Content

W32/Netsky.g@MM

Type
Virus
SubType
E-mail
Discovery Date
03/04/2004
Length
27,648 bytes (telock)
Minimum DAT
4328 (02/25/2004)
Updated DAT
4994 (03/28/2007)
Minimum Engine
5.1.00
Description Added
03/04/2004
Description Modified
03/04/2004 9:14 AM (PT)
Risk Assessment
Corporate User
Low
Home User
Low

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Characteristics

A new variant of W32/Netsky@MM has been received which is detected and repaired as W32/Netsky.c@MM with the 4328 DATs and higher with scanning of compressed files enabled (W32/Netsky.gen@MM since the 4331 DATs).

This variant is very similar to W32/Netsky.f@MM .

This virus spreads via email. It sends itself to addresses found on the victim's machine.  The virus also attempts to deactivate the various other viruses (variants of W32/Mydoom and W32/Bagle).

Mail propagation
The virus may be received in an email message as follows:

From: (forged address taken from infected system)

Subject: 

  • Re: Your website
  • Re: Your product
  • Re: Your letter
  • Re: Your archive
  • Re: Your text
  • Re: Your bill
  • Re: Your details
  • Re: My details
  • Re: Word file
  • Re: Excel file
  • Re: Details
  • Re: Approved
  • Re: Your software
  • Re: Your music
  • Re: Here
  • Re: Re: Re: Your document
  • Re: Hello
  • Re: Hi
  • Re: Re: Message
  • Re: Your picture
  • Re: Here is the document
  • Re: Your document
  • Re: Thanks!
  • Re: Re: Thanks!
  • Re: Re: Document
  • Re: Document

Body:

  • Your file is attached
  • Please read the attached file
  • Please have a look at the attached
  • See the attached file for details
  • Here is the file
  • Your document is attached.

Attachment:

  • your_website.pif
  • your_product.pif
  • your_letter.pif
  • your_archive.pif
  • your_text.pif
  • your_bill.pif
  • your_details.pif
  • document_word.pif
  • document_excel.pif
  • my_details.pif
  • all_document.pif
  • application.pif
  • mp3music.pif
  • yours.pif
  • document_4351.pif
  • your_file.pif
  • message_details.pif
  • your_picture.pif
  • document_full.pif
  • message_part2.pif
  • document.pif
  • your_document.pif

Note: initial investigation indicates that the worm may email itself either as a binary or as a binary within a ZIP file. This will be updated when analysis is complete.

The mailing component harvests address from the local system.  Files with the following extensions are targeted:

  • .adb
  • html
  • .asp
  • .cgi
  • .dbx
  • .dhtm
  • .doc
  • .eml
  • .htm
  • .oft
  • .php
  • .pl
  • .rtf
  • .sht
  • .shtm
  • .msg
  • .tbb
  • .txt
  • .uin
  • .vbs
  • .wab

  • It does not send itself to addresses that contain one of the following strings:

    • abuse
    • fbi
    • orton
    • f-pro
    • aspersky
    • cafee
    • orman
    • itdefender
    • f-secur
    • avp
    • skynet
    • spam
    • messagelabs
    • ymantec
    • antivi
    • icrosoft
    • iruslis
    • antivir
    • sophos
    • freeav
    • andasoftwa

    The virus sends itself via SMTP - constructing messages using its own SMTP engine. It queries the DNS server for the MX record and connects directly to the MTA of the targeted domain and sends the message.

    System changes
    The worm copies itself into %WinDir% (eg. C:\WINDOWS) folder using the filename AVGUARD.EXE.

    • C:\WINNT\avguard.exe (27,648 bytes)

    A Registry key is created to load the worm at system start.

    •  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
      CurrentVersion\Run
      "Special Firewall Service" = %WinDir%\avguard.exe -av service

    • Symptoms

     

  • Existence of files and registry keys as mentioned above
  • Unexpected network traffic
  • Outgoing DNS queries to one of the following hard-coded IP addresses:
    • 145.253.2.171
    • 151.189.13.35
    • 193.141.40.42
    • 193.193.144.12
    • 193.193.158.10
    • 194.25.2.129
    • 194.25.2.130
    • 194.25.2.131
    • 194.25.2.132
    • 194.25.2.133
    • 194.25.2.134
    • 195.185.185.195
    • 195.20.224.234
    • 212.185.252.136
    • 212.185.252.73
    • 212.185.253.70
    • 212.44.160.8
    • 212.7.128.162
    • 212.7.128.165
    • 213.191.74.19
    • 217.5.97.137
    • 62.155.255.16

    • Method of Infection

    This worm spreads by email, constructing messages using its own SMTP engine

    Removal

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

    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 current engine and the specified DATs (or higher). Older engines may not be able to remove all registry keys created by this threat.

    Additional Windows ME/XP removal considerations

    Variants

    Variants

      N/A

    All Information

    Overview -

    This is a virus detection. Viruses are programs that self-replicate recursively, meaning that infected systems spread the virus to other systems, which then propagate the virus further. While many viruses contain a destructive payload, it's quite common for viruses to do nothing more than spread from one system to another.

    Characteristics

    Characteristics -

    A new variant of W32/Netsky@MM has been received which is detected and repaired as W32/Netsky.c@MM with the 4328 DATs and higher with scanning of compressed files enabled (W32/Netsky.gen@MM since the 4331 DATs).

    This variant is very similar to W32/Netsky.f@MM .

    This virus spreads via email. It sends itself to addresses found on the victim's machine.  The virus also attempts to deactivate the various other viruses (variants of W32/Mydoom and W32/Bagle).

    Mail propagation
    The virus may be received in an email message as follows:

    From: (forged address taken from infected system)

    Subject: 

    • Re: Your website
    • Re: Your product
    • Re: Your letter
    • Re: Your archive
    • Re: Your text
    • Re: Your bill
    • Re: Your details
    • Re: My details
    • Re: Word file
    • Re: Excel file
    • Re: Details
    • Re: Approved
    • Re: Your software
    • Re: Your music
    • Re: Here
    • Re: Re: Re: Your document
    • Re: Hello
    • Re: Hi
    • Re: Re: Message
    • Re: Your picture
    • Re: Here is the document
    • Re: Your document
    • Re: Thanks!
    • Re: Re: Thanks!
    • Re: Re: Document
    • Re: Document

    Body:

    • Your file is attached
    • Please read the attached file
    • Please have a look at the attached
    • See the attached file for details
    • Here is the file
    • Your document is attached.

    Attachment:

    • your_website.pif
    • your_product.pif
    • your_letter.pif
    • your_archive.pif
    • your_text.pif
    • your_bill.pif
    • your_details.pif
    • document_word.pif
    • document_excel.pif
    • my_details.pif
    • all_document.pif
    • application.pif
    • mp3music.pif
    • yours.pif
    • document_4351.pif
    • your_file.pif
    • message_details.pif
    • your_picture.pif
    • document_full.pif
    • message_part2.pif
    • document.pif
    • your_document.pif

    Note: initial investigation indicates that the worm may email itself either as a binary or as a binary within a ZIP file. This will be updated when analysis is complete.

    The mailing component harvests address from the local system.  Files with the following extensions are targeted:

    • .adb
    • html
    • .asp
    • .cgi
    • .dbx
    • .dhtm
    • .doc
    • .eml
    • .htm
    • .oft
    • .php
    • .pl
    • .rtf
    • .sht
    • .shtm
    • .msg
    • .tbb
    • .txt
    • .uin
    • .vbs
    • .wab

  • It does not send itself to addresses that contain one of the following strings:

    • abuse
    • fbi
    • orton
    • f-pro
    • aspersky
    • cafee
    • orman
    • itdefender
    • f-secur
    • avp
    • skynet
    • spam
    • messagelabs
    • ymantec
    • antivi
    • icrosoft
    • iruslis
    • antivir
    • sophos
    • freeav
    • andasoftwa

    The virus sends itself via SMTP - constructing messages using its own SMTP engine. It queries the DNS server for the MX record and connects directly to the MTA of the targeted domain and sends the message.

    System changes
    The worm copies itself into %WinDir% (eg. C:\WINDOWS) folder using the filename AVGUARD.EXE.

    • C:\WINNT\avguard.exe (27,648 bytes)

    A Registry key is created to load the worm at system start.

    •  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
      CurrentVersion\Run
      "Special Firewall Service" = %WinDir%\avguard.exe -av service

    • Symptoms

    Symptoms -

     

  • Existence of files and registry keys as mentioned above
  • Unexpected network traffic
  • Outgoing DNS queries to one of the following hard-coded IP addresses:
    • 145.253.2.171
    • 151.189.13.35
    • 193.141.40.42
    • 193.193.144.12
    • 193.193.158.10
    • 194.25.2.129
    • 194.25.2.130
    • 194.25.2.131
    • 194.25.2.132
    • 194.25.2.133
    • 194.25.2.134
    • 195.185.185.195
    • 195.20.224.234
    • 212.185.252.136
    • 212.185.252.73
    • 212.185.253.70
    • 212.44.160.8
    • 212.7.128.162
    • 212.7.128.165
    • 213.191.74.19
    • 217.5.97.137
    • 62.155.255.16

    • Method of Infection

    Method of Infection -

    This worm spreads by email, constructing messages using its own SMTP engine

    Removal -

    Removal -

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

    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 current engine and the specified DATs (or higher). Older engines may not be able to remove all registry keys created by this threat.

    Additional Windows ME/XP removal considerations

    Variants

    Variants -

      N/A