ALIASES:

Worm:Win32/Nuqel!rfn (Microsoft); GenericR-DEU!4CC6D286EA3F (McAfee); Hacktool.Rootkit (Symantec); Worm.Win32.AutoIt.qki (Kaspersky); Mal/RootKit-A (Sophos); Trojan.Win32.Generic!BT (Sunbelt); Trojan horse Hider.ABQE.dropper (AVG)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

 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.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 848,896 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: No
Initial Samples Received Date: 11 Jul 2015

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.

Other System Modifications

This worm deletes the following files:

  • %Temporary Internet Files%\Content.IE5\09RWHJQN\desktop.ini
  • %Temporary Internet Files%\Content.IE5\BVLBNMKH\desktop.ini
  • %Temporary Internet Files%\Content.IE5\desktop.ini
  • %Temporary Internet Files%\Content.IE5\index.dat
  • %Temporary Internet Files%\Content.IE5\ZDGZNKA5\desktop.ini
  • %Temporary Internet Files%\Content.IE5\ZSGKJKO6\desktop.ini

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

It deletes the following folders:

  • %Temporary Internet Files%\Content.IE5\09RWHJQN
  • %Temporary Internet Files%\Content.IE5\BVLBNMKH
  • %Temporary Internet Files%\Content.IE5\ZDGZNKA5
  • %Temporary Internet Files%\Content.IE5\ZSGKJKO6
  • %Temporary Internet Files%\Content.IE5
  • %User Profile%\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5
  • %Application Data%\360Chrome\Chrome\User Data\Default\CacheIE\Content.IE5
  • %Application Data%\liebao\User Data\iecache\Content.IE5

(Note: %Temporary Internet Files% is the Temporary Internet Files folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), and Windows Server 2008; C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache on Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), and Windows Server 2012.. %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.. %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 adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\
Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\
Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel
DisableDeleteBrowsingHistory = "1"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Main
TabProcGrowth = "0"

It deletes the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Extensions\{FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683}

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\DProEx\Security

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\DProEx\Enum

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
services\DProEx

Dropping Routine

This worm drops the following files:

  • %Windows%\u5M9.dll
  • %Windows%\run.bat
  • %System Root%\DProEx.sys

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

This report is generated via an automated analysis system.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.750

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

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\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer
    • Control Panel

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\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel
    • DisableDeleteBrowsingHistory = "1"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
    • TabProcGrowth = "0"

Step 4

Search and delete these components

[ Learn More ]
There may be some components 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.
  • %Windows%\u5M9.dll
  • %Windows%\run.bat
  • %System Root%\DProEx.sys

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as WORM_NUQEL.VTI. 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 6

Restore this file from backup only Microsoft-related files will be restored. If this malware/grayware also deleted files related to programs that are not from Microsoft, please reinstall those programs on you computer again.

  • %Temporary Internet Files%\Content.IE5\09RWHJQN\desktop.ini
  • %Temporary Internet Files%\Content.IE5\BVLBNMKH\desktop.ini
  • %Temporary Internet Files%\Content.IE5\desktop.ini
  • %Temporary Internet Files%\Content.IE5\index.dat
  • %Temporary Internet Files%\Content.IE5\ZDGZNKA5\desktop.ini
  • %Temporary Internet Files%\Content.IE5\ZSGKJKO6\desktop.ini

Step 7

Restore these deleted registry keys/values from backup

*Note: Only Microsoft-related keys/values will be restored. If the malware/grayware also deleted registry keys/values related to programs that are not from Microsoft, please reinstall those programs on your computer.

  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Extensions
    • {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683}
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\DProEx
    • Security
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\DProEx
    • Enum
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services
    • DProEx


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