Email-Worm.VBS.Staple

Parent class: VirWare

Viruses and worms are malicious programs that self-replicate on computers or via computer networks without the user being aware; each subsequent copy of such malicious programs is also able to self-replicate. Malicious programs which spread via networks or infect remote machines when commanded to do so by the “owner” (e.g. Backdoors) or programs that create multiple copies that are unable to self-replicate are not part of the Viruses and Worms subclass. The main characteristic used to determine whether or not a program is classified as a separate behaviour within the Viruses and Worms subclass is how the program propagates (i.e. how the malicious program spreads copies of itself via local or network resources.) Most known worms are spread as files sent as email attachments, via a link to a web or FTP resource, via a link sent in an ICQ or IRC message, via P2P file sharing networks etc. Some worms spread as network packets; these directly penetrate the computer memory, and the worm code is then activated. Worms use the following techniques to penetrate remote computers and launch copies of themselves: social engineering (for example, an email message suggesting the user opens an attached file), exploiting network configuration errors (such as copying to a fully accessible disk), and exploiting loopholes in operating system and application security. Viruses can be divided in accordance with the method used to infect a computer:

• file viruses
• boot sector viruses
• macro viruses
• script viruses

Any program within this subclass can have additional Trojan functions. It should also be noted that many worms use more than one method in order to spread copies via networks.

Class: Email-Worm

Email-Worms spread via email. The worm sends a copy of itself as an attachment to an email message or a link to its file on a network resource (e.g. a URL to an infected file on a compromised website or a hacker-owned website). In the first case, the worm code activates when the infected attachment is opened (launched). In the second case, the code is activated when the link to the infected file is opened. In both case, the result is the same: the worm code is activated. Email-Worms use a range of methods to send infected emails. The most common are: using a direct connection to a SMTP server using the email directory built into the worm’s code using MS Outlook services using Windows MAPI functions. Email-Worms use a number of different sources to find email addresses to which infected emails will be sent: the address book in MS Outlook a WAB address database .txt files stored on the hard drive: the worm can identify which strings in text files are email addresses emails in the inbox (some Email-Worms even “reply” to emails found in the inbox) Many Email-Worms use more than one of the sources listed above. There are also other sources of email addresses, such as address books associated with web-based email services.

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Platform: VBS

Visual Basic Scripting Edition (VBScript) is a scripting language interpreted by Windows Script Host. VBScript is widely used to create scripts on Microsoft Windows operating systems.

Description

Technical Details

This is Internet worm that spreads via E-mail by sending infected messages from affected computers. While spreading the worm uses MS Outlook and sends itself to addresses that are stored in MS Outlook Address Book.

The worm arrives on computer as email message with attached VBS file, that is worm itself. The message in original worm version has:

The Subject: RE:Injustice
Message body:

Dear [address],
Did you send the attached message, I was not expecting
this from you!

Attached file name: injustice.TXT.vbs

Being activated by a user (by double click on attached file) the worm opens MS Outlook, gets access to the Address Book, gets up to 50 addresses from each adresslist and sends messages with its attached copy to all of them. The message subject, body and attached file name are the same as above.

Additionaly, each time worm activated it sends infected messages to 25 addresses, that are specified inside worm body.

To prevent duplicate sending of infected messages to the same addresses, the worm marks each address used.

After all the worm opens six Internet Explorer windows with different links and also displays message:

HELP US TO STOP THE BLOOD SHED!!
PLEASE ACCEPT MY APOLOGIES FOR DISTURBING YOU.
Remember that one day YOU may be in this situation.
We need every possible help.
Israeli soldiers killed in cold blood 12 year old Palestinian child
Mohammad Al-Durra, as his father tried to protect him in vain with
his own body. As a result of the indiscriminate and excessive use of
machine gun fire by Israeli soldiers, journalists and bystanders
watched helplessly as the child was savagely murdered.
Palestinian Red Crescent Society medic Bassam Balbeisi
attempted to intervene and spare the child's life but live
ammunition to his chest by Israeli fire took his life in the process.
The child and the medic were grotesquely murdered in cold blood.
Mohammad's father, Jamal, was critically injured and permanently
paralyzed. Similarly, approximately 40 children were slain, without
the media taking notice or covering these tragedies.
THESE CRIMINAL ACTS CANNOT BE FORGIVEN OR FORGOTTEN!!!!

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