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How to Detect and Remove Gaobot.YN Worm?
What is the Gaobot.YN worm?

Gaobot.YN is a variant of Gaobot.gen that attempts to spread to network shares and allows access to an infected computer through an IRC channel.

The worm uses multiple vulnerabilities to spread, including:

Gaobot.YN is packed with UPX and IHMOWrap3.
How Does Gaobot.YN Infect My System?

When Gaobot.YN runs, it does the following:

  1. Copies itself as %System%\regsvs.exe.

  2. Adds the value:

    "Compatibility Service Process" = "regsvs.exe"

    to the registry keys:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
    RunServices

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run


  3. Opens a randomly selected TCP port to connect to an attacker.

  4. Connects to a predefined IRC channel, using its own IRC client, and listens for the commands from an attacker.

  5. Allows an attacker 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 system information
    • Send the worm to other IRC users
    • Add new accounts

  6. Remotely schedules a task to run the worm on a newly infected computer.

  7. Randomly calculates an IP address and performs a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack against targeted systems.

  8. Acts as a proxy server to direct attacks from another machine.

  9. 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.

  10. Probes the following shares:
    • admin$
    • c$
    • d$
    • e$
    • print$

      using the following user names and passwords, as well as any user names found using NetUserEnum():

      User names:
    • a
    • aaa
    • abc
    • admin
    • Admin
    • Administrador
    • administrador
    • Administrateur
    • ......

      Passwords:
    • 0
    • 7
    • 12
    • 23
    • 42
    • 69
    • ......

  11. Copies itself to any systems it compromised using the previously mentioned exploits.

  12. Drops Backdoor.Gaobot to the compromised network shares, and then executes it.

  13. Steals the CD keys of the following games:
    • Battlefield 1942
    • Battlefield 1942 Secret Weapons of WWII
    • Battlefield 1942 The Road to Rome
    • Command & Conquer Generals
    • Counter-Strike
    • FIFA 2002
    • FIFA 2003
    • Half-Life
    • Legends of Might and Magic
    • Nascar Racing 2002
    • Nascar Racing 2003
    • Need For Speed Hot Pursuit 2
    • Neverwinter
    • NHL 2002
    • NHL 2003
    • Project IGI 2
    • Rainbow Six III RavenShield
    • Red Alert
    • Red Alert 2
    • Soldier of Fortune II - Double Helix
    • The Gladiators
    • Tiberian Sun
    • Unreal Tournament 2003
    • Westwood\Nox

  14. Creates or overwrites the %System%\Drivers\Etc\Hosts file with the text:
    • 127.0.0.1 localhost
    • 127.0.0.1 avp.com
    • 127.0.0.1 ca.com
    • 127.0.0.1 customer.symantec.com
    • 127.0.0.1 dispatch.mcafee.com
    • 127.0.0.1 download.mcafee.com
    • 127.0.0.1 f-secure.com
    • 127.0.0.1 kaspersky.com
    • 127.0.0.1 liveupdate.symantec.com
    • 127.0.0.1 liveupdate.symantecliveupdate.com
    • 127.0.0.1 mast.mcafee.com
    • 127.0.0.1 mcafee.com
    • 127.0.0.1 my-etrust.com
    • 127.0.0.1 nai.com
    • 127.0.0.1 networkassociates.com
    • 127.0.0.1 rads.mcafee.com
    • 127.0.0.1 secure.nai.com
    • 127.0.0.1 securityresponse.symantec.com
    • 127.0.0.1 sophos.com
    • 127.0.0.1 symantec.com
    • 127.0.0.1 trendmicro.com
    • 127.0.0.1 update.symantec.com
    • 127.0.0.1 updates.symantec.com
    • 127.0.0.1 us.mcafee.com
    • 127.0.0.1 viruslist.com
    • 127.0.0.1 viruslist.com
    • 127.0.0.1 www.avp.com
    • 127.0.0.1 www.ca.com
    • 127.0.0.1 www.f-secure.com
    • 127.0.0.1 www.grisoft.com
    • 127.0.0.1 www.kaspersky.com
    • 127.0.0.1 www.mcafee.com
    • 127.0.0.1 www.my-etrust.com
    • 127.0.0.1 www.nai.com
    • 127.0.0.1 www.networkassociates.com
    • 127.0.0.1 www.sophos.com
    • 127.0.0.1 www.symantec.com
    • 127.0.0.1 www.trendmicro.com
    • 127.0.0.1 www.viruslist.com

  15. Connects to an IRC channel and awaits commands. The worm recognizes a large number of commands and can be instructed (among other things) to:
    • Run commands
    • Retrieve files via FTP and HTTP
    • Restart the computer
    • List processes
    • Kill a particular process
    • Perform HTTP, ICMP, SYN, and UDP floods
    • Retrieve email addresses stored on the computer
    • Retrieve a list of email addresses via HTTP
    • Retrieve a given URL
    • Measure the speed of its Internet connection by sending HTTP GET request to the following hosts:
      • de.yahoo.com
      • nitro.ucsc.edu
      • verio.fr
      • www.1und1.de
      • www.above.net
      • www.belwue.de
      • www.burst.net
      • www.cogentco.com
      • www.d1asia.com
      • www.level3.com
      • www.lib.nthu.edu.tw
      • www.nifty.com
      • www.nocster.com
      • www.rit.edu
      • www.schlund.net
      • www.st.lib.keio.ac.jp
      • www.stanford.edu
      • www.switch.ch
      • www.utwente.nl
      • www.verio.com
      • www.xo.net
      • yahoo.co.jp

    • Sniff HTTP, FTP, and IRC traffic
    • Disable other worms by deleting their files and associated registry values, and by terminating their processes

  16. Ends the following processes associated with antivirus and firewall software:
    • _AVP32.EXE
    • _AVPCC.EXE
    • _AVPM.EXE
    • 53ARCH.EXE
    • ACKWIN32.EXE
    • ADAWARE.EXE
    • ADVXDWIN.EXE
    • AGENTSVR.EXE
    • ......

  17. Listens on randomly calculated ports (within the range of 1000, and one from above 10000) and waits for other computers to download the worm.
How to Remove the Gaobot.YN worm?

Kaspersky Internet Security Can Prevent You From Virus and Intrusion. If Kaspersky detects Gaobot.YN during the scan, it will AUTOMATICALLY offer you the option of deleting it. Do this by following the program's instructions.

1. Disabling System Restore (Windows Me/XP)
If you are running Windows Me or Windows XP, we recommend that you temporarily turn off System Restore. Windows Me/XP uses this feature, which is enabled by default, to restore the files on your computer in case they become damaged. If a virus, worm, or Trojan infects a computer, System Restore may back up the virus, worm, or Trojan on the computer.

For instructions on how to turn off System Restore, read your Windows documentation, or one of the following articles: How to Disable System Restore in Windows ME or Windows XP.

2. Restarting the computer in Safe mode or VGA mode

Shut down the computer and turn off the power. Wait for at least 30 seconds, and then restart the computer in Safe mode or VGA mode.

  • For Windows 95, 98, Me, 2000, or XP users, restart the computer in Safe mode. 
  • For Windows NT 4 users, restart the computer in VGA mode.



3. Reversing the changes made to the registry

  • Click Start, and then click Run. (The Run dialog box appears.)
  • Type regedit

    Then click OK. (The Registry Editor opens.)

  • Navigate to the key:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

  • In the right pane, delete the value:

    "Compatibility Service Process" = "regsvs.exe"

  • Do one of the following:
    • Windows NT/2000/XP: Proceed with step h.
    • Windows 95/98/Me: Go to step f.

  • Navigate to the key:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices

  • In the right pane, delete the value:

    "Compatibility Service Process" = "
    regsvs.exe"

  • Exit the Registry Editor.

  • Restart the computer in Normal mode.

4. Updating the virus definitions

If you do not know which anti-virus software can provide strong protection for you, Kaspersky Internet Security is recommended.

5. Scanning for and deleting the infected files

  1. Start your Kaspersky Internet Security and make sure that it is configured to scan all the files.
  2. Run a full system scan.
  3. If any files are detected as infected with Gaobot.YN, click Delete.
6. Removing the DNS entries that were added to the Windows Hosts file
  1. Using Windows Explorer, browse to the C:\Winnt\System32\Drivers\Etc folder. (This folder does not exist on all the systems.)
  2. If the folder does exist, look for the Hosts file.
  3. If the Hosts file exists, double-click the file.
  4. When the "Open With" dialog box appears, scroll through the list and select Notepad. Do not check the "Always open this program with. . ." box.
  5. Within the file, delete all the lines except for 127.0.0.1 localhost.
  6. Save the Hosts file.
How to Disinfect My Computer from Worms?

In order to keep your computer protected, bear the following tips in mind:

  1. If you have filtering tools installed, configure them to reject messages with the characteristics described above. If, in spite of doing this, you receive the message that contains the virus: do not open it, do not run the attached file and delete it, making sure that you also delete it from the Deleted Items folder.
  2. Install a good antivirus in your computer. Select Kaspersky Internet Security to get the Kaspersky antivirus solution that best suits your needs.
  3. Keep your antivirus updated. If automatic updates are available, configure your antivirus to use them.
  4. Keep your permanent antivirus protection enabled at all times.
Detect and Removal Instruction for Other Variants:
More Detection and Removal Instructions for Worms
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