W32.HLLW.Pluto

SUMMARY

W32.HLLW.Pluto is a mass-mailing worm that uses the default email program or its own SMTP engine to send itself to all contacts in the Windows Address Book, Microsoft Outlook Address Book, and to email addresses that it retrieves from .htm files. It may spread through some file-sharing networks, such as eDonkey2000, Morpheus, Xolox, KaZaA, Shareaza, and LimeWire.

When the worm arrives by email, the worm uses a MIME exploit that allows the worm to be executed when you read or preview the file. Information about his exploit and a patch are available at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS01-020.asp.

This threat is written in the Borland Delphi programming language and is compressed with UPX.

Protection

• Virus Definitions (LiveUpdate™ Weekly) November 20, 2002
• Virus Definitions (Intelligent Updater) November 20, 2002

TECHNICAL DETAILS

When W32.HLLW.Pluto runs, it does the following:

It displays a fake message box. The text in this message is one of the following:

• This File is Corrupted!
• This Software need more virtual memory!
• Error: Low System Performance!
• Error: Can Not Find Config.INI!
• This software need MSIO32.DLL!
• Application attempted to read memory at 0xFFFFFFFFh!
• The system cannot find the file specified.
• Stack overflow.
• Cannot allocate memory.
• A fatal exception 06 has occurred at <A900>:<A0973BFD>.
• Fatal Exception 0E has occurred at memory address in module Vxd IOS(04) + memory address.
• A fatal exception 0E has occurred at 0028:C02A0201 in VXD IOS(04)+00001FC9

It deletes Regedit.exe from the folder in which Windows is installed.

It terminates some antivirus and firewall processes that are in a list carried by the worm. Here are some examples:

• Agentw.exe
• Ackwin32.exe
• Claw95.exe
• Avp32.exe
• F-Stopw.exe
• Zonealarm.exe
• Vsmon.exe
• Perswf.exe
• Mpfagent.exe
• Navw32.exe
• Rescue.exe
• Guard.exe

It searches the registry to locate the download folders or shared folders that are used by some file-sharing networks, such as eDonkey2000, Morpheus, Xolox, KaZaA, Shareaza, and LimeWire. It then copies itself to those folders. Here are some file names that it may use:

• CKY3 - Bam Margera World Industries Alien Workshop Crack
• Norton AntiVirus 2002 Patch
• Windows XP Key Generator
• MSN Password Hacker and Stealer
• Hacking Tool Collection Full Downloader
• MoviezChannelsInstaler
• Sudden Strike 2 Downloader
• Neverwinter Nights ISO - Full Downloader
• Soldier Of Fortune 2 Full Downloader

The worm searches for the location of the Windows Address Book in the registry. It then uses its own SMTP engine or the default email program to send itself to all contacts in the Windows Address Book or the Microsoft Outlook Address Book, and to email addresses that it retrieves from .htm files. The email has the following characteristics:

Subject: The subject is one of the following:

• Greets!!
• Get 8 FREE issues - no risk!!
• Your News Alert!!
• $150 FREE Bonus!!
• Your Gift!
• New bonus in your cash account!
• Tools For Your Online Business!
• Daily Email Reminder!
• News
• Free Shipping!
• Its Easy!
• Warning!
• SCAM alert!!!
• Sponsors needed!
• New Reading
• CALL FOR INFORMATION!
• 25 merchants and rising!
• Cows
• My eBay ads!
• Empty account!
• Market Update Report!
• Click on this!
• Fantastic!
• Wow!
• Bad news!!
• Lost & Found!
• New Contests!
• Today Only!!
• Get a FREE gift!
• Membership Confirmation
• Report
• Please Help...
• Stats
• I need help about script!!!
• Interesting...
• Introduction
• Various!
• Announcement!
• History screen!
• Correction of errors!
• Just a reminder!
• Payment notices!

Message: The message is one of the following:

• Check the attachment!
• See the attachement!
• Enjoy the attachement!
• More details attached!
• Hi
  
  Check the Attachement ..
  See u
• Hi
  
  Check the Attachement ..
• Attached one Gift for u..
• WOW CHECK THIS!

Attachment: The attachment file name is constructed from the following:

• Screensaver
• Screensaver4u
• Screensaverforu
• Freescreensaver
• Love
• Lovers
• Lovescr
• Loverscreensaver
• Loversgang
• Loveshore
• Love4u
• Enjoylove
• Sharelove
• Shareit
• Checkfriends
• Urfriend
• Friendscircle
• Friendship
• Friends
• Friendscr
• Friends4u
• Friendship4u
• Friendshipbird
• Friendshipforu
• Friendsworld
• Werfriends
• Passion
• Bullshitscr
• Shakeit
• Shakescr
• Shakinglove
• Shakingfriendship
• Passionup
• Rishtha
• Greetings
• Lovegreetings
• Friendsgreetings
• Friendsearch
• Lovefinder
• Truefriends
• Truelovers
• F*cker

followed by one of these extensions:

• .doc
• .mp3
• .xls
• .wav
• .txt
• .jpg
• .gif
• .dat
• .bmp
• .htm
• .mpg
• .mdb
• .zip

with one of these additional extensions:

• .pif
• .bat
• .scr

When the worm arrives by email, the worm uses a MIME exploit that allows the virus to be executed when you read or preview the file. Information about this exploit and a patch are available at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/MS01-020.asp.

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.Pluto.
3. Restore Regedit.exe from a clean backup or reinstall it.
   

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 once 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.Pluto, click Delete.

To restore Regedit.exe:
Please read your backup software instructions or Microsoft Windows installation instructions.