Analysis by: Rika Joi Gregorio
ALIASES:

Trojan:Win32/Ircbrute(Microsoft), W32.Pilleuz(Symantec), W32/Rimecud.gen.an(McAfee), W32/Lethic-G(Sophos)

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

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: 54,272 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 27 Jan 2014

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 files:

  • %System Root%\RECYCLER\R-1-5-21-1482476501-1644491937-682003330-1013\Desktop.ini
  • {Drive letter}:\RECYCLER\R-1-5-21-1482476501-1644491937-682003330-1013\Desktop.ini

(Note: %System Root% is the root folder, which is usually C:\. It is also where the operating system is located.)

It drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %System Root%\RECYCLER\R-1-5-21-1482476501-1644491937-682003330-1013\winfixer.exe

(Note: %System Root% is the root folder, which is usually C:\. It is also where the operating system is located.)

It creates the following folders:

  • %System Root%\RECYCLER\R-1-5-21-1482476501-1644491937-682003330-1013

(Note: %System Root% is the root folder, which is usually C:\. It is also where the operating system is located.)

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Taskman = "%System Root%\RECYCLER\R-1-5-21-1482476501-1644491937-682003330-1013\winfixer.exe"

Other System Modifications

This worm deletes the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\
{hifaggot}

Propagation

This worm creates the following folders in all removable drives:

  • {Drive letter}:\RECYCLER
  • {Drive letter}:\RECYCLER\R-1-5-21-1482476501-1644491937-682003330-1013

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

  • {Drive letter}:\RECYCLER\R-1-5-21-1482476501-1644491937-682003330-1013\winfixer.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:

{garbage code}
[autorun]
open=RECYCLER\R-1-5-21-1482476501-1644491937-682003330-1013\winfixer.exe
{garbage code}
iocon=%SystemRoot%\system32\SHELL32.dll,4
action=Open folder to view files
shell\open=Open
shell\open\command=RECYCLER\R-1-5-21-1482476501-1644491937-682003330-1013\winfixer.exe
{garbage code}
shell\open\default=1
{garbage code}

Other Details

This worm connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • {BLOCKED}rneit.{BLOCKED}sparking.com
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}x.com
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.212.125:5943
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}hizzle.info
  • {BLOCKWED}.{BLOCKED}vies.com
  • {BLOCKED}c.{BLOCKED}allingco.net