W32.Ackantta.G@mm mass-mailing worm

W32.Ackantta.G@mm

Discovered: July 10, 2009

Updated: July 10, 2009 10:24:09 PM

Type: Worm

Infection Length: 437,760 bytes

Systems Affected: Windows 98, Windows 95, Windows XP, Windows Me, Windows Vista, Windows NT, Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000

W32.Ackantta.G@mm is a mass-mailing worm that spreads through file-sharing programs.

Threat Assessment

Wild

• Wild Level: Low
• Number of Infections: 0 - 49
• Number of Sites: 0 - 2
• Geographical Distribution: Low
• Threat Containment: Easy
• Removal: Easy

Damage

• Damage Level: Low

Distribution

• Distribution Level: Medium
• Shared Drives: Spreads through file-sharing programs.

Discovered: July 10, 2009

Updated: July 10, 2009 10:24:09 PM

Type: Worm

Infection Length: 437,760 bytes

Systems Affected: Windows 98, Windows 95, Windows XP, Windows Me, Windows Vista, Windows NT, Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000

The worm may arrive as an email attachment as the following file:
attachment.htm.exe

Once executed, the worm copies itself as the following file:
%System%\jvshed.exe

It then creates the following files:

• %System%\drivers\[RANDOM CHARACTERS].sys
• %System%\javaload.exe
• %System%\javavm.exe
• %TEMP%\[RANDOM CHARACTERS].tmp

The worm creates the following registry entry, so that it runs every time Windows starts:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\"SunJavaUpdateSched16" = "%System%\jvshed.exe"

It then creates the following registry entries:

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\"%System%\drivers\[RANDOM CHARACTERS]" = "%System%\drivers\[RANDOM CHARACTERS].sys"
• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\"die6java" = "10"
• HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\"die6sun" = "5"

The worm creates the following registry subkey:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\JQS16

It then modifies the following registry entry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\List\"%System%\jvshed.exe" = "%System%\jvshed.exe:*:Enabled:Explorer"

The worm attempts to spread by copying itself to the following folders on the compromised computer:

• %ProgramFiles%\ICQ\Shared Folder
• %ProgramFiles%\Grokster\My Grokster
• %ProgramFiles%\EMule\Incoming
• %ProgramFiles%\Morpheus\My Shared Folder
• %ProgramFiles%\LimeWire\Shared
• %ProgramFiles%\Tesla\Files
• %ProgramFiles%\WinMX\Shared
• %SystemDrive%\Downloads

It copies itself to the above locations as the following files:

• Absolute Video Converter 6.2.exe
• Ad-aware 2009.exe
• Adobe Acrobat Reader keygen.exe
• Adobe Photoshop CS4 crack.exe
• Alcohol 120 v1.9.7.exe
• AnyDVD HD v.6.3.1.8 Beta incl crack.exe
• Avast 4.8 Professional.exe
• AVS video converter6.exe
• BitDefender AntiVirus 2009 Keygen.exe
• CheckPoint ZoneAlarm And AntiSpy.exe
• CleanMyPC Registry Cleaner v6.02.exe
• Daemon Tools Pro 4.1
• Divx Pro 6.8.0.19 + keymaker.exe
• Download Accelerator Plus v8.7.5.exe
• Download Boost 2.0.exe
• DVD Tools Nero 9 2 6 0.exe
• G-Force Platinum v3.7.5.exe
• Google Earth Pro 4.2. with Maps and crack.exe
• Grand Theft Auto IV (Offline Activation).exe
• Internet Download Manager V5.exe
• K-Lite codec pack 3.10 full.exe
• K-Lite codec pack 4.0 gold.exe
• Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 keygen.exe
• LimeWire Pro v4.18.3.exe
• Magic Video Converter 8 0 2 18.exe
• Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student keygen.exe
• Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 KeyGen.exe
• Microsoft.Windows 7 Beta1 Build 7000 x86.exe
• Motorola, nokia, ericsson mobil phone tools.exe
• Myspace theme collection.exe
• Nero 9 9.2.6.0 keygen.exe
• Norton Anti-Virus 2009 Enterprise Crack.exe
• Opera 9.62 International.exe
• PDF password remover (works with all acrobat reader).exe
• Perfect keylogger family edition with crack.exe
• Power ISO v4.2 + keygen axxo.exe
• Smart Draw 2008 keygen.exe
• Sony Vegas Pro 8 0b Build 219.exe
• Sophos antivirus updater bypass.exe
• Super Utilities Pro 2009 11.0.exe
• Total Commander7 license+keygen.exe
• Tuneup Ultilities 2008.exe
• Ultimate ring tones package1 (Beethoven,Bach, Baris Manco,Lambada,Chopin, Greensleves).exe
• Ultimate ring tones package2 (Lil Wayne - Way Of Life,Khia - My Neck My Back Like My Pussy And My Crack,Mario - Let Me Love You,R. Kelly - The Worlds Greatest).exe
• Ultimate ring tones package3 (Crazy In Love, U Got It Bad, 50 Cent - P.I.M.P, Jennifer Lopez Feat. Ll Cool J - All I Have, 50 Cent - 21 Question).exe
• VmWare keygen.exe
• Winamp.Pro.v6.53.PowerPack.Portable+installer.exe
• Windows 2008 Enterprise Server VMWare Virtual Machine.exe
• Windows XP PRO Corp SP3 valid-key generator.exe
• Windows2008 keygen and activator.exe
• WinRAR v3.x keygen RaZoR.exe
• Youtube Music Downloader 1.0.exe

The worm connects to the following URL to get the IP address of the compromised computer:
http://whatismyip.com/automation/n09230945.asp

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.

Palin E-Mail Hacker Faces Additional Charges

David Kernell, accused of stealing Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's password and posting her e-mail during the presidential campaign, faces new federal charges. The added counts came after records were deleted from Kernell's laptop. The University of Tennessee student has pleaded not guilty in the Palin case and faces up to 20 years in jail.

Source: NewsFactor.com

Gmail down; Outage could last 36 hours for some

Looks like recommending gmail may not be such that good of a solution.

Actually, the failure analysis is an interesting case study in Disaster Recovery.

Source: ComputerWorld.com

Obama BlackBerry Email Security Issue

President elect Obama may have to give up his Blackberry when he starts his new job at the White House. The concern comes in the form of e-mail security. In addition to concerns about e-mail security, he faces the Presidential Records Act, which puts his correspondence in the official record and ultimately up for public review, and the threat of subpoenas.

A decision has not officially been made on whether he could become the first e-mailing president, but aides said that seemed doubtful.

Sarah Palin’s Unauthorized Email Access: An Update

On September 17, 2008, an email account used by US vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin was breached by a hacker. The contents of her emails, including private photos, were then posted online by someone called "anonymous," stating the aim was to "derail her campaign." The son of a prominent Tennessee politician, twenty-year-old college student David Kernell, has now had his apartment and computer searched by the FBI and he remains the only named suspect in the case.

Kernell (20) is the son of Mike Kernell, a Democratic state representative from Memphis. The FBI and Secret Service launched a formal investigation on September 17 into the hacking of one of Palin’s Yahoo email accounts.

As more detailed information is released, I will share it with you all.

Behind Sarah Palin’s E-Mail Breach

From: SecurityOrb.com


Email security in one of the most overlooked issue end users often neglect when implementing security on their systems. This may be due to the complexity of what occurs from the time you login to your email account, write an email and send it off to its destination point. Did you know that when you send email messages, they do not go directly to recipient mailboxes? Internet Service Providers (ISPs) stores copies of all your email messages on its mail servers before it tries to deliver them.

Just recently, hackers broke into the Yahoo! Email account of The Republican Vice-Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin. She used her Yahoo! Email for official business as Alaska's governor and the hackers posted some of her email content on the Internet. The FBI and Secret Service are investigating this matter. Industry best practices usually shy away from using free email services such as Yahoo, Hotmail and Gmail to conduct sensitive, governmental and private company business. This is why Palin has taken criticism for using private email to conduct government business, which some critics feel it is a way to circumvent various public record laws.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) stated, an investigation will begin into the group who hacked into Sarah Palin’s email and posted messages on the internet. Intercept of private email communication - even of a public figure - is a federal offense. Not only can the original hackers be charged, but all those who posted the messages as well.

Rick Davis, John McCain's campaign manager, issued this statement about reports that Sarah Palin's personal email has been hacked:
"This is a shocking invasion of the Governor's privacy and a violation of law. The matter has been turned over to the appropriate authorities and we hope that anyone in possession of these emails will destroy them. We will have no further comment."

SecurityOrb.com has posted seven (7) tips to aid users in conducting better email security practices:

1. Properly log out of your email program when you are done. Do not just exit out of the browser.
2. Clear cache, history and passwords when you are done, especially at public computers
3. Limit the amount of personal and financial information via email
4. Do not share your account with another user
5. Do not use simple and easy to guess passwords
6. Use encryption when necessary
7. Properly exit out of the browser when you have logged out of the email application.

Sarah Palin’s E-Mail Breach

Hackers broke into the Yahoo! email account that Sarah Palin used for official business as Alaska's governor and posted some content on the Internet. The FBI and Secret Service are investigating. Palin has taken criticism for using private email to conduct government business, which some critics charge is a way to circumvent public record laws.

Per a contact with the DOJ, an investigation will begin into the group who hacked into Sarah Palin’s email and posted messages on the internet. Intercept of private email communication - even of a public figure - is a federal offense. Not only can the original hackers be charged, but all those who posted the messages as well.

Rick Davis, John McCain's campaign manager, issued this statement a few moments ago about reports that Sarah Palin's personal email has been hacked:
"This is a shocking invasion of the Governor's privacy and a violation of law. The matter has been turned over to the appropriate authorities and we hope that anyone in possession of these emails will destroy them. We will have no further comment."