WORM_COLOWNED.JSD

 Analysis by: RonJay Kristoffer Caragay

 ALIASES:

Worm:Win32/Colowned.A (Microsoft); W32.Colowned.A (Symantec); Win32/Colowned.C (ESET-NOD32); W32/AutoRun-BSY (Sophos); Worm.AutoRun (Malwarebytes); W32/AutoRun!tr (Fortinet); Worm.Win32.Colowned (Ikarus)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Worm

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Via physical/removable drives, Propagates via removable drives

This worm arrives via removable drives.

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

It connects to Internet Relay Chat (IRC) servers.

It takes advantage of certain vulnerabilities.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

3,318,963 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

07 Jan 2016

Payload:

Steals information

Arrival Details

This worm arrives via removable drives.

Installation

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

  • %Application Data%\taskhost.exe

(Note: %Application Data% is the Application Data folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)

It drops the following non-malicious files:

  • %Application Data%\log.txt
  • %Application Data%\newe
  • %User Temp%\viewdrive

(Note: %Application Data% is the Application Data folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.. %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)

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
Windows Task Host = "%Application Data%\taskhost.exe"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Windows Task Host = "%Application Data%\taskhost.exe"

Other System Modifications

This worm adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WindowsLive
version = "10112"

Propagation

This worm drops the following copies of itself in all physical and removable drives:

  • {Drive Letter}:\viewDrive.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]
open=viewdrive.exe
default=1
action=Open folder to view drive
shell\open\command=viewDrive.exe
shell\explore\command=viewDrive.exe

Backdoor Routine

This worm connects to any of the following Internet Relay Chat (IRC) servers:

  • serv01.{BLOCKED}o.{BLOCKED}d.hu

It accesses a remote Internet Relay Chat (IRC) server where it receives the following commands from a remote malicious user:

  • Download and execute files
  • Upload files
  • Spread itself
  • Log keystrokes
  • Capture Snapshots
  • Capture Sound
  • Steal sensitive data
  • Reconnect Server
  • Shell Command
  • Visit Site
  • Delete files
  • Terminate itself
  • Update itself

As of this writing, the said servers are currently inaccessible.

Information Theft

This worm gathers the following data:

  • User Name
  • Computer Name
  • System Info

Other Details

This worm takes advantage of the following vulnerabilities:

It uses the following credentials when accessing its IRC server:

  • NICK US|{random value}
  • USER 10112{random} UNIX UNIX :{username}

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.800

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

12.134.03

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

06 Nov 2015

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

12.135.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

07 Nov 2015

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

Note that not all files, folders, and registry keys and entries are installed on your computer during this malware's/spyware's/grayware's execution. This may be due to incomplete installation or other operating system conditions. If you do not find the same files/folders/registry information, please proceed to the next step.

Step 3

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

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
    • Windows Task Host = "%Application Data%\taskhost.exe"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • Windows Task Host = "%Application Data%\taskhost.exe"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WindowsLive
    • version = "10112"

Step 5

Search and delete AUTORUN.INF files created by WORM_COLOWNED.JSD that contain these strings

[ Learn More ]
[autorun]
open=viewdrive.exe
default=1
action=Open folder to view drive
shell\open\command=viewDrive.exe
shell\explore\command=viewDrive.exe

Step 6

Search and delete these files

[ Learn More ]
There may be some 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.
  • %Application Data%\log.txt
  • %Application Data%\newe
  • %User Temp%\viewdrive

Step 7

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

Download and apply these security patches Refrain from using these products until the appropriate patches have been installed. Trend Micro advises users to download critical patches upon release by vendors.


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