Worm:W32/Netsky

The details below describe the Netsky.A variant; this variant was first found on 16th of February 2004.

Netsky.A was initially sent out in numerous seed emails. The worm spreads itself inside a ZIP archive file attached to email messages or as an executable attachment.

Netsky.A also copies itself to the shared folders of all available drives, allowing it to spread in peer-to-peer (P2P) and local networks.

Installation

When the worm's file is run, it first shows a fake error message box:

Error The file could not be opened!

Then the worm copies itself to Windows directory with SERVICES.EXE name and creates a startup key for this file in System Registry:

• [HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] "service" = "%windir%\services.exe -serv"

where %windir% represents Windows directory

At the same time the worm also attempts to delete the following key values:

• [HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] "Taskmon" "Explorer" "system." "KasperskyAv"
• [HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] "Taskmon" "Explorer"
• [HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices] "system."
• [HKCR\CLSID\{E6FB5E20-DE35-11CF-9C87-00AA005127ED}\InProcServer32]

Propagation (Local)

If the worm finds a folder with the 'sharing' or 'share' name, it copies itself to that folder with the following names:

• winxp_crack.exe
• dolly_buster.jpg.pif
• strippoker.exe
• photoshop 9 crack.exe
• matrix.scr
• porno.scr
• angels.pif
• hardcore porn.jpg.exe
• office_crack.exe
• serial.txt.exe
• cool screensaver.scr
• eminem - lick my pussy.mp3.pif
• nero.7.exe
• virii.scr
• e-book.archive.doc.exe
• max payne 2.crack.exe
• how to hack.doc.exe
• programming basics.doc.exe
• e.book.doc.exe
• win longhorn.doc.exe
• dictionary.doc.exe
• rfc compilation.doc.exe
• sex sex sex sex.doc.exe
• doom2.doc.pif

Propagation (email)

When Internet connection is available, the worm starts to spread itself. It creates ZIP archives with its file in Windows directory. The names of these ZIP archives are the same as the names of worm's files inside:

• prod_info_04155.bat
• prod_info_54234.scr
• prod_info_42313.pif
• prod_info_33462.cmd
• prod_info_49541.exe
• prod_info_04650.bat
• prod_info_54739.scr
• prod_info_42818.pif
• prod_info_33967.cmd
• prod_info_49146.exe
• prod_info_54235.scr
• prod_info_42314.pif
• prod_info_54433.doc.exe
• prod_info_47532.doc.scr
• prod_info_43631.doc.exe
• prod_info_56780.doc.exe
• prod_info_43859.htm.scr
• prod_info_87968.htm.scr
• prod_info_34157.htm.exe
• prod_info_77256.txt.scr
• prod_info_33325.txt.exe
• prod_info_56474.txt.exe
• prod_info_33543.rtf.scr
• prod_info_65642.rtf.scr
• prod_info_55761.rtf.exe

The worm spreads itself in emails as a ZIP attachment or as an attachment with one of the above shown names. The infected emails sent by the worm look like :

From: EBay Auctions or Yahoo Auctions or Amazon automail or MSN Auctions or QXL Auctions or Ebay Auctions Subject: Auction successful! Body: #----------------- message was sent by automail agent ------------------# Congratulations! You were successful in the auction. Auction ID [random number] Product ID [random number] A detailed description about the product and the bill are attached to this mail. Please contact the seller immediately Thank you!

The worm's file is attached to the infected email inside a ZIP archive or as an normal binary file. The following ZIP attachent names are used by the worm:

• prod_info_04155.zip
• prod_info_54234.zip
• prod_info_42313.zip
• prod_info_33462.zip
• prod_info_49541.zip
• prod_info_04650.zip
• prod_info_54739.zip
• prod_info_42818.zip
• prod_info_33967.zip
• prod_info_49146.zip
• prod_info_54235.zip
• prod_info_42314.zip
• prod_info_54433.zip
• prod_info_47532.zip
• prod_info_43631.zip
• prod_info_56780.zip
• prod_info_43859.zip
• prod_info_87968.zip
• prod_info_34157.zip
• prod_info_77256.zip
• prod_info_33325.zip
• prod_info_56474.zip
• prod_info_33543.zip
• prod_info_65642.zip
• prod_info_55761.zip

The worm sends the prepared infectious emails to email addresses sourced from the computer. To find these targets, the worm scans files with the following extensions on all available drives (c:-z:) except CD-ROM drives:

• .msg
• .oft
• .sht
• .dbx
• .tbb
• .adb
• .doc
• .wab
• .asp
• .uin
• .rtf
• .vbs
• .html
• .htm
• .pl
• .php
• .txt
• .eml

A recipient has to unpack the worm's attachment from a ZIP archive and run it to get infected.