W32/Sdbot-ZB

Please follow the instructions for removing worms.

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/Sdbot-ZB is a network worm with backdoor functionality for the Windows platform.

When first run, W32/Sdbot-ZB copies itself to the Windows system folder as msmsgs.exe and creates the following registry entries in order to run each time a user logs on:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Messenger Service
msmsgs.exe

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunServices
Messenger Service
msmsgs.exe

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Messenger Service
msmsgs.exe

The worm spreads through network shares protected by weak passwords, MS-SQL servers and through various operating system vulnerabilities.

W32/Sdbot-ZB connects to a predetermined IRC channel and awaits further commands from remote users. The backdoor component of W32/Sdbot-ZB can be instructed to perform the following functions:

scan networks for vulnerabilities
download/execute arbitrary files
start an ftp server
take part in distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks

The following patches for the operating system vulnerabilities exploited by W32/Sdbot-ZB can be obtained from the Microsoft website:

MS02-039
MS04-011
MS04-012

Sophos's anti-virus products include Genotype ™ detection technology, which can proactively protect against new threats without requiring an update. Sophos customers have been protected against W32/Sdbot-ZB (detected as W32/Sdbot-Fam) since version 3.92.