Detection Names :	Win32.Sality.OG, Application.Findkeyxp.F, Spyware.Pws.A, Virus.Win32.Sality.aa
Aliases :	W32/Sality.gen (McAfee) PE_SALITY.BU (Trend Micro) PSWTool.Win32.RAS (Other) Virus:Win32/Sality.AM (Microsoft) W32.Sality.AE (Symantec)
Category:	Malware
Type:	Virus
Platform:	W32

A program that secretly and maliciously integrates itself into program or data files. It spreads by integrating itself into more files each time the host program is run.

Allow F-Secure Anti-Virus to disinfect the relevant files.

For more general information on disinfection, please see Removal Instructions.

Virus:W32/Sality.AA is an appending file infector virus that uses an entry point obscuring technique to hide its presence on the system.

The virus attempts to terminate running antivirus programs. It can also download and install additional malware on the system.

Installation

The following file may be dropped on the system:

The file is detected as Virus.Win32.Sality.ab.

It will copy itself to removable drives and shared folders as one of the following :

An autorun.inf file will be created on the drive so that the malware will be executed when it is connected to a computer. It also modifies %windir%\SYSTEM.INI by adding the following section :

Infection

Once on the system, the virus searches the hard disk (starting with C:\) and infects any files with the following extensions:

It also infects files with .EXE extensions that are referenced as data in the following registry keys:

The virus appends itself by creating a new 73728 bytes sized section named "[random characters]data". The section contains Sality.AA's obfuscated code.

Entry Point Obscuration

On infection, the first 327 bytes from the file's entry point are overwritten with deobfuscation code. If the user executes the infected file, Sality.AA restores the original entry point code and launches the program in order to mask its presence.

Registry

When run, Sality.AA creates a mutex to ensure only one instance is running. It then modifies a large range of registry entries. The virus attempts to disable processes and services containing strings related to major antivirus software.

Network Connection

The malware connects to the following website to verify an Internet connection :

The malware may connect to the following sites to download and execute additional malware :

Downloaded files are encrypted. They are unencrypted by the malware to the %temp% folder and executed.

The following URLs may possibly be used to get further instructions:

• op1mutx9

• HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
  GlobalUserOffline = 6684751
• HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system
  EnableLUA = 6422625
  [Vista User Access Control Disabled]
• HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
  FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\List
  [malware path] = [malware path]:*:Enabled:ipsec
  [Windows Firewall Disabled]
• HKCU\Software\user914\1214104697
  1919251317 = 3276857
• HKCU\Software\user914\1214104697
  -456464662 = 3407926
• HKCU\Software\user914\1214104697
  1462786655 = 3604530
• HKCU\Software\user914\1214104697
  -912929324 = 3735602
• HKCU\Software\user914\1214104697
  1006321993 = 3342390
• HKCU\Software\user914\1214104697
  -1369393986 = 0600687474703A2F2F7777772E6D7573696B72616A742E736B2F6D61696E662E
  67696600687474703A2F2F6D616365646F6E69612E6D79312E72752F6D61696E682E676966006874
  74703A2F2F6A7273782E6A72652E6E65742E636E2F6C6F676F732E67696600687474
• HKCU\Software\user914\1214104697
  549857331 = 865E52A75BF33F5D5AA15DAFA722193EDDA8540E6C496C04CF492EF296AFD1AFD
  EDBC79CEA25E0F6F53B2D9CC0FA963F3A4CC745615E85AFE1E18AEA7E620D11174F3892E84
  B5B5DD288784938E304B2D65C454E833D6AF929809110987E5B4B3E4D581071DA4948CB9F84
• HKCU\Software\user914
  u1_0 = 655360
• HKCU\Software\user914
  u2_0 = 655360
• HKCU\Software\user914
  u3_0 = 655360
• HKCU\Software\user914
  u4_0 = 655360
• HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Tracing\FWCFG
  EnableFileTracing = 7471188
• HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Tracing\FWCFG
  EnableConsoleTracing = 7471188
• HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Tracing\FWCFG
  FileTracingMask = 7209065
• HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Tracing\FWCFG
  ConsoleTracingMask = 7209065
• HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Tracing\FWCFG
  MaxFileSize = 7077993
• HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Tracing\FWCFG
  FileDirectory = %windir%\tracing
• HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile
  EnableFirewall = 7471209
  [Windows Firewall Disabled]
• HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile
  DoNotAllowExceptions = 7340133
• HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
  Hidden = 4718592
• HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system
  DisableTaskMgr = 6357076
  [Task Manager Disabled]
• HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system
  DisableRegistryTools = 7929970
  [Registry Editor Disabled]
• HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center
  AntiVirusOverride = 6619254
• HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center
  AntiVirusDisableNotify = 5111909
  [Alerts for no Antivirus Disabled]
• HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center
  FirewallDisableNotify = 5111909
  [Alerts for no Firewall Disabled]
• HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center
  FirewallOverride = 6619254
• HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center
  UpdatesDisableNotify = 5111909
  [Alerts for no Windows-Updates Disabled]
• HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center
  UacDisableNotify = 5111909
• HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center\Svc
  AntiVirusOverride = 6619254
• HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center\Svc
  AntiVirusDisableNotify = 5111909
  [Alerts for no Antivirus Disabled]
• HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center\Svc
  FirewallDisableNotify = 5111909
  [Alerts for no Firewall Disabled]
• HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center\Svc
  FirewallOverride = 6619254
• HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center\Svc
  UpdatesDisableNotify = 5111909
  [Alerts for no Windows-Updates Disabled]
• HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center\Svc
  UacDisableNotify = 5111909