W32/Forbot-ED

Please follow the instructions for removing worms.

W32/Forbot-ED is an IRC backdoor and network worm for the Windows platform.

In order to run automatically when Windows starts up the worm moves itself to the Windows system folder as winmms32.exe.exe and creates the following registry entries:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Windows Network Controller
winmms32.exe.exe

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
Windows Network Controller
winmms32.exe.exe

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices
Windows Network Controller
winmms32.exe.exe

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Windows Network Controller
winmms32.exe.exe

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
Windows Network Controller
winmms32.exe.exe

W32/Forbot-ED also creates its own service named "Win32", with the display name "Windows Network Controller".

Once installed, W32/Forbot-ED connects to a preconfigured IRC server and joins a channel from which an attacker can issue further commands. These commands can cause the infected machine to perform any of the following actions:

flood a remote host (by either ping or HTTP)
start a SOCKS proxy server
start an HTTP server
start an FTP server
portscan randomly-chosen IP addresses
execute arbitrary commands
steal information such as passwords and product keys
upload/download files

The worm can spread to unpatched machines affected by the LSASS vulnerability (see MS04-011) and through backdoors left open by the Troj/Optix Trojans.