RE: Another F(*&^ virus!

[Allan Muchmore]

Title: Message

Just now (4:40 pacific) when I hit LiveUpdate, I got the 9/20 updates.  W32.Vote.A@mm was not included.  When I downloaded from their web page, I got the 9/24 updates and  W32.Vote.A@mm.

 

I have not noticed this discrepency before.  Has anyone else?  If so, that would argue against using the liveupdate button when hot new viruses are about.

-----Original Message-----
From: Danny Iaconetti [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Monday, September 24, 2001 4:03 PM
To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: RE: Another F(*&^ virus!

According to SARC, updating your definitions will detect this worm. Although, the latest update I get is dated Sep. 20. What's the scoop?

-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Monday, September 24, 2001 4:37 PM
To: NT System Admin Issues
Subject: Another F(*&^ virus!

Subject of email: Fwd:Peace BeTweeN AmeriCa and IsLaM!
Name of attachment: WTC.exe
Size of attachment: 55808 Bytes

Symantec Security Response
http://securityresponse.symantec.com
 
W32.Vote.A@mm
Discovered on: September 24, 2001
Last Updated on: September 24, 2001 at 09:56:27 AM PDT

W32.Vote.A@mm is a mass-mailing worm that is written in Visual Basic. When executed, it will email itself out to all email addresses in the Microsoft Outlook address book. The worm will insert two .vbs files on the system, and it will also attempt to delete files from several antivirus products.

Type: Worm

Infection Length: 55,808 Bytes

Virus Definitions: September 24, 2001

Threat Assessment:

  
Wild:
Low  Damage:
High  Distribution:
High 
 

Wild:

Number of infections: 0 - 49
Number of sites: 3 - 9
Geographical distribution: Medium
Threat containment: Moderate
Removal: Moderate
Damage:

Payload:
Large scale e-mailing: Emails everyone in the Microsoft Outlook addressbook
Deletes files: After reboot, the worm attempts to delete all files in the Windows folder
Modifies files: All files with the extension "htm" or "html" will be overwritten.
Compromises security settings: If the Backdoor.Trojan was successfully downloaded and installed, anyone could gain full access to the computer.

Distribution:

Subject of email: Fwd:Peace BeTweeN AmeriCa and IsLaM!
Name of attachment: WTC.exe
Size of attachment: 55808 Bytes

Technical description:

W32.Vote.A@mm is a mass-mailing worm written in the Visual Basic language. It requires the file Msvbvm50.dll to execute.

When executed, the worm will attempt to email itself to all contacts in the Microsoft Outlook address book. The email will appear as follows.

Subject: Fwd:Peace BeTweeN AmeriCa and IsLaM!

Message:
Hi
iS iT A waR Against AmeriCa Or IsLaM !?
Let's Vote To Live in Peace!

Attachment: WTC.EXE

Next, the worm will insert two .vbs files on the system:

\<Windows folder>\ZaCker.vbs
\<Windows\System folder>\MixDaLaL.vbs

In addition, the worm will attempt to download and execute a file. This file is detected as Backdoor.Trojan by Norton Antivirus.

Finally, the worm will attempt to delete all files from several folders. These folders appear to be the default installation folders for several antivirus products. For Norton AntiVirus, this worm will only attempt to delete the files if Norton Antivirus is located in C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus.

What the dropped files do

MixDaLaL.vbs
MixDaLaL.vbs is a Visual Basic Script file that is inserted in the \Windows\System folder. This file is executed by the worm. As the file is executed, it will look through all folders on all fixed drives and network drives for files with the extensions .htm or .html. If such a files are found, they are overwritten with the message:

AmeRiCa ...Few Days WiLL Show You What We Can Do !!! It's Our Turn >>> ZaCkEr is So Sorry For You

ZaCker.VBS
This file is inserted in the \Windows\System folder. It is not executed by the worm. Instead, the value

Norton.Thar \Windows\System\ZaCker.vbs

is added to the registry key

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

so that the file is executed when you start Windows.

When executed at the next restart, this file will attempt to delete all files in the \Windows folder. Next, the worm will create or overwrite the file C:\Autoexec.bat. Inside the file there will be a command that formats the C drive. The Autoexec.bat file is executed on Windows 95/98/Me and DOS systems when you start the computer.

Finally, the worm will displays the message

The worm does attempt to shut down Windows after the message has been displayed. However, because the files required for this event to occur have been deleted from the \Windows folder, the computer probably will not shut down.

Removal instructions:

1. Run LiveUpdate to make sure that you have the most recent virus definitions.
2. Start Norton AntiVirus (NAV), and make sure that NAV is configured to scan all files. For instructions on how to do this, read the document How to configure Norton AntiVirus to scan all files.

3. Run a full system scan.
4. Delete all files that are detected as W32.Vote.A@mm. If the worm has run and Norton AntiVirus is installed in C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus, you should reinstall Norton Antivirus.

5. If the computer has been rebooted after the infection, or if the computer seems very unstable, it is recommended that you reinstall the operating system.

Additional information:

If the Backdoor.Trojan was successfully installed on the computer, it is possible that your system has been accessed remotely by an unauthorized user. For this reason it is impossible to guarantee the integrity of a system that has had such an infection. The remote user could have made changes to your system, including but not limited to the following:

Stealing or changing passwords or password files
Installing remote-connectivity host software, also known as backdoors
Installing keystroke logging software
Configuring of firewall rules
Stealing of credit card numbers, banking information, personal data, and so on
Deletion or modification of files
Sending of inappropriate or even incriminating material from a customer's email account
Modifying access rights on user accounts or files
Deleting information from log files to hide such activities

If you need to be certain that your organization is secure, you must reinstall the operating system, and restore files from a backup that was made before the infection took place, and change all passwords that may have been on the infected computers or that were accessible from it. This is the only way to ensure that your systems are safe. For more information regarding security in your organization, contact your system administrator.

Write-up by: Neal Hindocha

Ray Zorz
Information Technology Manager
Scottsdale Area Chamber - The Business Alliance
480-429-2241
http:\\www.scottsdalechamber.com
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]

http://www.sunbelt-software.com/ntsysadmin_list_charter.htm

http://www.sunbelt-software.com/ntsysadmin_list_charter.htm

http://www.sunbelt-software.com/ntsysadmin_list_charter.htm