Analysis by: Jennifer Gumban
 Modified by: Jimelle Monteser
ALIASES:

Worm:Win32/Conficker.B (Microsoft), W32.Downadup.B (Symantec), W32/Conficker.worm.gen.a (McAfee), Win32/Conficker.AC worm (ESET), Worm:W32/Downadup.BW (FSecure), Worm/Conficker.Z.14 (Antivir), Win32.Worm.Downadup.Gen (Bitdefender), Worm.Downadup-41 (ClamAV), W32/Conficker.A!worm (Fortinet), Worm.Win32.Conficker (Ikarus), W32/Conficker.C.worm (Panda),

 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows Vista (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows 7 (32-bit, 64-bit)

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

  • Threat Type: Worm

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

This worm may be dropped by other malware.

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: 162,423 bytes
File Type: DLL
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 26 Aug 2013

Arrival Details

This worm may be dropped by other malware.

Installation

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

  • %Application Data%\{random file name}.dll
  • %System%\{random file name}.dll
  • %System%\{random number}.tmp
  • %Program Files%\Internet Explorer\{random file name}.dll
  • %Program Files%\Movie Maker\{random file name}.dll
  • %User Temp%\{random file name}.dll

(Note: %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista and 7.. %System% is the Windows system folder, which is usually C:\Windows\System32.. %Program Files% is the default Program Files folder, usually C:\Program Files in Windows 2000, Server 2003, and XP (32-bit), Vista (32-bit), and 7 (32-bit), or C:\Program Files (x86) in Windows XP (64-bit), Vista (64-bit), and 7 (64-bit).. %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista and 7.)

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 characters} = "rundll32.exe {malware path and file name}, {Parameter}"

Other System Modifications

This worm adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\{random value}

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets

It adds the following registry entries as part of its installation routine:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\{random value}
ImagePath = "%System%\{number}.tmp"

It modifies the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Advanced
Hidden = "2"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 1.)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Advanced
SuperHidden = "0"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 1.)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\BITS
Start = "4"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 3.)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\ERSvc
Start = "4"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 2.)

HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
ProxyEnable = "0"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 1.)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Hardware Profiles\0001\Software\
Microsoft\windows\CurrentVersion\
Internet Settings
ProxyEnable = "0"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 1.)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\wscsvc
Start = "4"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 2.)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\wuauserv
Start = "4"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 2.)

It creates the following registry entry(ies) to bypass Windows Firewall:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\GloballyOpenPorts\
List
{random port number}:TCP = "{random port number}:TCP:*:Enabled:{random value}"

Propagation

This worm creates the following folders in all removable drives:

  • {removable drive}:\RECYCLER
  • {removable drive}:\RECYCLER\{SID}

It drops the following copy(ies) of itself in all removable drives:

  • {removable drive}:\RECYCLER\{SID}\{random characters}

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

Other Details

This worm connects to the following URL(s) to get the affected system's IP address:

  • http://www.whatismyip.org/
  • http://checkip.dyndns.org/
  • http://whatsmyipaddress.com

It connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://{pseudorandom domain}.cc
  • http://{pseudorandom domain}.cn
  • http://{pseudorandom domain}.ws
  • http://{pseudorandom domain}.com
  • http://{pseudorandom domain}.net
  • http://{pseudorandom domain}.org
  • http://{pseudorandom domain}.info
  • http://{pseudorandom domain}.biz
  • http://{Resolve IP Address}/search?q={Number}

NOTES:

Upon execution, this worm opens a window which displays the files under the malware path's root drive to hide its malicious routines from the user.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.700
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 10.240.02
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 29 Jul 2013
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 10.241.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 29 Jul 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

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. Before you could do this, you must restart in Safe Mode. For instructions on how to do this, you may refer to this page If the preceding step requires you to restart in safe mode, you may proceed to edit the system registry.

 
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services
    • {random value}
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
    • Applets
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
    • Applets

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
    • {random characters} = "rundll32.exe {malware path and file name}, {Parameter}"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\{random value}
    • ImagePath = "%System%\{number}.tmp"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\GloballyOpenPorts\List
    • {random port number}:TCP = "{random port number}:TCP:*:Enabled:{random value}"

Step 5

Restore this modified registry value

[ 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_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
    • From: Hidden = "2"
      To: Hidden = "1"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
    • From: SuperHidden = "0"
      To: SuperHidden = "1"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Folder\Hidden\SHOWALL
    • From: CheckedValue = "0"
      To: CheckedValue = "1"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\BITS
    • From: Start = "4"
      To: Start = "3"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\ERSvc
    • From: Start = "4"
      To: Start = "2"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
    • From: ProxyEnable = "0"
      To: ProxyEnable = "1"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Hardware Profiles\0001\Software\Microsoft\windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
    • From: ProxyEnable = "0"
      To: ProxyEnable = "1"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\wscsvc
    • From: Start = "4"
      To: Start = "2"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\wuauserv
    • From: Start = "4"
      To: Start = "2"

Step 6

Search and delete this folder

[ Learn More ]
Please make sure you check the Search Hidden Files and Folders checkbox in the More advanced options option to include all hidden folders in the search result.
  • {removable drive}:\RECYCLER

Step 7

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