Skype worm on the loose
Symantec has reported that Skype worm is out in the wild. W32.Chatosky is a worm that spreads through Skype chat messages. It is also known that the “32.Chatosky” worm propagates itself through Skype’s file transfer feature rather than a chat message, the chat message asks user to download a file called “sp.exe” which, when executed, installs a password-stealing trojan and continues to spread through your buddy list. The infection began in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly Korea.
From Symantec Security Response site;
When W32.Chatosky or sp.exe is executed, it performs the following actions:
1. Searches the registry for the location of the Skype application.
2. Displays the following message and then exits if it cannot find the registry:
Error!
I could not find Skype !
3. Executes the Skype application and displays the following message if it finds the registry:
Warning!
Allow this program in skype!
4. Queries Skype for random users every 3 minutes.
5. Starts the Skype application and sends the following message to the users:
Check this! [http://]marx2.altervista.org/surpr[REMOVED]
Note: At the time of writing, this URL was unavailable but it reportedly contains the worm body.
Symantec Security Response encourages all users and administrators to adhere to the following basic security "best practices":
* Turn off and remove unneeded services. By default, many operating systems install auxiliary services that are not critical, such as an FTP server, telnet, and a Web server. These services are avenues of attack. If they are removed, blended threats have less avenues of attack and you have fewer services to maintain through patch updates.
* If a blended threat exploits one or more network services, disable, or block access to, those services until a patch is applied.
* Always keep your patch levels up-to-date, especially on computers that host public services and are accessible through the firewall, such as HTTP, FTP, mail, and DNS services (for example, all Windows-based computers should have the current Service Pack installed.). Additionally, please apply any security updates that are mentioned in this writeup, in trusted Security Bulletins, or on vendor Web sites.
* Enforce a password policy. Complex passwords make it difficult to crack password files on compromised computers. This helps to prevent or limit damage when a computer is compromised.
* Configure your email server to block or remove email that contains file attachments that are commonly used to spread viruses, such as .vbs, .bat, .exe, .pif and .scr files.
* Isolate infected computers quickly to prevent further compromising your organization. Perform a forensic analysis and restore the computers using trusted media.
* Train employees not to open attachments unless they are expecting them. Also, do not execute software that is downloaded from the Internet unless it has been scanned for viruses. Simply visiting a compromised Web site can cause infection if certain browser vulnerabilities are not patched.
Links;
Symantec Security site
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