WORM_VOBFUS.SMJA
W32/VBNA-AJ (Sophos), W32/VBKrypt.E!tr (Fortinet), Worm.Win32.Vobfus.atav (Kaspersky), Worm:Win32/Vobfus (Microsoft), a variant of Win32/VBObfus.JO trojan (NOD32), W32/Vobfus.GEP.worm (Panda)
Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003

Threat Type: Worm
Destructiveness: No
Encrypted:
In the wild: Yes
OVERVIEW
Downloaded from the Internet, Dropped by other malware, Propagates via flashdrives, Propagates via shared drives
This worm arrives by connecting affected removable drives to a system. 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 the downloaded files. As a result, malicious routines of the downloaded files are exhibited on the affected system.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
393,274 bytes
EXE
Yes
11 Jan 2013
Connects to URLs/IPs, Downloads files
Arrival Details
This worm arrives by connecting affected removable drives to a system.
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%\{random file name}.exe
- %User Profile%\Passwords.exe
- %User Profile%\Porn.exe
- %User Profile%\Secret.exe
- %User Profile%\Sexy.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 drops the following files:
- {drive letter}:\x.mpeg
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
{random file name}.exe = "%User Profile%\{random file name}.exe /{random character}"
Other System Modifications
This worm adds the following registry entries:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\
Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\
AU
NoAutoUpdate = "1"
It modifies the following registry entries:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Advanced
ShowSuperHidden = "0"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 1.)
Propagation
This worm drops the following copy(ies) of itself in all removable drives:
- {drive letter}:\{random file name}.exe
- {drive letter}:\Passwords.exe
- {drive letter}:\Porn.exe
- {drive letter}:\Secret.exe
- {drive letter}:\Sexy.exe
- {drive letter}:\{folder name}.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:
{garbage characters}
[autorun]
{garbage characters}
open={random}.eXE
{garbage characters}
ACTION={random number}
UseautopLAY=1
{garbage characters}
Download Routine
This worm accesses the following websites to download files:
- http://{random number}.{BLOCKED}.nl:443/{random}
It saves the files it downloads using the following names:
- %User Profile%\{random file name}.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 then executes the downloaded files. As a result, malicious routines of the downloaded files are exhibited on the affected system.
NOTES:
It searches for .RAR files with .EXE file inside it. If it finds one, it will drop a copy of itself inside with the following file names:
- Passwords.exe
- Porn.exe
- Secret.exe
- Sexy.exe
It searches for folders in all removable drives then drops copies of itself as {folder name}.exe.
It uses the filenames of files with the following extensions:
- .avi
- .bmp
- .doc
- .gif
- .jpe
- .jpg
- .mp3
- .mp4
- .mpg
- .png
- .tif
- .txt
- .wav
- .wma
- .wmv
- .xls
It then sets the attribute of the original folder to Hidden and System to trick users into thinking that the dropped copy is the legitimate folder.
It also drops the same copies of itself it drops in removable drives to mapped network drives.
Trend Micro detects the downloaded file %User Profile%\{random file name}.exe as variants of TSPY_BANCOS, TSPY_FAREIT or WORM_VOBFUS.SMIT. The contents of the downloaded file can be changed at any time by the malware writer.
SOLUTION
9.300
9.649.00
10 Jan 2013
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_VOBFUS.SMJA
- TSPY_BANCOS
- TSPY_FAREIT
- WORM_VOBFUS.SMIT
Step 3
Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product and note files detected as WORM_VOBFUS.SMJA
Step 4
Restart in Safe Mode
Step 5
Delete this registry value
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
- {random file name} = "%User Profile%\{random file name}.exe /{random character}"
- {random file name} = "%User Profile%\{random file name}.exe /{random character}"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU
- NoAutoUpdate = "1"
- NoAutoUpdate = "1"
Step 6
Restore these modified registry values
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: ShowSuperHidden = "0"
To: ShowSuperHidden = "1"
- From: ShowSuperHidden = "0"
Step 7
Search and delete AUTORUN.INF files created by WORM_VOBFUS.SMJA that contain these strings
[autorun]
{garbage characters}
open={random}.eXE
{garbage characters}
ACTION={random number}
UseautopLAY=1
{garbage characters}
Step 8
Search and delete this file
- {drive letter}:\x.mpeg
Step 9
Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as WORM_VOBFUS.SMJA. 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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