| GROBAR |
Discovered on: March 20, 2003
Last Updated on: March 20, 2003 11:46:31 AM
W32.Spinac@mm is a simple worm that uses Microsoft Outlook to spread itself. The email arrives with the following characteristics:
Subject: <recipient's name>."REMEMBER THE TIMES !!!?
Attachment: Popey.scr
When W32.Spinac@mm is executed, it may display fake error messages titled, "POPEYE SCREEN SAVER" and "Popeye ScreenMates." The worm is written in Microsoft Visual Basic.
NOTE: Virus definitions dated prior to March 20, 2003 may detect this threat as Bloodhound.W32.VBWORM.
Type: Worm
Infection Length: 49,152 bytes
Systems Affected: Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Me
Systems Not Affected: Macintosh, OS/2, UNIX, Linux
Damage
Payload: Large scale e-mailing: Sends mail to all contacts in the Microsoft Outlook Address Book.
Distribution
Subject of email: ."REMEMBER THE TIMES !!!?
Name of attachment: Popey.scr
Size of attachment: 49,152 bytes
Tehnical details
If W32.Spinac@mm is executed, it does the following:
1. Copies itself as C:\Popeye.scr.
2. Modifies these values as shown here:
RegisteredOrganization JAPON
RegisteredOwner POPEYE
in the registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
3. Sends email using Microsoft Outlook. The email is formatted as:
Subject: <recipient's name>."REMEMBER THE TIMES !!!?
Message: AWESOME !!! 3-D ScreenSaver For Windows 9x/Nt/Xp. Send It To Your Friends !!!
Attachment: Popey.scr
4. Displays the fake error message:
[img]http://cyberr.org/xp/a.jpg[/img]
If you click OK, it displays another fake message:
[img]http://cyberr.org/xp/b.jpg[/img]
Recomendations
Symantec Security Response encourages all users and administrators to adhere to the following basic security "best practices":
Turn off and remove unneeded services. By default, many operating systems install auxiliary services that are not critical, such as an FTP server, telnet, and a Web server. These services are avenues of attack. If they are removed, blended threats have less avenues of attack and you have fewer services to maintain through patch updates.
If a blended threat exploits one or more network services, disable, or block access to, those services until a patch is applied.
Always keep your patch levels up-to-date, especially on computers that host public services and are accessible through the firewall, such as HTTP, FTP, mail, and DNS services.
Enforce a password policy. Complex passwords make it difficult to crack password files on compromised computers. This helps to prevent or limit damage when a computer is compromised.
Configure your email server to block or remove email that contains file attachments that are commonly used to spread viruses, such as .vbs, .bat, .exe, .pif and .scr files.
Isolate infected computers quickly to prevent further compromising your organization. Perform a forensic analysis and restore the computers using trusted media.
Train employees not to open attachments unless they are expecting them. Also, do not execute software that is downloaded from the Internet unless it has been scanned for viruses. Simply visiting a compromised Web site can cause infection if certain browser vulnerabilities are not patched.
Removal Instructions
The following instructions pertain to all current and recent Symantec antivirus products, including the Symantec AntiVirus and Norton AntiVirus product lines.
1. Update the virus definitions.
2. Run a full system scan and delete all the files detected as W32.Spinac@mm.
3. Delete the value that was added to the registry.
For specific details on each of these steps, read the following instructions.
1. Updating the virus definitions
Symantec Security Response fully tests all the virus definitions for quality assurance before they are posted to our servers. There are two ways to obtain the most recent virus definitions:
Running LiveUpdate, which is the easiest way to obtain virus definitions: These virus definitions are posted to the LiveUpdate servers once each week (usually on Wednesdays), unless there is a major virus outbreak. To determine whether definitions for this threat are available by LiveUpdate, refer to the Virus Definitions (LiveUpdate).
Downloading the definitions using the Intelligent Updater: The Intelligent Updater virus definitions are posted on U.S. business days (Monday through Friday). You should download the definitions from the Symantec Security Response Web site and manually install them. To determine whether definitions for this threat are available by the Intelligent Updater, refer to the Virus Definitions (Intelligent Updater).
The Intelligent Updater virus definitions are available here. For detailed instructions on how to download and install the Intelligent Updater virus definitions from the Symantec Security Response Web site, click here.
2. Scanning for and deleting the infected files
a. Start your Symantec antivirus program and make sure that it is configured to scan all the files.
For Norton AntiVirus consumer products: Read the document, "How to configure Norton AntiVirus to scan all files."
For Symantec AntiVirus Enterprise products: Read the document, "How to verify that a Symantec Corporate antivirus product is set to scan All Files."
b. Run a full system scan.
c. If any files are detected as infected with W32.Spinac@mm, click Delete.
3. Deleting the value from the registry
CAUTION: Symantec strongly recommends that you back up the registry before you make any changes to it. Incorrect changes to the registry can result in permanent data loss or corrupted files. Modify the specified keys only. Read the document, "How to make a backup of the Windows registry," for instructions.
a. Click Start, and then click Run. (The Run dialog box appears.)
b. Type regedit
Then click OK. (The Registry Editor opens.)
c. Navigate to the key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
d. In the right pane, double-click each of these values:
RegisteredOrganization JAPON
RegisteredOwner POPEYE
and modify them as desired.
e. Exit the Registry Editor.
For more info http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/[email protected] |