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Last Updated on: May 13, 2003 05:25:55 AM
W32.HLLW.Fizzer@mm is a mass-mailing worm that sends itself to all contacts in the Windows Address Book. It contains a backdoor that uses mIRC to communicate with a remote attacker. It also contains a keylogger and attempts to spread through the KaZaA file-sharing network. The worm attempts to terminate the process of various antivirus programs if they are found to be active.
Due to the number of submissions received from customers, Symantec Security Response is upgrading this threat from a Category 2 to a Category 3 threat.
NOTE: Virus definitions dated 5/9/2003 were posted as LiveUpdate definitions on 5/12/2003 in response to the upgrade.
Symantec Security Response has created a tool to remove W32.HLLW.Fizzer@mm. Click here to obtain the tool.
Also Known As: W32/Fizzer@MM [McAfee], Win32.Fizzer [CA], W32/Fizzer-A [Sophos], WORM_FIZZER.A [Trend], Fizzer [F-Secure], Win32/Fizzer.A@mm [RAV], I-Worm.Fizzer [KAV]
Type: Worm
Infection Length: 241,664 bytes
Systems Affected: Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Me
Systems Not Affected: Macintosh, OS/2, UNIX, Linux
Virus Definitions (Intelligent Updater) *
May 09, 2003
Virus Definitions (LiveUpdate™) **
May 09, 2003
*
Intelligent Updater virus definitions are released daily, but require manual download and installation.
Click here to download manually.
**
LiveUpdate virus definitions are usually released every Wednesday.
Click here for instructions on using LiveUpdate.
Wild:
Number of infections: 50 - 999
Number of sites: More than 10
Geographical distribution: Medium
Threat containment: Moderate
Removal: Moderate
Threat Metrics
Wild:
Medium
Damage:
Medium
Distribution:
High
Damage
Payload: Various backdoor capabilities
Large scale e-mailing: Sends itself to all contacts in the Windows Address Book.
Compromises security settings: Attempts to terminate processes of various antivirus programs.
Distribution
Subject of email: varies
Name of attachment: varies with .com, .exe, .pif, or .scr file extension
Size of attachment: varies
Ports: 81, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
Shared drives: Attempts to spread via the KaZaA file-sharing network.
When W32.HLLW.Fizzer@mm runs, it does the following,
1. Copies itself as
%windir%iservc.exe
%windir%initbak.dat
NOTE: %Windir% is a variable. The worm locates the Windows installation folder (by default, this is C:Windows or C:Winnt) and copies itself to that location.
2. Creates the following files,
%windir%ProgOp.exe (15,360 bytes)
%windir%iservc.dll (7,680 bytes), which is the keylogger component of the worm
%windir%data1-2.cab, which contains encrypted email addresses that the worm finds on the infected machine
%windir%iservc.dat
%windir%Uninstall.pky
%windir%upd.bin
NOTE: Those files are not viral by themselves. Therefore, Symantec antivirus products do not detect them. You should delete them manually if you are infected with this worm.
3. Adds a value
SystemInit=%windir%iservc.exe
to the registry key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun
so that the worm runs when you restart Windows.
4. Launches iservc.exe as a process upon startup.
5. Modifies the default value of the registry key
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareCLASSES xtfileshellopencommand
to
@=%windir%ProgOp.exe 0 7 '%windir%notepad.exe %1''%windir%initbak.dat''iservc.exe'
6. Attempts to end any processes whose names contain one of the following strings:
NAV
SCAN
AVP
TASKM
VIRUS
F-PROT
VSHW
ANTIV
VSS
NMAIN
7. Creates a mutex SparkyMutex to allow only one instance of the worm run in the system.
8. Attempts to connect to many IRC servers using many different user names that are carried by the worm, then waits for the command from the hacker. Here are some IRC servers the worm attempts to connect to:
irc.awesomechat.net
irc.blueshadownet.org
irc.chatlands.org
irc.darkmyst.org
irc.hemmet.chalmers.se
irc.exodusirc.net
irc.mirc.gr
9. Keylogs all keystrokes to an encrypted file %windir%iservc.klg.
10. Copies itself to the KaZaA file download directory as a random filename in an attempt to spread through the file-sharing network.
11. Runs as an HTTP server on port 81.
12. Uses ports 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 for additional backdoor functionality.
13. Attempts to connect to Geocities sites to obtain updates. At this time none of these sites are available.
14. Retrieves email addresses from the Windows Address Book, cookie files, Internet temporary files, and files in current user's personal folder. The worm uses current MAPI program to send itself to all email addresses it finds. It may spoof the sender's name and email address. The email has the following characteristics,
Subject: The subject line is randomly chosen from a list carried by the worm. It may be one of the following:
I thought this was interesting...
rather psychedelic...
found this on the net, you might like it...
discothèque
imbrue
Damn it feels good to be gangsta.
The way I feel - Remy Shand
Paradigm Shift
WASSUP!
Know Thyself
Hell
I love you
Please discard if you don't like or agree with our present leadership...
little popup remover
B cannot remember
Yo, WASSUP, B?
an interesting program...
You might not appreciate this...
I think you might find this amusing...
LOL
check this out... hehehe
question...
see you tomorrow.
how are you?
you need to lose weight.
why?
kind of simple, but fun nonetheless.
check it out.
Message: The message body is randomly chosen from a list carried by the worm. It may be one of the following:
I sent this program (Sparky) from anonymous places on the net.
The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.
There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance.
Watchin' the game, having a bud.
Did you ever stop to think that viruses are good for the economy? Maybe the primary creators of the world's worst viruses are the companies that make the Anti-Virus software.
Today is a good day to die...
so, how are you?
the attachment is only for you to look at
you must not show this to anyone...
delete this as soon as you look at it...
Let me know what you think of this...
If you don't like it, just delete it.
thought I'd let you know
you don't have to if you don't want to.
Attachment: The attachment name is randomly generated. It has one of the following extensions
.exe
.pif
.com
.scr
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 using the W32.HLLW.Fizzer Removal Tool
This is the easiest way to remove this threat. Symantec Security Response has created a W32.HLLW.Fizzer Removal Tool.
Manual Removal
As an alternative to using the removal tool, you can manually remove this threat.
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.HLLW.Fizzer@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. Read How to update virus definition files using the Intelligent Updater for detailed instructions.
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.HLLW.Fizzer@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_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun
d. In the right pane, delete the value:
SystemInit=%windir%iservc.exe
e. Navigate to the key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareCLASSES xtfileshellopencommand
f. In the right pane, modify the default value to:
notepad.exe %1
g. Exit the Registry Editor.
Symantec ManHunt
To specifically detect this threat as W32.HLLW.Fizzer@mm, Symantec recommends that you use a Symantec ManHunt product to activate the HYBRID MODE function and apply the following custom rules:
*******************start file********************
alert tcp any any -> any any (msg:W32.HLLW.Fizzer@mm;
content:M|00|i|00|c|00|r|00|o|00|s|00|o|00|f|00|t|00|(|00|R|00|)|00| |00|
W|00|i|00|n|00|d|00|o|00|w|00|s|00| |00|(|00|R|00|)|00| |00|
S|00|y|00|s|00|t|00|e|00|m|00| |00|I|00|n|00|i|00|t;
nocase; content:l|00|s|00|e|00|r|00|v|00|c|00|.|00|e|00|x|00|e; nocase;)
alert udp any any -> any any (msg:W32.HLLW.Fizzer@mm;
content:M|00|i|00|c|00|r|00|o|00|s|00|o|00|f|00|t|00|(|00|R|00|)|00| |00|
W|00|i|00|n|00|d|00|o|00|w|00|s|00| |00|(|00|R|00|)|00| |00|
S|00|y|00|s|00|t|00|e|00|m|00| |00|I|00|n|00|i|00|t;
nocase; content:l|00|s|00|e|00|r|00|v|00|c|00|.|00|e|00|x|00|e; nocase;)
alert tcp any any -> any 25 (msg:W32.HLLW.Fizzer@mm;
content:AHMAZQByAHYAYwAuAGUAeABl;)
alert tcp any any -> any 25 (msg:W32.HLLW.Fizzer@mm;
content:AGwAcwBlAHIAdgBjAC4AZQB4;)
alert tcp any any -> any 25 (msg:W32.HLLW.Fizzer@mm;
content:AbABzAGUAcgB2AGMALgBlAHg;)
*************EOF*********************
will trigger on propagation of the worm through Kazaa and SMTP. For more information on how to create custom signatures, refer to the Symantec ManHunt Administrative Guide: Appendix A Custom Signatures for HYBRID Mode.
Revision History:
May 12, 2003: Updated technical description with additional information.
http://securityresponse1.symantec.com/sarc/sarc.nsf/html/w32.hllw.fizzer@mm.html
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