Analysis by: Lorenzo Martin Lopez
ALIASES:

Virus:Win32/Autorun.NE (MICROSOFT), Virus.Win32.Lamer.cb (KASPERSKY)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Virus

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel: Infects files

This Virus arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

It prepends its codes to target files.

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

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 1,559,610 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 26 Oct 2020

Arrival Details

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

  • %System%\HelpMe.exe
  • {Available Physical or Remote Drive}\AutoRun.exe

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.)

It adds the following processes:

  • %System%\HelpMe.exe
  • %Windows%\winhlp32.exe -x

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.. %Windows% is the Windows folder, where it usually is C:\Windows on all Windows operating system versions.)

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Shell = Explorer.exe HelpMe.exe

It drops the following file(s) in the Startup Items folder to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

  • %User Startup%\Soft.lnk

(Note: %User Startup% is the current user's Startup folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Profiles\{user name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\Profiles\{user name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows NT, C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows 2003(32-bit), XP and 2000(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit), 10(64-bit).)

File Infection

This Virus prepends its codes to target files.

Propagation

This Virus 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=AutoRun.exe
shell\1=Open
shell\1\Command=AutoRun.exe
shell\2\=Browser
shell\2\Command=AutoRun.exe
shellexecute=AutoRun.exe

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.800
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 16.506.02
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 29 Jan 2021
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 16.507.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 30 Jan 2021

Step 1

Trend Micro Predictive Machine Learning detects and blocks malware at the first sign of its existence, before it executes on your system. When enabled, your Trend Micro product detects this malware under the following machine learning name:

     
  • Troj.Win32.TRX.XXPE50FFF037
    •

Step 2

Before doing any scans, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 users must disable System Restore to allow full scanning of their computers.

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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
    • Shell = Explorer.exe HelpMe.exe

Step 5

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.
  • %System%\HelpMe.exe
  • %User Startup%\Soft.lnk
  • {Available Physical or Remote Drive}\AutoRun.exe

Step 6

Search and delete AUTORUN.INF files created by Virus.Win32.LAMER.E that contain these strings

[ Learn More ]
 
  • [autorun]
  • open=AutoRun.exe
  • shell\1=Open
  • shell\1\Command=AutoRun.exe
  • shell\2\=Browser
  • shell\2\Command=AutoRun.exe
  • shellexecute=AutoRun.exe

Step 7

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as Virus.Win32.LAMER.E. 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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