WORM_TATERF

This description is based is a compiled analysis of several variants of WORM_TATERF. Note that specific data such as file names and registry values may vary for each variant.

This worm arrives via removable drives. It 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 copies of itself in all removable and physical drives found in the system. It drops an AUTORUN.INF file to automatically execute the copies it drops when a user accesses the drives of an affected system.

It steals sensitive information such as user names and passwords, particularly for certain games. Stolen information may be used for profit by cybercriminals who may gain access to the information.

Arrival Details

This worm arrives via removable drives.

It 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 copies of itself into the affected system:

• %User Temp%\{malware file name}.exe
• %System%\{malware file name}

(Note: %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.. %System% is the Windows system folder, which is usually C:\Windows\System on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\System32 on Windows NT and 2000, or C:\Windows\System32 on Windows XP and Server 2003.)

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} = "{malware path and file name}"

Other System Modifications

This worm 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
ShowSuperHidden = "0"

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

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Advanced\Folder\Hidden\
SHOWALL
CheckedValue = "0"

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

Propagation

This worm drops copies of itself in all removable and physical drives found in the system.

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

Dropping Routine

This worm drops the following files:

• {files detected as another malware}

Information Theft

This worm steals sensitive information such as user names and passwords, particularly for certain games.

Other Details

This worm connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

• http://www.{BLOCKED}op.com/1mg/am.rar
• http://www.{BLOCKED}op.com/1mg/am1.rar
• www.{BLOCKED}xh.com
• http://www.{BLOCKED}u.com/1mg/am.rar

NOTES:

This malware family's information theft routine is done by monitoring certain applications, mostly related to games.

This description is based is a compiled analysis of several variants of WORM_TATERF. Note that specific data such as file names and registry values may vary for each variant.