W32.HLLW.Magold.E@mm

SUMMARY

W32.HLLW.Magold.E@mm is a mass-mailing worm that sends itself to all the contacts it finds in the Windows Address Book, as well as in all the files whose extension begins with "ht." The email will have a random subject and a file attachment named Sziszi_video.scr. The worm also attempts to spread itself through various file-sharing networks, mIRC and Pirch. It attempts to terminate the processes of various programs, including antivirus software.

The worm displays a fake message when initially executed.

This threat is written in Borland C++Builder and is compressed with UPX.

Protection

• Virus Definitions (LiveUpdate™ Weekly) June 25, 2003
• Virus Definitions (Intelligent Updater) June 24, 2003

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
• Large Scale E-mailing: Sends itself to recipients it finds in the Windows Address Book and in all files with .html, .htm, and .hta file extensions
• Compromises Security Settings: Attempts to terminate the processes of various programs, including antivirus software.

Distribution

• Distribution Level: High
• Subject of Email: Variable
• Name of Attachment: Sziszi_video.scr
• Size of Attachment: 238,592 bytes
• Shared Drives: Spreads through numerous file-sharing networks.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

When W32.HLLW.Magold.E@mm is executed, it does the following:

1. If it is the first time that the worm is executed, the worm displays the following fake message:
   
   
   
   
2. Copies itself as:
   
   • %Windir%dreAd.exe
   • %Windir%Maya Gold.scr
   • %Windir%DreAdMaya Gold.scr
   • %Windir%Sziszi_video.exe
   • %Windir%Sziszi_video.scr
   • %System%Wdread.exe
     
     NOTE: %Windir% is a variable. The worm locates the Windows installation folder (by default, this is C:Windows or C:Winnt) and copies itself to that location.
     
     
3. Terminates all the processes whose window caption contains any of the following text:
   
   • VIR
   • ANTI
   • AFEE
   • NORT
   • PROT
   • AV
     
     
4. Terminates all the processes whose filename contains any of the following text:
   
   • VIR
   • ANTI
   • AFEE
   • NORT
   • PROT
   • AV
   • WINK
     
     
5. Terminates the following processes:
   
   • MSCVB32.EXE
   • ISERVC.EXE
   • MSCCN32.EXE
   • WINGATE.EXE
   • WINEXE.EXE
   • WINRPC.EXE
   • SCAM32.EXE
   • SIRC32.EXE
     
     
6. Starts an infinite loop to add the value:
   
   "raVe"="%Windir%dreAd.exe"
   
   to the following registry keys:
   
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersion
   RunServices
   
   
7. Starts an infinite loop to set the (Default) value of the following registry keys:
   
   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTexefileshellopencommand
   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTcomfileshellopencommand
   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTatfileshellopencommand
   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTpiffileshellopencommand
   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTscrfileshellopencommand
   
   to:
   
   %Windir%dreAd.exe "%1" %*
   
   As a result, the worm runs when any .exe, .com, .bat, .pif., or .scr file is executed. However, the worm will not execute any file whose filename contains one of the following strings:
   • VI
   • AV
   • NORTON
   • MCAFEE
   • STARTUP
   • IND
     
     
8. Checks whether the following processes are running; if not, the worm will start the processes:
   • dreAd.exe
   • wdread.exe
     
     
9. Creates the mutex, "EZ A MAGOLD NEV TETSZIK! DE MI AZ AZ AURIC? ---raVe--4-"
   This mutex allows only two instances of the worm, dreAd.exe and wdread.exe, to execute in memory.
   
   
10. Creates the following registry key with several entries:
    
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREdreAd
    
    
11. Adds the value:
    
    "DlDir0"="%Windir%dreAd"
    
    to the registry key:
    
    HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREKazaaTransfer
    
    
12. If the worm finds any of the following folders, it will copy itself to the folder as Maya Gold.scr:
    • %ProgramFiles%LimewireShare
    • %ProgramFiles%GnucleusDownloads
    • %ProgramFiles%GnucleusDownloadsIncoming
    • %ProgramFiles%ShareazaDownloads
    • %ProgramFiles%BearshareShared
    • %ProgramFiles%Edonkey2000Incoming
    • %ProgramFiles%MorpheusMy Shared Folder
    • %ProgramFiles%GroksterMy Grokster
    • %ProgramFiles%ICQShared Files
    • %ProgramFiles%Edonkey2000
      
      NOTE: %ProgramFiles% is a variable. By default, this is C:Program Files.
      
      
13. Updates the following files to spread itself through mIRC:
    • Mircscript.ini
    • Mirc32script.ini
    • %ProgramFiles%Mircscript.ini
    • %ProgramFiles%Mirc32script.ini
      
      NOTE: Symantec Security products detect the file, "script.ini," as W32.HLLW.Magold@mm.
      
      
14. Updates the following files to spread itself through Pirch:
    • Pirch98events.ini
    • %ProgramFiles%Pirch98events.ini
      
      NOTE: Symantec Security products detects the file, "events.ini," as W32.HLLW.Magold@mm.
      
      
15. Attempts to FTP to ftp.fw.hu to update the worm.
    

Email Routine Details

The worm uses its own SMTP engine to email itself to all the contacts it finds in the Windows Address Book, as well as in all the files whose extension starts with "ht." The worm attempts to use the default SMTP server of the infected computer to send mail.

The email message has the following characteristics:

From: VALO VILAG<valovilag@rtlklub.hu>

Attachment: Sziszi_video.scr

Subject: one of the following:

• Videofelvetel Sziszi-rol!
• Sziszi a Valo Vilag-ban!
• Sziszi a zuhanyzoban!
• Sziszi a Voros Demon!

Message:
Tisztelt Cím!

Az RTL KLUB jóvoltából Ön most részt vehet egy Internetes nyereményjátékban, ahol akár 10.000.000 Ft-ot is nyerhet.
Ehhez nem kell mást tenni, mint a levélhez csatolt flash-videót lefuttatni (ami Sziszi-t a Való Világ 2 sztárját mutatja be zuhanyzás közben), majd a film végén megjelenõ azonosítót visszaküldeni a valovilag@rtlklub.hu címre és Ön máris játékba került.
A sorsolás nyerteseit E-Mail-ben értesítjük 2003.06.30.-án.

Üdvözlettel: RTL KLUB - NA NÁ -

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. Disable System Restore (Windows Me/XP).
2. Do one of the following:
   • Windows 95/98/Me: Skip to step 5.
   • Windows NT/2000/XP: Start Regedit.exe.
3. Terminate the processes, DreAd.exe and Wdread.exe, in quick succession.
4. Reverse the changes that the worm made to the registry.
5. Update the virus definitions.
6. Run a full system scan and delete all the files detected as W32.HLLW.Magold.E@mm and W32.HLLW.Magold@mm.

1. Disabling System Restore (Windows Me/XP)
If you are running Windows Me or Windows XP, we recommend that you temporarily turn off System Restore. Windows Me/XP uses this feature, which is enabled by default, to restore the files on your computer in case they become damaged. If a virus, worm, or Trojan infects a computer, System Restore may back up the virus, worm, or Trojan on the computer.

Windows prevents outside programs, including antivirus programs, from modifying System Restore. Therefore, antivirus programs or tools cannot remove threats in the System Restore folder. As a result, System Restore has the potential of restoring an infected file on your computer, even after you have cleaned the infected files from all the other locations.

Also, a virus scan may detect a threat in the System Restore folder even though you have removed the threat.

For instructions on how to turn off System Restore, read your Windows documentation, or one of the following articles:

• "How to disable or enable Windows Me System Restore"
• "How to turn off or turn on Windows XP System Restore"

For additional information, and an alternative to disabling Windows Me System Restore, see the Microsoft Knowledge Base article, "Antivirus Tools Cannot Clean Infected Files in the _Restore Folder," Article ID: Q263455.

2. Updating the virus definitions or starting Regedit.exe

• Windows 95/98/Me: Because the worm cannot execute on these systems—although the worm file itself could be present—skip to step 5.
• Windows NT/2000/XP: Start Regedit.exe. (This is very important. The registry editor must be open before you proceed to step 3.)
  1. Click Start, and then click Run. (The Run dialog box appears.)
  2. Type regedit
     
     Then click OK. (The Registry Editor opens.)
     

3. Terminating the worm processes in quick succession
This step can be difficult to do. The two processes watch each other, and if any of them is killed, the other process will attempt to start the other one again. You must terminate the two processes quickly.

1. Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete once.
2. Click Task Manager.
3. Click the Processes tab.
4. Double-click the Image Name column header to alphabetically sort the processes.
5. Scroll through the list and look for DreAd.exe.
6. If you find the file, click it, and then click End Process.
7. Scroll through the list and look for Wdread.exe.
8. If you find the file, click it, and then click End Process.
9. Scroll through the list again and look for DreAd.exe. If you find the file, repeat the process and keep doing so until none of the processes is displayed.
10. Exit the Task Manager.

4. Reversing the changes that the worm made to the registry

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

1. Switch to the Registry Editor window.
   
2. Navigate to the key:
   
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun
   
   and
   
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersion
   RunServices
   
   
3. In the right pane, delete the value:
   
   "raVe"="%Windir%dreAd.exe"
   
   
4. Navigate to the following keys:
   
   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTatfileshellopencommand
   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTcomfileshellopencommand
   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTexefileshellopencommand
   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTpiffileshellopencommand
   
   
5. In the right pane, set the (Default) value to:
   
   "%1" %*
   
   
6. Navigate to the key:
   
   HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTscrfileshellopencommand
   
   
7. In the right pane, set the (Default) value to:
   
   "%1" /S
   
   
8. Navigate to the key:
   
   HKEY_CURRENT_USERSOFTWAREKazaaTransfer
   
   
9. In the right pane, delete the value:
   
   "DlDir0"="%Windir%dreAd"
   
   
10. Delete the key:
    
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREdreAd
    
    
11. Exit the Registry Editor.

5. Updating the virus definitions
Symantec Security Response fully tests all the virus definitions for quality assurance before they are posted to our servers. There are two ways to obtain the most recent virus definitions:

• Running LiveUpdate, which is the easiest way to obtain virus definitions: These virus definitions are posted to the LiveUpdate servers once each week (usually on Wednesdays), unless there is a major virus outbreak. To determine whether definitions for this threat are available by LiveUpdate, refer to the Virus Definitions (LiveUpdate).
• Downloading the definitions using the Intelligent Updater: The Intelligent Updater virus definitions are posted on U.S. business days (Monday through Friday). 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 Virus Definitions (Intelligent Updater).
  
  The Intelligent Updater virus definitions are available: Read "How to update virus definition files using the Intelligent Updater" for detailed instructions.

6. Scanning for and deleting 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 any files are detected as infected with W32.HLLW.Magold.E@mm or W32.HLLW.Magold@mm, click Delete.