McAfee > Theat Center > Virus Detail Page

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

• Win32/Sonic.Worm

Characteristics

Update November 03, 2000:
Most of the reports that AVERT has received of this Internet worm are from France and Germany, with some samples from Canadian provinces. This Trojan has been updated periodically by the author and as of November 03, 2000, there are at least seven revisions of it. DAT Update 4104 contains generic detection for this virus.

This is a 32bit Internet worm written in C++. This Trojan has also been compressed using a compressor named UPX.

This Trojan will arrive via email with the following format:

Subject=I'm your poison
Attachment=«filename.exe»

AVERT has seen samples of either GIRLS.EXE or LOVERS.EXE.

If the attached file is run, it will copy itself to the local machine as "GDI32.EXE" in the Windows\system folder. This does not replace the existing file of the same name. This file runs as a process at Windows startup and is visible in the task list as the process "Sonic".

This Trojan contains the string "SonicYouth" which is not displayed.

Symptoms

If the attached file is run, it will copy itself to the local machine as "GDI32.EXE" in the Windows\system folder. This does not replace the existing file of the same name. This file runs as a process at Windows startup and is visible in the task list as the process "Sonic".

Method of Infection

When executed, this Trojan will directly write the file GDI32.EXE to the local system for launching at next Windows startup:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\
GDI=C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\GDI32.EXE

The Trojan copies itself as GDI32.EXE into C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM. When Windows starts and this Trojan loads, it will attempt to connect to the Internet and download a file from an account located on Geocities.com.

The file name is "LASTVERSION.TXT" but is not saved or cached to the local system. The content of the file is simply

##

where ## is a number. Next, an encoded file is downloaded named ##.zip where ## is the number listed in LASTVERSION.TXT. This file is not really an zip file. It is decoded by GDI32.exe and additional files are created on the local system.

Removal

All Users :
Script,Batch,Macro and non memory-resident:
Use current engine and DAT files for detection and removal.

PE,Trojan,Internet Worm and memory resident :
Use specified engine and DAT files for detection. To remove, boot to MS-DOS mode or use a boot diskette and use the command line scanner:

Additional Windows ME/XP removal considerations

Users should not trust file icons, particularly when receiving files from others via P2P clients, IRC, email or other mediums where users can share files.

AVERT Recommended Updates :

* Office2000 Updates

* Malformed Word Document Could Enable Macro to Run Automatically (Information/Patch )

* scriptlet.typelib/Eyedog vulnerability patch

* Outlook as an email attachment security update

* Exchange 5.5 post SP3 Information Store Patch 5.5.2652.42 - this patch corrects detection issues with GroupShield

For a list of attachments blocked by the Outlook patch and a general FAQ, visit this link .
Additionally, Network Administrators can configure this update using an available tool - visit this link for more information .

It is very common for macro viruses to disable options within Office applications for example in Word, the macro protection warning commonly is disabled. After cleaning macro viruses, ensure that your previously set options are again enabled.

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

• Win32/Sonic.Worm

Characteristics

Characteristics -

Update November 03, 2000:
Most of the reports that AVERT has received of this Internet worm are from France and Germany, with some samples from Canadian provinces. This Trojan has been updated periodically by the author and as of November 03, 2000, there are at least seven revisions of it. DAT Update 4104 contains generic detection for this virus.

This is a 32bit Internet worm written in C++. This Trojan has also been compressed using a compressor named UPX.

This Trojan will arrive via email with the following format:

Subject=I'm your poison
Attachment=«filename.exe»

AVERT has seen samples of either GIRLS.EXE or LOVERS.EXE.

If the attached file is run, it will copy itself to the local machine as "GDI32.EXE" in the Windows\system folder. This does not replace the existing file of the same name. This file runs as a process at Windows startup and is visible in the task list as the process "Sonic".

This Trojan contains the string "SonicYouth" which is not displayed.

Symptoms

Symptoms -

If the attached file is run, it will copy itself to the local machine as "GDI32.EXE" in the Windows\system folder. This does not replace the existing file of the same name. This file runs as a process at Windows startup and is visible in the task list as the process "Sonic".

Method of Infection

Method of Infection -

When executed, this Trojan will directly write the file GDI32.EXE to the local system for launching at next Windows startup:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\
GDI=C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\GDI32.EXE

The Trojan copies itself as GDI32.EXE into C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM. When Windows starts and this Trojan loads, it will attempt to connect to the Internet and download a file from an account located on Geocities.com.

The file name is "LASTVERSION.TXT" but is not saved or cached to the local system. The content of the file is simply

##

where ## is a number. Next, an encoded file is downloaded named ##.zip where ## is the number listed in LASTVERSION.TXT. This file is not really an zip file. It is decoded by GDI32.exe and additional files are created on the local system.

Removal -

Removal -

All Users :
Script,Batch,Macro and non memory-resident:
Use current engine and DAT files for detection and removal.

PE,Trojan,Internet Worm and memory resident :
Use specified engine and DAT files for detection. To remove, boot to MS-DOS mode or use a boot diskette and use the command line scanner:

Additional Windows ME/XP removal considerations

Users should not trust file icons, particularly when receiving files from others via P2P clients, IRC, email or other mediums where users can share files.

AVERT Recommended Updates :

* Office2000 Updates

* Malformed Word Document Could Enable Macro to Run Automatically (Information/Patch )

* scriptlet.typelib/Eyedog vulnerability patch

* Outlook as an email attachment security update

* Exchange 5.5 post SP3 Information Store Patch 5.5.2652.42 - this patch corrects detection issues with GroupShield

For a list of attachments blocked by the Outlook patch and a general FAQ, visit this link .
Additionally, Network Administrators can configure this update using an available tool - visit this link for more information .

It is very common for macro viruses to disable options within Office applications for example in Word, the macro protection warning commonly is disabled. After cleaning macro viruses, ensure that your previously set options are again enabled.

Variants

Variants -

N/A