Analysis by: Rhena Inocencio

ALIASES:

Worm:Win32/YahLover.C (Microsoft), W32/Yahlover.worm.gen.k (McAfee), W32.Imaut (Symantec), W32/Sohanat.DD.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:

  • Threat Type: Worm

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

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 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: 660,480 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 15 Nov 2012

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:

  • %Windows%\scvhost.exe
  • %System%\scvhost.exe

(Note: %Windows% is the Windows folder, which is usually C:\Windows.. %System% is the Windows system folder, which is usually C:\Windows\System32.)

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
Yahoo Messengger = "%System%\scvhost.exe"

It drops the following files:

  • %System%\autorun.ini

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, which is usually C:\Windows\System32.)

Other System Modifications

This worm adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
GlobalUserOffline = "0"

It modifies the following registry entries:

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

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is "Explorer.exe".)

Propagation

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

  • {drive letter}:\new folder.exe
  • {drive letter}:\scvhost.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:

[Autorun]
Open=scvhost.exe
Shellexe cute=scvhost.exe
Shell\Open\command=scvhost.exe
Shell=Open

Other Details

This worm connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • advgoogle.{BLOCKED}h.com

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.300
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 9.528.02
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 15 Nov 2012
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 9.529.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 16 Nov 2012

Step 1

For Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 users, before doing any scans, please make sure you disable System Restore to allow full scanning of your computer.

Step 2

Identify and delete files detected as WORM_YAHLOVER.C using the Recovery Console

[ Learn More ]

Step 3

Restore this modified 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
    • From: Shell = "Explorer.exe scvhost.exe"
      To: Shell = "Explorer.exe"

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\Internet Settings
    • GlobalUserOffline = "0"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • Yahoo Messengger = "%System%\scvhost.exe"

Step 5

Search and delete this file

[ Learn More ]
There may be some component 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%\autorun.ini

Step 6

Search and delete AUTORUN.INF files created by WORM_YAHLOVER.C that contain these strings

[ Learn More ]

[Autorun]
Open=scvhost.exe
Shellexe cute=scvhost.exe
Shell\Open\command=scvhost.exe
Shell=Open

Step 7

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as WORM_YAHLOVER.C 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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