W32.Gaobot.AFW

W32.Gaobot.AFW is a worm that spreads through open network shares and several Windows vulnerabilities including:

• The DCOM RPC Vulnerability (described in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS03-026) using TCP port 135.
• The WebDav Vulnerability (described in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS03-007) using TCP port 80.
• The Workstation Service Buffer Overrun Vulnerability (described in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS03-049) using TCP port 445. Windows XP users are protected against this vulnerability if Microsoft Security Bulletin MS03-043 has been applied. Windows 2000 users must apply MS03-049.
• The UPnP NOTIFY Buffer Overflow Vulnerability (described in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS01-059).
• The vulnerabilities in the Microsoft SQL Server 2000 or MSDE 2000 audit (described in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS02-061) using UDP port 1434.
• Exploits the Microsoft Windows Local Security Authority Service Remote Buffer Overflow (described in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS04-011).

The worm also spreads through backdoors that the Beagle and Mydoom worms and the Optix family of backdoors install.

W32.Gaobot.AFW can act as a backdoor server program and attack other systems. It attempts to kill the processes of many antivirus and security programs.

Protection

• Initial Rapid Release version April 29, 2004
• Latest Rapid Release version March 3, 2008 revision 035
• Initial Daily Certified version April 29, 2004
• Latest Daily Certified version March 3, 2008 revision 037
• Initial Weekly Certified release date May 1, 2004

Click here for a more detailed description of Rapid Release and Daily Certified virus definitions.

Threat Assessment

Wild

• Wild Level: Low
• Number of Infections: 0 - 49
• Number of Sites: 0 - 2
• Geographical Distribution: Low
• Threat Containment: Easy
• Removal: Easy

Damage

• Damage Level: Medium

Distribution

• Distribution Level: Medium