W32/Rbot-ATH

Please follow the instructions for removing worms.

W32/Rbot-ATH is a network worm with backdoor Trojan functionality for the Windows platform.

The worm copies itself to a file named lockx.exe in the Windows system folder and creates the following registry entries:

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
freestyle
"lockx.exe"

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
freestyle
"lockx.exe"

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices
freestyle
"lockx.exe"

W32/Rbot-ATH spreads through the AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) application. The worm monitors the status of contacts in the "Buddy list" and sends itself as an attachment to online contacts.

W32/Rbot-ATH can be controlled by a remote attacker over IRC channels. The backdoor component of W32/Rbot-ATH can be instructed by a remote user to perform the following functions:

start an FTP server
start a Proxy server
start a web server
take part in distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks
log keypresses
capture screen/webcam images
packet sniffing
port scanning
download/execute arbitrary files
start a remote shell (RLOGIN)
steal product registration information from certain software

W32/Rbot-ATH also creates the file msdirectx.sys and loads this file as a system driver. The msdirectx.sys file is detected by Sophos's Anti-Virus products as Troj/NtRootK-F. The following registry entries are created:

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\Root\LEGACY_MSDIRECTX
<several entries>

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\msdirectx
<several entries>

W32/Rbot-ATH also disables the Windows Internet Connection Firewall (ICF).