Beware: Malicious Payload “Hworm” Dropped Through Embedded Youtube Video’s

A Malware called Hworm Performing multiple Attacks including steal passwords from Firefox, Opera, and Chrome browsers, ability to log keystrokes,  kill running process, capture a Screen by making use of the backdoor.

This Malware initially identified June 2016 and keep observed by researchers and finally find it as it Emerged day by day.

According to Research by Paloalto, The group of samples has common delivery mechanisms, lures and decoy file themes, payloads (Hworm), as well as control infrastructure.

This Hworn identified Payload file as SFX file format and original filenames of these delivery files are related to political figures and groups in the Middle East and the Mediterranean.

File samples:

• Mohamed Dahlan Abu Dhabi Meeting.exe
• فضيحة من العيار الثقيل اردوغان يشرب الخمر.exe
• صراعات داخلية في صفوف الاخوان المسلمين.exe
• عملية اغتيال الدكتور محمد كمال.scr
• الملك عبد الله يهدد دول الخليج ويتوعد دحلان.exe
• بالفيديو امير سعودي يهين مواطنين على الهواء.scr

Payload Embedded with Youtube Videos

Once SFX file Executed it opens a decoy document, video, or URL, and eventually executes an Hworm payload in the background.

According to the finding, its very similar as Above Mentioned URL’s.

One of the that Samples Displays a youtube video which is having embedded payload.

According to Paloalto, When the .url file is opened, the above YouTube video is displayed as a decoy. It is unclear at this time if the uploader of this video has any relation to this particular attack.

A particular Version of Hworm states that ,Some previous versions would embed AutoIT scripts in resource sections of PE files while others would execute obfuscated VBS scripts. Some previous versions of the Hworm implant would embed data in the headers of HTTP requests or POST bodies as a method of command and control. Beacons of that HTTP protocol example are easily recognized by the use of ‘<|>’ as a delimiter and the URI of the request. This new version of Hworm uses a mixed binary and ASCII protocol over TCP

Payload Indicate VBS file “The VBS file is used to load and inject the implant. It appears that the operators behind the above attack either chose to not use the VBS loader or the newer versions of the builder no longer produce a VBS script.“

Detailed Technical Analysis from Paloalto Explained about VBS Here.

The following modules provide features of this malware

These are the important Futures that Hworm 

•Screenshot: Provides the ability to capture screenshots in JPEG/BMP formats

•Keylogger: Provides the ability to log key strokes

•Internet IO: Provides the ability to download and execute files from the Internet. It also provides the ability to load the executables via the RunPE technique

•File Manager: Provides the ability to list files and directories, delete, rename, and execute files, and upload or download files via TCP or HTTP

•Password: Provides the ability to steal passwords from Firefox, Opera, and Chrome browsers

•Misc: Provides the ability to list processes or modules and kill running processes

•USB Notifier: Provides the ability to notify the controller when a USB device is attached

•Houdini Client: Provides the main client, which contains the server’s configuration.

Also Read:

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• 200 Unique Android Apps Discovered with Backdoor Called “MilkyDoor” Downloaded by Nearly 1 Million Users – An Enterprise Risk.
• Banking malware with screen locking capabilities targeting all versions of Android.