Content

Downloader-AK

Type
Trojan
SubType
Downloader
Discovery Date
06/01/2002
Length
Various
Minimum DAT
4209 (06/26/2002)
Updated DAT
4292 (09/10/2003)
Minimum Engine
5.1.00
Description Added
09/09/2003
Description Modified
09/09/2003 8:30 AM (PT)
Risk Assessment
Corporate User
Low
Home User
Low

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Characteristics

This detection is for multiple variants of a trojan which is intended to retrieve and execute files from a remote server.

Multiple versions of this trojan are known to exist - users are recommended to use the latest engine/DAT combination for optimal detection. Variants are likely to be packed with a PE packer, so enabling the scanning of compressed files will also provide optimal detection.

Exact details (filenames, Registry keys, file size)  will vary between variants. However, the following characteristics are common to all:

  • Terminate processes running on the victim machine. The following processes are targetted in one of the latter variants:
    • _AVP32.EXE
    • _AVPCC.EXE
    • _AVPM.EXE
    • AGENTSVR.EXE
    • ANTI-TROJAN.EXE
    • ANTIVIRUS.EXE
    • ANTS.EXE
    • APIMONITOR.EXE
    • APLICA32.EXE
    • APVXDWIN.EXE
    • ATCON.EXE
    • ATUPDATER.EXE
    • ATWATCH.EXE
    • AUPDATE.EXE
    • AUTOUPDATE.EXE
    • AVCONSOL.EXE
    • AVP.EXE
    • AVP32.EXE
    • AVPCC.EXE
    • AVPCC.EXE
    • AVPM.EXE
    • AVSYNMGR.EXE
    • BLACKD.EXE
    • BLACKICE.EXE
    • BOOTWARN.EXE
    • BORG2.EXE
    • CFGWIZ.EXE
    • CFIADMIN.EXE
    • CFIAUDIT.EXE
    • CFINET.EXE
    • CFINET32.EXE
    • CLEAN.EXE
    • CLEANER.EXE
    • CLEANER3.EXE
    • CLEANPC.EXE
    • DEFWATCH.EXE
    • DRWATSON.EXE
    • FAST.EXE
    • FIREWALL.EXE
    • FRW.EXE
    • FSAV.EXE
    • GUARD.EXE
    • IAMAPP.EXE
    • IAMSERV.EXE
    • ICLOAD95.EXE
    • ICLOADNT.EXE
    • ICMON.EXE
    • ICSUPP95.EXE
    • ICSUPPNT.EXE
    • LOCKDOWN.EXE
    • LOCKDOWN2000.EXE
    • LSETUP.EXE
    • LUALL.EXE
    • LUCOMSERVER.EXE
    • LUINIT.EXE
    • MCAGENT.EXE
    • MCUPDATE.EXE
    • MGUI.EXE
    • MINILOG.EXE
    • MOOLIVE.EXE
    • MSCONFIG.EXE
    • MSINFO32.EXE
    • MSSMMC32.EXE
    • NAVAPW32.EXE
    • NAVDX.EXE
    • NAVSTUB.EXE
    • NAVW32.EXE
    • NDD32.EXE
    • NETSTAT.EXE
    • NISSERV.EXE
    • NISUM.EXE
    • NMAIN.EXE
    • NPROTECT.EXE
    • NSCHED32.EXE
    • NVARCH16.EXE
    • Navapw32.exe
    • PAVPROXY.EXE
    • PCCIOMON.EXE
    • PCFWALLICON.EXE
    • PERSFW.EXE
    • POPROXY.EXE
    • PVIEW95.EXE
    • QCONSOLE.EXE
    • QSERVER.EXE
    • REGEDIT.EXE
    • RESCUE.EXE
    • RESCUE32.EXE
    • RRGUARD.EXE
    • RSHELL.EXE
    • RTVSCN95.EXE
    • SAFEWEB.EXE
    • SFC.EXE
    • SPHINX.EXE
    • SPYXX.EXE
    • SS3EDIT.EXE
    • SYSEDIT.EXE
    • TASKMON.EXE
    • TAUMON.EXE
    • TC.EXE
    • TCA.EXE
    • TCM.EXE
    • TDS-3.EXE
    • TDS2-98.EXE
    • TDS2-NT.EXE
    • TRJSCAN.EXE
    • UNDOBOOT.EXE
    • UPDATE.EXE
    • UPDATE.EXE
    • VPC42.EXE
    • VPTRAY.EXE
    • VSECOMR.EXE
    • VSHWIN32.EXE
    • VSMAIN.EXE
    • VSMON.EXE
    • VSSTAT.EXE
    • W32DSM89.EXE
    • WATCHDOG.EXE
    • WEBSCANX.EXE
    • WGFE95.EXE
    • WRADMIN.EXE
    • WRCTRL.EXE
    • ZAPRO.EXE
    • ZATUTOR.EXE
    • ZAUINST.EXE
    • ZONEALARM.EXE
  • Retrieve remote file
  • Execute file

Typically the downloader will install itself into %WinDir%, and hook system startup via a Registry key such as:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Run "VirusProt32" = %WinDir%\VSYSCONF32.EXE

The exact key name and filename will obviously vary. The above details are relevant to the variant used by a recent IRC-based worm, W32/Nexiv.worm .

Symptoms

  • Unexpected termination of various processes (AV/security related - see above list)
  • Unexpected execution/installation of another file

Method of Infection

This downloader trojan serves to perform the following:

  • terminate certain processes on the victim machine
  • retrieve and execute file from remote server

Removal

All Users:
Use specified engine and DAT files for detection and removal.

Modifications made to the system Registry and/or INI files for the purposes of hooking system startup, will be successfully removed if cleaning with the recommended engine and DAT combination (or higher).

Additional Windows ME/XP removal considerations

Variants

Variants

    N/A

All Information

Overview -

This is a trojan detection. Unlike viruses, trojans do not self-replicate. They are spread manually, often under the premise that they are beneficial or wanted. The most common installation methods involve system or security exploitation, and unsuspecting users manually executing unknown programs. Distribution channels include email, malicious or hacked web pages, Internet Relay Chat (IRC), peer-to-peer networks, etc.

Aliases

  • Downloader.Aphex (Grisoft)
  • Trojan.Aphex.10 (DiSci)
  • TrojanDownloader.Win32.Aphex.10.c (AVP)

Characteristics

Characteristics -

This detection is for multiple variants of a trojan which is intended to retrieve and execute files from a remote server.

Multiple versions of this trojan are known to exist - users are recommended to use the latest engine/DAT combination for optimal detection. Variants are likely to be packed with a PE packer, so enabling the scanning of compressed files will also provide optimal detection.

Exact details (filenames, Registry keys, file size)  will vary between variants. However, the following characteristics are common to all:

  • Terminate processes running on the victim machine. The following processes are targetted in one of the latter variants:
    • _AVP32.EXE
    • _AVPCC.EXE
    • _AVPM.EXE
    • AGENTSVR.EXE
    • ANTI-TROJAN.EXE
    • ANTIVIRUS.EXE
    • ANTS.EXE
    • APIMONITOR.EXE
    • APLICA32.EXE
    • APVXDWIN.EXE
    • ATCON.EXE
    • ATUPDATER.EXE
    • ATWATCH.EXE
    • AUPDATE.EXE
    • AUTOUPDATE.EXE
    • AVCONSOL.EXE
    • AVP.EXE
    • AVP32.EXE
    • AVPCC.EXE
    • AVPCC.EXE
    • AVPM.EXE
    • AVSYNMGR.EXE
    • BLACKD.EXE
    • BLACKICE.EXE
    • BOOTWARN.EXE
    • BORG2.EXE
    • CFGWIZ.EXE
    • CFIADMIN.EXE
    • CFIAUDIT.EXE
    • CFINET.EXE
    • CFINET32.EXE
    • CLEAN.EXE
    • CLEANER.EXE
    • CLEANER3.EXE
    • CLEANPC.EXE
    • DEFWATCH.EXE
    • DRWATSON.EXE
    • FAST.EXE
    • FIREWALL.EXE
    • FRW.EXE
    • FSAV.EXE
    • GUARD.EXE
    • IAMAPP.EXE
    • IAMSERV.EXE
    • ICLOAD95.EXE
    • ICLOADNT.EXE
    • ICMON.EXE
    • ICSUPP95.EXE
    • ICSUPPNT.EXE
    • LOCKDOWN.EXE
    • LOCKDOWN2000.EXE
    • LSETUP.EXE
    • LUALL.EXE
    • LUCOMSERVER.EXE
    • LUINIT.EXE
    • MCAGENT.EXE
    • MCUPDATE.EXE
    • MGUI.EXE
    • MINILOG.EXE
    • MOOLIVE.EXE
    • MSCONFIG.EXE
    • MSINFO32.EXE
    • MSSMMC32.EXE
    • NAVAPW32.EXE
    • NAVDX.EXE
    • NAVSTUB.EXE
    • NAVW32.EXE
    • NDD32.EXE
    • NETSTAT.EXE
    • NISSERV.EXE
    • NISUM.EXE
    • NMAIN.EXE
    • NPROTECT.EXE
    • NSCHED32.EXE
    • NVARCH16.EXE
    • Navapw32.exe
    • PAVPROXY.EXE
    • PCCIOMON.EXE
    • PCFWALLICON.EXE
    • PERSFW.EXE
    • POPROXY.EXE
    • PVIEW95.EXE
    • QCONSOLE.EXE
    • QSERVER.EXE
    • REGEDIT.EXE
    • RESCUE.EXE
    • RESCUE32.EXE
    • RRGUARD.EXE
    • RSHELL.EXE
    • RTVSCN95.EXE
    • SAFEWEB.EXE
    • SFC.EXE
    • SPHINX.EXE
    • SPYXX.EXE
    • SS3EDIT.EXE
    • SYSEDIT.EXE
    • TASKMON.EXE
    • TAUMON.EXE
    • TC.EXE
    • TCA.EXE
    • TCM.EXE
    • TDS-3.EXE
    • TDS2-98.EXE
    • TDS2-NT.EXE
    • TRJSCAN.EXE
    • UNDOBOOT.EXE
    • UPDATE.EXE
    • UPDATE.EXE
    • VPC42.EXE
    • VPTRAY.EXE
    • VSECOMR.EXE
    • VSHWIN32.EXE
    • VSMAIN.EXE
    • VSMON.EXE
    • VSSTAT.EXE
    • W32DSM89.EXE
    • WATCHDOG.EXE
    • WEBSCANX.EXE
    • WGFE95.EXE
    • WRADMIN.EXE
    • WRCTRL.EXE
    • ZAPRO.EXE
    • ZATUTOR.EXE
    • ZAUINST.EXE
    • ZONEALARM.EXE
  • Retrieve remote file
  • Execute file

Typically the downloader will install itself into %WinDir%, and hook system startup via a Registry key such as:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Run "VirusProt32" = %WinDir%\VSYSCONF32.EXE

The exact key name and filename will obviously vary. The above details are relevant to the variant used by a recent IRC-based worm, W32/Nexiv.worm .

Symptoms

Symptoms -

  • Unexpected termination of various processes (AV/security related - see above list)
  • Unexpected execution/installation of another file

Method of Infection

Method of Infection -

This downloader trojan serves to perform the following:

  • terminate certain processes on the victim machine
  • retrieve and execute file from remote server

Removal -

Removal -

All Users:
Use specified engine and DAT files for detection and removal.

Modifications made to the system Registry and/or INI files for the purposes of hooking system startup, will be successfully removed if cleaning with the recommended engine and DAT combination (or higher).

Additional Windows ME/XP removal considerations

Variants

Variants -

    N/A