W32.Hawawi.Worm

Risk Level 2: Low

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Discovered:: March 19, 2003
Updated:: February 13, 2007 11:44:39 AM
Also Known As:: W32/Holar.d@MM [McAfee], W32/Holar.e@MM [McAfee], W32/Holar.h@MM [McAfee], WORM_HOLAR.D [Trend], WORM_HOLAR.E [Trend], I-Worm.Hawawi [KAV], I-Worm.Hawawi.e [KAV], Win32.Holar.F [CA]
Type:: Worm
Systems Affected:: Windows 2000, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows XP

W32.Hawawi.Worm is a worm that spreads through email using its own SMTP server, ICQ, Yahoo Messenger, PalTalk, and KaZaA. The email message has one of many different Subject lines, such as:

'''*< Love Speaks it all >*'''
Co0o0o0o0oL
Fw:
Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeey
Wussaaaaaaaap?
WoW But not for NoW
Why Do We FOk?

The messages have an attachment with a .pif extension, usually Hawawi.pif or Hawa.pif.

W32.Hawawi.Worm has a payload of overwriting all the files that have the following extensions, with zero-byte files:

mpeg
rm
wav
sql
mde
php
cpp
swf
ram
mp3
frm
dpr
rar
mpg
jpg
pdf
pps
ppt
txt
htm
html
zip
doc
mdb
xls

NOTE: A minor variant of W32.Hawawi.Worm was discovered on May 28, 2003. Detection for this was incorporated into the May 29, 2003 virus definitions.

Antivirus Protection Dates

Initial Rapid Release version March 19, 2003
Latest Rapid Release version September 28, 2010 revision 054
Initial Daily Certified version March 19, 2003
Latest Daily Certified version September 28, 2010 revision 036
Initial Weekly Certified release date March 19, 2003

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

Threat Assessment

Wild

Wild Level: Low
Number of Infections: 50 - 999
Number of Sites: More than 10
Geographical Distribution: Low
Threat Containment: Easy
Removal: Moderate

Damage

Damage Level: Medium

Distribution

Distribution Level: High

Writeup By: Douglas Knowles

Technical Details

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Internet Security Threat Report, Volume 16