of antivirus and firewall programs.

Protection

• Virus Definitions (LiveUpdate™ Weekly) October 23, 2002
• Virus Definitions (Intelligent Updater) October 18, 2002

Threat Assessment

Wild

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

Damage

• Damage Level: Medium
• Compromises Security Settings: Attempts to terminate the processes of a number of antivirus and firewall programs.

Distribution

• Distribution Level: Medium
• Shared Drives: Attempts to spread using the KaZaA peer-to-peer network.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

When the worm is first executed, it attempts to terminate any process whose name is in this list:

• Iamapp.exe
• Iamserv.exe
• Cfinet.exe
• Aplica32.exe
• Zonealarm.exe
• Esafe.exe
• Cfiadmin.exe
• Cfiaudit.exe
• Cfinet32.exe
• Pcfwallicon.exe
• Frw.exe
• Vshwin32.exe
• Vsecomr.exe
• Webscanx.exe
• Avconsol.exe
• Vsstat.exe
• Navapw32.exe
• Navw32.exe
• _Avpcc.exe
• _Avpm.exe
• Avp.exe
• Lockdown2000.exe
• Icload95.exe
• Icmon.exe
• Icsuppnt.exe
• Icloadnt.exe
• Tds2-98.exe
• Tds2-Nt.exe
• Tds2-Xp.exe
• Safeweb.exe
• Zapro.exe
• Blackice.exe

Then it copies itself to the root of drives C to Z: using a file name chosen randomly from:

• Xex0x.exe
• Xer0x.exe
• X3rox.exe
• X3r0x.exe
• Xerox.com
• Xer0x.com
• X3rox.com
• X3r0x.com
• X3xox.exe

After copying itself, the worm creates the value

xerox

in the registry key

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun

and sets the Value Data to point to the file that was copied to the C drive.

Additionally, the worm creates the key

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWARXerox

with the value

Xeroxlocation

This value points to the location from which worm was first launched.

If a floppy disk is in drive A, then the worm will copy itself to the root of that disk, sing the same name that the worm used while copying itself to other drives.

If the regional date setting short form is "dd/mm/yyyy", then on the 13th of December in the years 2002-2012, the worm will start Notepad and display this text:

SYSTEM OWNED BY "tHE xEROx wORM"

After the payload check, the worm searches all subfolders on the C drive for Kazaa.exe. If the file is found, then the worm copies itself to My Shared Folder as one of these files:

• XXX.exe
• Gutter sluts.exe
• Britney naked.exe
• Buffy nude.exe
• Sex sex sex.exe
• Teen blow jobs.exe
• Rapes video.mpeg.exe
• Teen sex.mpeg.exe
• 9 naked girls.exe
• FULL SEX MOVIES.mpeg.exe

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

NOTE: These instructions are for 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, and delete all files that are detected as W32.HLLW.Loxar.
3. Reverse the changes that it made to the registry.
   

For details on how to do this, read the following instructions.

To update the virus definitions:
All virus definitions receive full quality assurance testing by Symantec Security Response before being posted to our servers. There are two ways to obtain the most recent virus definitions:

• Run LiveUpdate, which is the easiest way to obtain virus definitions. These virus definitions are posted to the LiveUpdate servers one time each week (usually Wednesdays) unless there is a major virus outbreak. To determine whether definitions for this threat are available by LiveUpdate, look at the Virus Definitions (LiveUpdate) line at the top of this write-up.
• Download the definitions using the Intelligent Updater. Intelligent Updater virus definitions are posted on U.S. business days (Monday through Friday). They must be downloaded from the Symantec Security Response Web site and installed manually. To determine whether definitions for this threat are available by the Intelligent Updater, look at the Virus Definitions (Intelligent Updater) line at the top of this write-up.
  
  Intelligent Updater virus definitions are available here. For detailed instructions on how to download and install the Intelligent Updater virus definitions from the Symantec Security Response Web site, click here.

To scan for and delete the infected files:

1. Start your Symantec antivirus program, and make sure that it is configured to scan all files.
   • Norton AntiVirus consumer products: Read the document How to configure Norton AntiVirus to scan all files.
   • Symantec enterprise antivirus products: Read the document How to verify a Symantec Corporate antivirus product is set to scan All Files.
2. Run a full system scan.
3. If any files are detected as infected with W32.HLLW.Loxar, click Delete.

To edit the registry:

CAUTION: Symantec strongly recommends that you back up the registry before you make any changes to it. Incorrect changes to the registry can result in permanent data loss or corrupted files. Modify only the keys that are specified. Read the document How to make a backup of the Windows registry for instructions.

1. Click Start, and click Run. The Run dialog box appears.
2. Type regedit and then click OK. The Registry Editor opens.
3. Navigate to the key
   
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun
   
4. In the right pane, delete the value
   
   xerox
   
5. Navigate to and delete the key
   
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWARXerox
   
6. Exit the Registry Editor.