TROJ_GAMETHI.JW

 Modified by: Jaime Benigno Reyes

 ALIASES:

Worm:Win32/Taterf.B (Microsoft); PWS-Gamania.gen.a (McAfee); W32.Gammima.AG (Symantec); Packer.NSAnti.Gen (v) (Sunbelt)

 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

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

It modifies files, disabling programs and applications from properly running.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

114,481 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

16 Jul 2008

Arrival Details

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

  • %System%\mmvo.exe

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, which is usually C:\Windows\System on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\System32 on Windows NT and 2000, or C:\Windows\System32 on Windows XP and Server 2003.)

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
mmva = "%System%\mmvo.exe"

It registers as a system service to ensure its automatic execution at every system startup by adding the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\
Services\KAVsys

Other System Modifications

This Trojan modifies the following files:

  • %System%\drivers\vga.sys

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, which is usually C:\Windows\System on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\System32 on Windows NT and 2000, or C:\Windows\System32 on Windows XP and Server 2003.)

It deletes the following files:

  • %System Root%\n1jttj8f.com

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\KAVsys
Type = "1"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\KAVsys
ErrorControl = "1"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\KAVsys
Start = "1"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\KAVsys
ImagePath = "\??\%System%\drivers\vga.sys"

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

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.)

It deletes the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\
Services\KAVsys\Enum

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\
Services\KAVsys\Security

Dropping Routine

This Trojan drops the following files:

  • %User Temp%\m7cfly.dll
  • %System%\mmvo0.dll
  • %System Root%\autorun.inf
  • %System Root%\n1jttj8f.com

Other Details

This Trojan connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://www.{BLOCKED}w.com/rbv/uu.rar

This report is generated via an automated analysis system.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.300

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

5.410.01

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

16 Jul 2008

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

5.411.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

16 Jul 2008

Step 1

For Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 users, before doing any scans, please make sure you disable System Restore to allow full scanning of your computer.

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_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services
    • KAVsys

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
    • mmva = "%System%\mmvo.exe"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\KAVsys
    • Type = "1"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\KAVsys
    • ErrorControl = "1"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\KAVsys
    • Start = "1"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\KAVsys
    • ImagePath = "\??\%System%\drivers\vga.sys"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
    • ShowSuperHidden = "0"

Step 5

Restore this modified 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\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 files

[ Learn More ]
There may be some component 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.
  • %User Temp%\m7cfly.dll
  • %System%\mmvo0.dll
  • %System Root%\autorun.inf
  • %System%\drivers\vga.sys
  • %System Root%\n1jttj8f.com

Step 7

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TROJ_GAMETHI.JW. 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%\drivers\vga.sys


Did this description help? Tell us how we did.