WORM_PALEVO.SMQM

 Analysis by: MarfelTi
 Modified by: Abraham Latimer Camba

 ALIASES:

Trojan:Win32/Rimecud.A (Microsoft); Mal/Palevo-B (Sophos); W32/Palevo.CQQA!worm.p2p (Fortinet);

 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:

Downloaded from the Internet, Dropped by other malware, Propagates via removable drives

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

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

It executes commands from a remote malicious user, effectively compromising the affected system.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

202,240 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

08 Mar 2012

Payload:

Compromises system security

Arrival Details

This worm arrives via removable drives.

It 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 Profile%\cbzvl.exe

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

It injects itself into the following processes as part of its memory residency routine:

  • svchost.exe

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Taskman = "%User Profile%\cbzvl.exe"

Propagation

This worm creates the following folders in all removable drives:

  • velike

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

  • {Removable Drive}:\velike\mizelje.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]
USEAUTOPLAY=1
shellexcute=velike/mizelje.exe
Shelltucite
shell\Explore\command=velike/mizelje.exe
shell\Open\command=velike/mizelje.exe
icon=velike/mizelje.exe
open=velike/mizelje.exe
action=Open folder to view files using Windows Explorer

Backdoor Routine

This worm executes the following commands from a remote malicious user:

  • Download and execute file
  • Propagate via USB drives
  • Visit a URL

It connects to the following URL(s) to send and receive commands from a remote malicious user:

  • 92.241.190.237
  • peer.pickeklosarske.ru
  • jebena.ananikolic.su
  • juice.losmibracala.org
  • shohtha3.dsextra.com

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.200

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

8.824.04

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

08 Mar 2012

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

8.825.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

09 Mar 2012

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

Identify and delete files detected as WORM_PALEVO.SMQM using either the Startup Disk or Recovery Console

[ Learn More ]

Step 3

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\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
    • Taskman = "%User Profile%\cbzvl.exe"

Step 4

Search and delete AUTORUN.INF files created by WORM_PALEVO.SMQM that contain these strings

[ Learn More ]
[autorun]
USEAUTOPLAY=1
shellexcute=velike/mizelje.exe
Shelltucite
vshell\Explore\command=velike/mizelje.exe
shell\Open\command=velike/mizelje.exe
icon=velike/mizelje.exe
open=velike/mizelje.exe
action=Open folder to view files using Windows Explorer

Step 5

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.
  • {Removable Drive}:\velike

Step 6

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as WORM_PALEVO.SMQM. 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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