W32/Mytob-CQ

Please follow the instructions for removing worms.

Replace the Hosts file from a backup or edit it in Notepad to remove the changes that the worm has made.

You will also need to edit the following registry entries, if they are present. Please read the warning about editing the registry.

At the taskbar, click Start|Run. Type 'Regedit' and press Return. The registry editor opens.

Before you edit the registry, you should make a backup. On the 'Registry' menu, click 'Export Registry File'. In the 'Export range' panel, click 'All', then save your registry as Backup.

Locate the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE entries:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices

and remove any reference to any file you deleted.

Each user has a registry area named HKEY_USERS\[code number indicating user]\. For each user locate the entry:

HKU\[code number]\Software\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Run\

and remove any reference to any file you deleted.

Close the registry editor.

W32/Mytob-CQ is a mass-mailing worm and backdoor Trojan that can be controlled through the Internet Relay Chat (IRC) network.

W32/Mytob-CQ drops a file called hellmsn.exe (detected by Sophos as W32/Mytob-D). This component attempts to spread the worm by sending files through Windows Messenger to all online contacts.

The following patch for the operating system vulnerability exploited by W32/Mytob-CQ can be obtained from the Microsoft website:

LSASS (MS04-011) security vulnerability W32/Mytob-CQ is a mass-mailing worm and backdoor Trojan that can be controlled through the Internet Relay Chat (IRC) network.

When first run W32/Mytob-CQ copies itself to the Windows system folder as ehshell.exe and bingoo.exe and creates the following registry entries:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Ole
WIN
ehshell.exe

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Ole
WIN
ehshell.exe

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa
WIN
ehshell.exe

HKCU\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa
WIN
ehshell.exe

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices
WIN
ehshell.exe

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
WIN
ehshell.exe

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
WIN
ehshell.exe

W32/Mytob-CQ copies itself to the root folder as:

funny_pic.scr
my_photo2005.scr
see_this!!.scr

and drops a file called hellmsn.exe (detected by Sophos as W32/Mytob-D) in the same location. This component attempts to spread the worm by sending files through Windows Messenger to all online contacts.

W32/Mytob-CQ also appends the following to the HOSTS file to deny access to security related websites:

127.0.0.1 www.symantec.com
127.0.0.1 securityresponse.symantec.com
127.0.0.1 symantec.com
127.0.0.1 www.sophos.com
127.0.0.1 sophos.com
127.0.0.1 www.mcafee.com
127.0.0.1 mcafee.com
127.0.0.1 liveupdate.symantecliveupdate.com
127.0.0.1 www.viruslist.com
127.0.0.1 viruslist.com
127.0.0.1 viruslist.com
127.0.0.1 f-secure.com
127.0.0.1 www.f-secure.com
127.0.0.1 kaspersky.com
127.0.0.1 www.avp.com
127.0.0.1 www.kaspersky.com
127.0.0.1 avp.com
127.0.0.1 www.networkassociates.com
127.0.0.1 networkassociates.com
127.0.0.1 www.ca.com
127.0.0.1 ca.com
127.0.0.1 mast.mcafee.com
127.0.0.1 my-etrust.com
127.0.0.1 www.my-etrust.com
127.0.0.1 download.mcafee.com
127.0.0.1 dispatch.mcafee.com
127.0.0.1 secure.nai.com
127.0.0.1 nai.com
127.0.0.1 www.nai.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 liveupdate.symantec.com
127.0.0.1 customer.symantec.com
127.0.0.1 rads.mcafee.com
127.0.0.1 trendmicro.com
127.0.0.1 www.microsoft.com
127.0.0.1 www.trendmicro.com

W32/Mytob-CQ is capable of spreading through email and through various operating system vulnerabilities such as LSASS (MS04-011). Email sent by W32/Mytob-CQ has the following characteristics:

Subject line chosen from:

Good day
hello
Mail Delivery System
Mail Transaction Failed
Server Report
Status
Error

Message text chosen from:

'Mail transaction failed. Partial message is available.'
'The message contains Unicode characters and has been sent as a binary attachment.
'The message cannot be represented in 7-bit ASCII encoding and has been sent as a binary attachment.'
'The original message was included as an attachment.'
'Here are your banks documents.'

The attached file consists of a base name followed by the extentions PIF, SCR, EXE or ZIP. The worm may optionally create double extensions where the first extension is DOC, TXT or HTM and the final extension is PIF, SCR, EXE or ZIP.

W32/Mytob-CQ harvests email addresses from files on the infected computer and from the Windows address book as well as the Microsoft Internet Account Manager.

W32/Mytob-CQ also drops a file 2pac.txt in the Windows System folder. This file may be deleted.

The following patch for the operating system vulnerability exploited by W32/Mytob-CQ can be obtained from the Microsoft website:

LSASS (MS04-011) security vulnerability