Email-Worm.Win32.Valcard

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: Win32

Win32 is an API on Windows NT-based operating systems (Windows XP, Windows 7, etc.) that supports execution of 32-bit applications. One of the most widespread programming platforms in the world.

Description

Technical Details

This is a virus-worm that spreads via the Internet attached to infected e-mails. The worm itself is a Windows PE EXE file about 97Kb in length (compressed by UPX, about 132K when decompressed), and it is written in Visual Basic.

Spreading

To send infected messages, the worm uses MS Outlook, and sends messages to all addresses found in the Outlook address book. The infected messages appear as follows:

The Subject is randomly selected from the following variants:

Secret Admirer
Somebody Loves You
Romance from Afar
Love at first sight
...when sleepers wake and yet still dream...
Be Mine ?!
Yours Always
Happy Valentines
From Me To You
Thy eternal summer shall not fade
I can express no kinder sign of love, than this kind kiss
Poetry is an echo, asking a shadow to dance
O, beauty, till now I never knew thee!
Romantic gesture
Good night, sweet prince, and flights of angels sing thee to thy rest

The message Body, followed by a "user name", is selected from the following variants:

Happy Valentines
I hope you like the card I've attached,
even if you don't feel the same.

Febuary Feelings
It's that time of year again.
But I'm still only sedning a card to you.
Happy Valentines
I hope you like the card I've attached,
even if you don't feel the same.

Hi
I feel like a child sending you this card
but I just had to do it.
Happy Valentines
I hope you like the card I've attached,
even if you don't feel the same.

...and every breath I ever took,
every tear I ever wept,
Every star I wished upon,
Seemed nothing until now.
Happy Valentines
I hope you like the card I've attached,

In this life we cannot do great things.
We can only do small things with great love.
Happy Valentines
I hope you like the card I've attached,
even if you don't feel the same.

Attachment: ValentineCard.exe

Installing

The worm activates from infected e-mail only when a user clicks on an attached file. The worm then installs itself to the system, runs a spreading routine and payload.

While installing, the worm copies itself to the Windows system directory with the "ValentineCard.exe" name, and registers that file in the system registry auto-run key:

HKLMSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun 14th = %SystemDir%ValentineCard.exe

where %SystemDir% is Windows system directory.

Payload

Upon being installed, the worm writes a "not a first run" registry key:

HKLMSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersion Valentine = true

and then operates depending on this key's presense. Because of a bug, on any run (first run, second run,...), the worm does the same thing: it creates "C:evil.jpg", writes sound data to there and opens it. Because the file has a wrong extension (".jpg" picture, not ".wav" sound), the system fails to accept it. In case this file is renamed to ".wav", it plays the "Somebody loves you" phrase.

The worm should also (but fails) create the "C:1.wav" file, and open its window. The worm's program window should have a moving title:

I Love You !

on the "About" button, it should display the following message:

Flash Player
Flash Player 4.0
Copywrite (C) 1996-1999 Macromedia, Inc.
http://www.macromedia.com

On Thursdays, the worm should (but fails) restart Windows.

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