PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003

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

  • Threat Type: Worm

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

This worm arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 318,976 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 13 Dec 2013

Arrival Details

This worm arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

Installation

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

  • %User Temp%\herss.exe

(Note: %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista and 7.)

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
cdoosoft = "%User Temp%\herss.exe"

Other System Modifications

This worm deletes the following files:

  • %System Root%\mranjm.exe

(Note: %System Root% is the root folder, which is usually C:\. It is also where the operating system is located.)

It adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\MADOWN

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Advanced
ShowSuperHidden = "0"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
CLSID\MADOWN
urlinfo = "{random characters}"

It modifies the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Advanced
Hidden = "2"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 2.)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Advanced\Folder\Hidden\
SHOWALL
CheckedValue = "0"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 1.)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
Explorer
NoDriveTypeAutoRun = "91"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 91.)

Dropping Routine

This worm drops the following files:

  • %User Temp%\cvasds0.dll
  • %System Root%\autorun.inf
  • %User Temp%\am1.rar
  • %System Root%\mranjm.exe

(Note: %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista and 7.. %System Root% is the root folder, which is usually C:\. It is also where the operating system is located.)

Other Details

This worm connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://{BLOCKED}2.com/1mg/am1.rar

This report is generated via an automated analysis system.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.300

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

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 3

Delete this registry key

[ 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_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID
    • MADOWN

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
    • cdoosoft = "%User Temp%\herss.exe"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
    • ShowSuperHidden = "0"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\MADOWN
    • urlinfo = "{random characters}"

Step 5

Restore these modified registry values

[ Learn More ]

Important:Editing the Windows Registry incorrectly can lead to irreversible system malfunction. Please do this only if you know how to or you can seek your system administrator's help. You may also check out this Microsoft article first before modifying your computer's registry.

  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
    • From: Hidden = "2"
      To: Hidden = ""2""
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Folder\Hidden\SHOWALL
    • From: CheckedValue = "0"
      To: CheckedValue = ""1""
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
    • From: NoDriveTypeAutoRun = "91"
      To: NoDriveTypeAutoRun = ""91""

Step 6

Search and delete these components

[ Learn More ]
There may be some components 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.
  • %User Temp%\cvasds0.dll
  • %System Root%\autorun.inf
  • %User Temp%\am1.rar
  • %System Root%\mranjm.exe

Step 7

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as WORM_TATERF.NQ. 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 8

Restore this file from backup only Microsoft-related files will be restored. If this malware/grayware also deleted files related to programs that are not from Microsoft, please reinstall those programs on you computer again.

  • %System Root%\mranjm.exe


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