Analysis by: Sabrina Lei Sioting

 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, XP, Server 2003

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 DAMAGE POTENTIAL:
 DISTRIBUTION POTENTIAL:
 REPORTED INFECTION:

  • Threat Type: Worm

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: No

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel: Propagates via peer-to-peer networks, Propagates via removable drives, Spammed via email

The dropped AUTORUN.INF file is detected by Trend Micro as Mal_Otorun1.

This worm arrives as attachment to mass-mailed email messages. It arrives via removable drives.

It drops an AUTORUN.INF file to automatically execute the copies it drops when a user accesses the drives of an affected system.

It also has rootkit capabilities, which enables it to hide its processes and files from the user.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 441, 344 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: No
Initial Samples Received Date: 05 May 2010
Payload: Hides files and processes

Arrival Details

This worm arrives as attachment to mass-mailed email messages.

It arrives via removable drives.

It may arrive via network shares.

Installation

This worm drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %system%\wmimngr.exe

It drops the following component file(s):

  • %WINDOWS%\oracle.ocx - non-malicious

It drops and executes the following files:

  • %System%\wpmgr.exe - detected by Trend Micro as TROJ_CUTWAIL.IZ

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.)

Autostart Technique

This worm adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Windows Management = %system%\wmimngr.exe

Other System Modifications

This worm adds the following registry entries as part of its installation routine:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\
List
%System%\wmimngr.exe = %System%\wmimngr.exe:*:Enabled:Explorer

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
drv5 = {month of execution}

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
drv6 = {day of execution}

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Security Center
UACDisableNotify = 1

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\
system
EnableLUA = 1

Propagation

This worm creates the following folders in all removable drives:

  • RECYCLER\S-1-6-21-2434476521-1645641927-702000330-1542
  • RECYCLER

It drops copies of itself into the following folders used in peer-to-peer (P2P) networks:

  • %Program Files%\emule\incoming

(Note: %Program Files% is the Program Files folder, where it usually is C:\Program Files on all Windows operating system versions; C:\Program Files (x86) for 32-bit applications running on Windows 64-bit operating systems.)

It drops the following copy(ies) of itself in all removable drives:

  • RECYCLER\S-1-6-21-2434476521-1645641927-702000330-1542\redmond.exe

It drops an AUTORUN.INF file to automatically execute the copies it drops when a user accesses the drives of an affected system.

The said .INF file contains the following strings:

[autorun]
open=RECYCLER\S-1-6-21-2434476521-1645641927-702000330-1542\redmond.exe
icon=%SystemRoot%\system32\SHELL32.dll,4
action=Open folder to view files
shell\open=Open
shell\open\command=RECYCLER\S-1-6-21-2434476521-1645641927-702000330-1542\redmond.exe
shell\open\default=1

Rootkit Capabilities

This worm also has rootkit capabilities, which enables it to hide its processes and files from the user.

Other Details

This worm did not exhibit backdoor routines during testing.

It does the following:

  • It uses the following file names for its dropped copies in P2P shares:
    • Absolute Video Converter 6.2.exe
    • AVS video converter6.exe
    • Ad-aware 2009.exe
    • Adobe Acrobat Reader keygen.exe
    • Adobe Photoshop CS4 crack.exe
    • Alcohol 120 v1.9.7.exe
    • AnyDVD HD v.6.3.1.8 Beta incl crack.exe
    • Avast 4.8 Professional.exe
    • BitDefender AntiVirus 2009 Keygen.exe
    • CheckPoint ZoneAlarm And AntiSpy.exe
    • CleanMyPC Registry Cleaner v6.02.exe
    • DVD Tools Nero 9 2 6 0.exe
    • Daemon Tools Pro 4.11.exe
    • Divx Pro 6.8.0.19 + keymaker.exe
    • Download Accelerator Plus v8.7.5.exe
    • Download Boost 2.0.exe
    • G-Force Platinum v3.7.5.exe
    • Google Earth Pro 4.2. with Maps and crack.exe
    • Grand Theft Auto IV (Offline Activation).exe
    • Internet Download Manager V5.exe
    • K-Lite codec pack 3.10 full.exe
    • K-Lite codec pack 4.0 gold.exe
    • Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 keygen.exe
    • LimeWire Pro v4.18.3.exe
    • Magic Video Converter 8 0 2 18.exe
    • Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student keygen.exe
    • Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 KeyGen.exe
    • Microsoft.Windows 7 Beta1 Build 7000 x86.exe
    • Motorola, nokia, ericsson mobil phone tools.exe
    • Myspace theme collection.exe
    • Nero 9 9.2.6.0 keygen.exe
    • Norton Anti-Virus 2009 Enterprise Crack.exe
    • Opera 9.62 International.exe
    • PDF password remover (works with all acrobat reader).exe
    • Perfect keylogger family edition with crack.exe
    • Power ISO v4.2 + keygen axxo.exe
    • Smart Draw 2008 keygen.exe
    • Sony Vegas Pro 8 0b Build 219.exe
    • Sophos antivirus updater bypass.exe
    • Super Utilities Pro 2009 11.0.exe
    • Total Commander7 license+keygen.exe
    • Tuneup Ultilities 2008.exe
    • Ultimate ring tones package1 (Beethoven,Bach, Baris Manco,Lambada,Chopin, Greensleves).exe
    • Ultimate ring tones package2 (Lil Wayne - Way Of Life,Khia - My Neck My Back Like My Pussy And My Crack,Mario - Let Me Love You,R. Kelly - The Worlds Greatest).exe
    • Ultimate ring tones package3 (Crazy In Love, U Got It Bad, 50 Cent - P.I.M.P, Jennifer Lopez Feat. Ll Cool J - All I Have, 50 Cent - 21 Question).exe
    • VmWare keygen.exe
    • WinRAR v3.x keygenRaZoR.exe
    • Winamp.Pro.v6.53.PowerPack.Portable+installer.exe
    • Windows 2008 Enterprise Server VMWare Virtual Machine.exe
    • Windows XP PRO Corp SP3 valid-key generator.exe
    • Windows2008 keygen and activator.exe
    • Youtube Music Downloader 1.0.exe

NOTES:
The dropped AUTORUN.INF file is detected by Trend Micro as Mal_Otorun1.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 8.900

Step 1

Before doing any scans, Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7 users must disable System Restore to allow full scanning of their computers.

Step 2

Remove the malware/grayware file dropped/downloaded by WORM_PROLAC.SME. (Note: Please skip this step if the threat(s) listed below have already been removed.)

    TROJ_CUTWAIL.IZ
    Mal_Otorun1

Step 3

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 4

Delete this registry value

[ Learn More ]

Important: Editing the Windows Registry incorrectly can lead to irreversible system malfunction. Please do this step only if you know how or you can ask assistance from your system administrator. Else, check this Microsoft article first before modifying your computer's registry.

  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • Windows Management = %System%\wmimngr
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
    • drv5 = {month of execution}
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
    • drv5 = {day of execution}
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center
    • UACDisableNotify = 1
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system
    • EnableLUA = 0
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\List
    • %System%\wmimngr = %System%\wmimngr:*:Enabled:Explorer

Step 5

Search and delete AUTORUN.INF files created by WORM_PROLAC.SME that contain these strings

[ Learn More ]
[autorun]
open=RECYCLER\S-1-6-21-2434476521-1645641927-702000330-1542\redmond.exe
icon=%SystemRoot%\system32\SHELL32.dll,4
action=Open folder to view files
shell\open=Open
shell\open\command=RECYCLER\S-1-6-21-2434476521-1645641927-702000330-1542\redmond.exe
shell\open\default=1

Step 6

Search and delete these folders

[ Learn More ]
Please make sure you check the Search Hidden Files and Folders checkbox in the More advanced options option to include all hidden folders in the search result. [Drive Letter]:\RECYCLER

Step 7

Search and delete this file

[ Learn More ]
There may be some files that are hidden. Please make sure you check the Search Hidden Files and Folders checkbox in the "More advanced options" option to include all hidden files and folders in the search result. %WINDOWS%\oracle.ocx

Step 8

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as WORM_PROLAC.SME. If the detected files have already been cleaned, deleted, or quarantined by your Trend Micro product, no further step is required. You may opt to simply delete the quarantined files. Please check this Knowledge Base page for more information.

Step 9

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as WORM_PROLAC.SME. If the detected files have already been cleaned, deleted, or quarantined by your Trend Micro product, no further step is required. You may opt to simply delete the quarantined files. Please check this Knowledge Base page for more information.


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