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WORM_AGOBOT.AUE

June 01, 2013
 ALIASES:

W32/Gaobot.worm.gen.e (McAfee); W32.Spybot.Worm (Symantec); Backdoor.Win32.Agobot.ace (Kaspersky); Trojan.Win32.Generic!BT (Sunbelt); Worm/Agobot.53.Z (AVG)

 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.

It deletes itself after execution.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

228,352 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

01 Jun 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:

  • %System%\system.exe

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, which is usually C:\Windows\System32.)

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Windows = "system.exe"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices
Windows = "system.exe"

Other System Modifications

This worm adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
OLE

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
OLE
Windows = "system.exe"

It modifies the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Ole
EnableDCOM = "N"

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

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Control\Lsa
restrictanonymous = "1"

Other Details

This worm deletes itself after execution.

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_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
    • RunServices
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft
    • OLE

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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • Windows = "system.exe"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices
    • Windows = "system.exe"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\OLE
    • Windows = "system.exe"

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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Ole
    • From: EnableDCOM = "N"
      To: EnableDCOM = ""Y""
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Lsa
    • restrictanonymous = "1"

Step 6

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