Re: Trojan horse Downloader.Generic.ML

From: Jason Edwards (none1_at_invalid.invalid)
Date: 06/15/05 

Date: Wed, 15 Jun 2005 20:51:11 +0100

"Ron Reaugh" <ron-reaugh@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:qW_re.324813$cg1.141727@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
>
> "Jason Edwards" <none1@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
> news:3hbbasFg5jjsU1@individual.net...
> > "Ron Reaugh" <ron-reaugh@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
> > news:EKYre.963481$w62.31381@bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
> > > It's the file C:\NULL
> > >
> > > Suddenly shortly after cold boot my fully updated(WinUp) and patched
> W98se
> > > PC reported the above noted infection. It's Grisoft free AVG with the
> > > latest updates. This PC is also protected by ZoneAlarm, Belkin WiFi
> > router
> > > with firewall, SpyBot(resident).
> >
> > And do you use Internet Explorer?
>
> Yep, the very latest and fully patched/WinUp-ed version.

Ok, so it's probably only got approximately n+100 vulnerabilities left to be
patched.

>
> > > A normal Shutdown was done 12 hours
> > > earlier with no indication of any problems.
> >
> > There wouldn't be.
> > If something did sneak in via an IE or some other vulnerability then it
> > would most likely not run until the next startup.
>
> Are you saying that AVG's resident and SpyBots resident(watching reg
> updates) wouldn't have caught it at the time of infection?

Yes

>
> > > There are still no indications
> > > of any problems EXCEPT that AVG claims it's found this trojan.
> >
> > Sounds like an indication of a problem to me.
> > A false detection is a possibility but there is no way for me to be
> certain.
>
> That c:\null IS a bogus file from an unknown source suggests that there
was
> no false detection.

It does, if you are sure that C:\NULL is not part of anything legitimate or
anything you have done yourself.

>
> > > There have
> > > been no floppy operations/mounts, no CD operations/mounts and no
> downloads
> > > and installs of anything since an hour before shutdown last night and
> now.
> >
> > But you did surf with Internet Explorer?
>
> Yep and other than the possibility that you are a FireFox drum beater,
the
> use of a fully updated IE generally does NOT expose one to such when a
fully
> functional firewall, virus checker and spyware checker are in place.

I don't wish to upset you but it took me a while to stop laughing after
reading that.

>
> > > From the DOS prompt I can see a file C:\NULL that has a 5/5/05 date.
> > Since
> > > 5/5 both a full manual AVG and Trend HouseCall 6 run have been done on
> > this
> > > PC finding nothing.
> > >
> > > So where and how did this file C:\NULL that AVG claims is Trojan horse
> > > Downloader.Generic.ML appear from? Was it really there since 5/5 but
> went
> > > unnoticed by both AVG and Trend HouseCall 6 and then this morning AVG
> > > suddenly downloaded a new definition file which started seeing this
> > trojan?
> >
> > Virus scanners don't have any magical ability to detect trojans, they
have
> > to be told what is a trojan and what isn't via the updates.
>
> Right but 5/5/05 is over 30 days old...am I some special case alpha
> infection point?

Nope, you're just an average Windows user who got the trojan that wasn't
widespread enough to be noticed immediately.

>
> > An anti-virus
> > vendor may manage to do an update in less that a day if the virus/trojan
> is
> > all over the news but it may otherwise take longer. Trojan writers are
not
> > under any obligation to send copies of their trojans to anti-virus
> vendors.
> >
> > > OR did something penetrate all the firewalls and suddenly spawn this
> file
> > > which AVG quickly recognized?
> >
> > I have no idea where C:\NULL came from but if it were on my PC I would
> want
> > to know what it was.
> > If I was sitting at the PC which had C:\NULL on it then I'd look in
> C:\NULL
> > to see what was there.
>
> After one noticed it. I don't inspect c:\ or c:\win or c:\win\system[32]
> hourly to spot undesirable files. That's what I got AVG etc. for.

I don't either, but I don't allow additional executable files on to the
system in the first place, so I don't have to go file spotting very often on
my own machines. I also don't need AVG.

>
> > I'd also find out whether anything in there was referenced during
startup.
> > For that I'd need spybot S&D in advanced mode or
http://www.hijackthis.de/
> > or just regedit.
> >
> > >
> > > What likely happened here?
> >
> > Impossible to say. One possibility is that you got something via an
> > unpatched IE vulnerability.
>
> I was under the impression that there weren't any of these that have
> resulted in actual infections any time recently. Lots of new
> vulnerabilities keep being found and reported and fixed. And that's all
> before there is any infections/penetrations using them and that's what
I've
> been hearing for over a year.

Who have you been hearing this from?
Ask yourself why there is a cumulative update every month.

>
> > Another is that AVG is/was giving a false
> > detection. Another is that I don't have a clue what happened.
> >
> > >
> > > The operation I was in the middle of when AVG popped up was reading a
> text
> > > only no attachment NG message in OE 6.00.2800.1123.
> >
> > Did this message contain a link/url that you happened to click on?
>
> NOPE! I assume that the NG message reading had nothing to do with it but
> then what did??

It is not possible for me to say for certain what did.

If I were you I'd wipe the drive and reinstall the operating system.
There is no other way to be sure that your system isn't compromised.

Jason

>
> > Jason
>
>

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