WORM_DISTTRACK.A

 Analysis by: Christopher Daniel So

 ALIASES:

Trojan:Win32/WipMBR.A (Microsoft), W32/DistTrack (McAfee)

 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003

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

  • Threat Type: Worm

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: Yes

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Propagates via network shares

This worm has components that overwrites the affected computer's Master Boot Record (MBR).

To get a one-glance comprehensive view of the behavior of this Worm, refer to the Threat Diagram shown below.

This worm executes the dropped file(s). As a result, malicious routines of the dropped files are exhibited on the affected system.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

989,184 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

16 Aug 2012

Payload:

Drops files

Arrival Details

This worm may arrive via network shares.

Installation

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

  • %System%\trksvr.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 worm registers itself as a system service to ensure its automatic execution at every system startup by adding the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\TrkSvr
Type = "10"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\TrkSvr
Start = "2"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\TrkSvr
ErrorControl = "0"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\TrkSvr
ImagePath = "%System\trksvr.exe"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\TrkSvr
DisplayName = "Distributed Link Tracking Server"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\TrkSvr
DependOnService = "RpcSs"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\TrkSvr
DependOnGroup = "0"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\TrkSvr
ObjectName = "LocalSystem"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\TrkSvr
Description = "Enables the Distributed Link Tracking Client service within the same domain to provide more reliable and efficient maintenance of links within the domain. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start."

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\TrkSvr

Other System Modifications

This worm adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\lanmanworkstation
DependOnService = "TrkSvr"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\lanmanworkstation
DependOnGroup = "0"

Propagation

This worm drops copies of itself in the following shared folders:

  • \\{IP address}\ADMIN$\system32\{random file name}.exe
  • \\{IP address}\C$\WINDOWS\system32\{random file name}.exe
  • \\{IP address}\D$\WINDOWS\system32\{random file name}.exe
  • \\{IP address}\E$\WINDOWS\system32\{random file name}.exe

Dropping Routine

This worm drops the following files:

  • %System%\{random file name}.exe - detected by Trend Micro as TROJ_WIPMBR.A
  • %System%\netinit.exe - detected by Trend Micro as TROJ_DISTTRACK.A

(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 executes the dropped file(s). As a result, malicious routines of the dropped files are exhibited on the affected system.

NOTES:

If command-line parameters are specified, this worm drops copies of itself to the following:

  • \\{command-line parameter}\ADMIN$\system32\{random file name}.exe
  • \\{command-line parameter}\C$\WINDOWS\system32\{random file name}.exe
  • \\{command-line parameter}\D$\WINDOWS\system32\{random file name}.exe
  • \\{command-line parameter}\E$\WINDOWS\system32\{random file name}.exe

{random file name} is randomly selected from the following:

  • caclsrv
  • certutl
  • clean
  • ctrl
  • dfrag
  • dnslookup
  • dvdquery
  • event
  • extract
  • findfile
  • fsutl
  • gpget
  • iissrv
  • ipsecure
  • msinit
  • netx
  • ntdsutl
  • ntfrsutil
  • ntnw
  • power
  • rdsadmin
  • regsys
  • routeman
  • rrasrv
  • sacses
  • sfmsc
  • sigver
  • smbinit
  • wcscript

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.200

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

9.328.04

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

16 Aug 2012

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

9.329.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

17 Aug 2012

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

Remove malware/grayware files dropped/downloaded by WORM_DISTTRACK.A

Step 3

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 4

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
    • TrkSvr

Step 5

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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\lanmanworkstation
    • DependOnService = "TrkSvr"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\lanmanworkstation
    • DependOnGroup = "0"

Step 6

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as WORM_DISTTRACK.A. 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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