Discovered: September 23, 2003
Updated: February 13, 2007 12:07:50 PM
Also Known As: Backdoor.Agobot.3 [Kaspersky], WORM_AGOBOT.AC [Trend], Win32.Agobot.AX [Computer Asso, W32/Gaobot.worm.gen.b [McAfee], W32/Agobot-X [Sophos]
Type: Worm
Systems Affected: Windows 2000, Windows NT, Windows XP
When W32.HLLW.Gaobot.AG runs, it does the following:
- Copies itself as %System%\spoolsrv32.exe.
Note: %System% is a variable. The worm locates the System folder and copies itself to that location. By default, this is C:\Windows\System (Windows 95/98/Me), C:\Winnt\System32 (Windows NT/2000), or C:\Windows\System32 (Windows XP).
- Adds the value:
"MS Security Hotfix"="spoolsrv32.exe"
to these registry keys:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
RunServices
so that the worm starts when Windows starts.
- Opens a randomly chosen TCP port to connect to the attacker.
- Connects to a predefined IRC channel, using its own IRC client, and listens for the commands from the attacker.
- When the worm runs, it allows the hacker to remotely control a compromised computer, allowing him/her to perform any of the following actions:
- Manage the installation of the worm
- Dynamically update the installed worm
- Download and execute files
- Steal a compromised system's information
- Send the worm to other IRC users
- Add accounts for the hacker
- Sends data to TCP port 135, which exploits the DCOM RPC vulnerability, or sends data to TCP port 445 to exploit the RPC locator vulnerability.
- Probes administrative shares using the following user/password combinations, in addition to the user names found on the remote computer, as the NetUserEnum() API determined:
User:
- Admin
- admin
- Administrateur
- Administrador
- administrator
- Administrator
- qwer
- asdf
- win
- temp
- test
- home
- Dell
- x
- xyz
- a
- abc
- aaa
- Inviter
- Gast
- Guest
- Test
- Owner
- owner
- User
- Standard
- mgmt
- Default
- login
- pc
Password:
- admin
- Admin
- mypass
- mypc
- love
- pwd
- xxx
- zxcv
- yxcv
- secret
- foobar
- god
- sex
- root
- pat
- patrick
- alpha
- 007
- 123abc
- 1234qwer
- 123123
- 121212
- 111111
- 110
- 2600
- 2002
- 2003
- enable
- godblessyou
- ihavenopass
- 123asd
- super
- Internet
- computer
- server
- 123qwe
- sybase
- oracle
- abcd
- database
- passwd
- pass
- 88888888
- 11111111
- 00000000
- 000000
- 111
- 54321
- 654321
- 123456789
- 12345678
- 1234567
- 123456
- 12345
- 1234
- 123
- Password
- password
- After accessing vulnerable computers, the worm copies and executes itself on the new computers.
- Steals CD keys of the following games:
- Warcraft III
- Soldier of Fortune II - Double Helix
- Neverwinter
- Westwood\Nox
- Tiberian Sun
- Red Alert 2
- Red Alert
- Project IGI 2
- Command & Conquer Generals
- Battlefield 1942 Secret Weapons of WWII
- Battlefield 1942 The Road to Rome
- Battlefield 1942
- Rainbow Six III RavenShield
- Nascar Racing 2003
- Nascar Racing 2002
- NHL 2003
- NHL 2002
- FIFA 2003
- FIFA 2002
- Need For Speed Hot Pursuit 2
- The Gladiators
- Unreal Tournament 2003
- LoMaM
- Counter-Strike
- Half-Life
- Inventories the active processes and, if the name of the firewall and antivirus process is one of the following, the worm attempts to terminate it:
- WFINDV32.EXE
- WEBSCANX.EXE
- VSSTAT.EXE
- VSHWIN32.EXE
- VSECOMR.EXE
- VSCAN40.EXE
- VETTRAY.EXE
- VET95.EXE
- TDS2-NT.EXE
- TDS2-98.EXE
- TCA.EXE
- TBSCAN.EXE
- SWEEP95.EXE
- SPHINX.EXE
- SMC.EXE
- SERV95.EXE
- SCRSCAN.EXE
- SCANPM.EXE
- SCAN95.EXE
- SCAN32.EXE
- SAFEWEB.EXE
- RESCUE.EXE
- RAV7WIN.EXE
- RAV7.EXE
- PERSFW.EXE
- PCFWALLICON.EXE
- PCCWIN98.EXE
- PAVW.EXE
- PAVSCHED.EXE
- PAVCL.EXE
- PADMIN.EXE
- OUTPOST.EXE
- NVC95.EXE
- NUPGRADE.EXE
- NORMIST.EXE
- NMAIN.EXE
- NISUM.EXE
- NAVWNT.EXE
- NAVW32.EXE
- NAVNT.EXE
- NAVLU32.EXE
- NAVAPW32.EXE
- N32SCANW.EXE
- MPFTRAY.EXE
- MOOLIVE.EXE
- LUALL.EXE
- LOOKOUT.EXE
- LOCKDOWN2000.EXE
- JEDI.EXE
- IOMON98.EXE
- IFACE.EXE
- ICSUPPNT.EXE
- ICSUPP95.EXE
- ICMON.EXE
- ICLOADNT.EXE
- ICLOAD95.EXE
- IBMAVSP.EXE
- IBMASN.EXE
- IAMSERV.EXE
- IAMAPP.EXE
- FRW.EXE
- FPROT.EXE
- FP-WIN.EXE
- FINDVIRU.EXE
- F-STOPW.EXE
- F-PROT95.EXE
- F-PROT.EXE
- F-AGNT95.EXE
- ESPWATCH.EXE
- ESAFE.EXE
- ECENGINE.EXE
- DVP95_0.EXE
- DVP95.EXE
- CLEANER3.EXE
- CLEANER.EXE
- CLAW95CF.EXE
- CLAW95.EXE
- CFINET32.EXE
- CFINET.EXE
- CFIAUDIT.EXE
- CFIADMIN.EXE
- BLACKICE.EXE
- BLACKD.EXE
- AVWUPD32.EXE
- AVWIN95.EXE
- AVSCHED32.EXE
- AVPUPD.EXE
- AVPTC32.EXE
- AVPM.EXE
- AVPDOS32.EXE
- AVPCC.EXE
- AVP32.EXE
- AVP.EXE
- AVNT.EXE
- AVKSERV.EXE
- AVGCTRL.EXE
- AVE32.EXE
- AVCONSOL.EXE
- AUTODOWN.EXE
- APVXDWIN.EXE
- ANTI-TROJAN.EXE
- ACKWIN32.EXE
- _AVPM.EXE
- _AVPCC.EXE
- _AVP32.EXE
- ZONEALARM.EXE
- Attemps to kill all the running processes that other worms have dropped:
- mspatch.exe
- penis32.exe
- msblast.exe
- scvhosl.exe
- winhlpp32.exe
- tftpd.exe
- dllhost.exe
- winppr32.exe
1. Can perform the following types of Denial of Service (DoS) attacks:
- Ping flood
- TCP SYN flood
- UDP flood
Recommendations
Symantec Security Response encourages all users and administrators to adhere to the following basic security "best practices":
- Use a firewall to block all incoming connections from the Internet to services that should not be publicly available. By default, you should deny all incoming connections and only allow services you explicitly want to offer to the outside world.
- 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.
- Ensure that programs and users of the computer use the lowest level of privileges necessary to complete a task. When prompted for a root or UAC password, ensure that the program asking for administration-level access is a legitimate application.
- Disable AutoPlay to prevent the automatic launching of executable files on network and removable drives, and disconnect the drives when not required. If write access is not required, enable read-only mode if the option is available.
- Turn off file sharing if not needed. If file sharing is required, use ACLs and password protection to limit access. Disable anonymous access to shared folders. Grant access only to user accounts with strong passwords to folders that must be shared.
- Turn off and remove unnecessary services. By default, many operating systems install auxiliary services that are not critical. These services are avenues of attack. If they are removed, threats have less avenues of attack.
- If a 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.
- Configure your email server to block or remove email that contains file attachments that are commonly used to spread threats, such as .vbs, .bat, .exe, .pif and .scr files.
- Isolate compromised computers quickly to prevent threats from spreading further. 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.
- If Bluetooth is not required for mobile devices, it should be turned off. If you require its use, ensure that the device's visibility is set to "Hidden" so that it cannot be scanned by other Bluetooth devices. If device pairing must be used, ensure that all devices are set to "Unauthorized", requiring authorization for each connection request. Do not accept applications that are unsigned or sent from unknown sources.
- For further information on the terms used in this document, please refer to the Security Response glossary.
Writeup By: Fergal Ladley
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