W32.Mydoom@mm Removal Tool Discovered on: January 26, 2004 Last Updated on: June 1, 2004 09:34:26 AM GDT Symantec Security Response has developed a removal tool to clean the following infections: => W32.Mydoom.A@mm => W32.Mydoom.B@mm => W32.Mydoom.F@mm => W32.Mydoom.G@mm => W32.Mydoom.H@mm -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WHAT THE TOOL DOES The W32.Mydoom@mm Removal Tool does the following: o Terminates W32.Mydoom@mm viral processes. o Terminates the viral thread running under Explorer.exe. o Deletes W32.Mydoom@mm files. o Reverses the changes made to the \Run and InProcServer32 registry keys. Note: Because these keys may be added by legitimate programs, the tool does not delete the following keys: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Explorer\ComDlg32\Version HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Explorer\ComDlg32\Version If you are sure that a legitimate program did not add them, you can manually delete them. However, leaving them in place will not do any harm. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- COMMAND-LINE SWITCHES AVAILABLE WITH THIS TOOL Switch Description /HELP, /H, /? Displays the help message. /NOFIXREG Disables the registry repair. (We do not recommend using this switch.) /SILENT, /S Enables the silent mode. /LOG= Creates a log file where is the location in which to store the tool's output. By default, this switch creates the log file, FxMydoom.log, within the same folder from which the removal tool was executed. /MAPPED Scans the mapped network drives. (We do not recommend using this switch. Refer to the Notes below.) /START Forces the tool to immediately start scanning. /EXCLUDE= Excludes the specified from scanning. (We do not recommend using this switch.) /NOFILESCAN Prevents the scanning of the file system. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Notes: o Symantec Security Response strongly recommends that you not use the /NOFIXREG switch when running this removal tool for the first time. If the removal tool is run using this switch, you will not be able to remove the registry keys associated with this worm by running the tool again. o Using the /MAPPED switch does not ensure the complete removal of the virus on remote computers, because: => The scanning of mapped drives scans only the mapped folders. This may not include all the folders on the remote computer, which can lead to missed detections. => If a viral file is detected on the mapped drive, the removal will fail if a program on the remote computer uses this file. Therefore, you should run the tool on every computer. o The /EXCLUDE switch will only work with one path, not multiple paths. An alternative is the /NOFILESCAN switch, which will allow the tool to alter the registry. Then, scan the computer with your antivirus product, using the current virus definitions. These steps should clean the file system. The following is an example command line that can be used to exclude a single drive: >"C:\Documents and Settings\user1\Desktop\FxMydoom.exe" /EXCLUDE=M:\ /LOG=c:\FxMydoom.txt where the greater than symbol (>) is not part of the path. Alternatively, the command line below will skip scanning the file system, but will repair the modifications to the registry. You should then run a regular scan of the system with proper exclusions: >"C:\Documents and Settings\user1\Desktop\FxMydoom.exe" /NOFILESCAN /LOG=c:\FxMydoom.txt The name of the log file can be whatever you choose. The name listed is for the sole purpose of this example. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OBTAINING AND RUNNING THE TOOL -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: You must have administrative rights to run this tool on Windows NT/2000/XP. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WARNING: For network administrators. If you are running MS Exchange 2000 Server, we recommend that you exclude the M drive from the scan by running the tool from a command line with the Exclude switch. For more information, read the Microsoft knowledge base article, "XADM: Do Not Back Up or Scan Exchange 2000 Drive M" (Article 298924). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Download the FxMydoom.exe file from: http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/FxMydoom.exe. 2. Save the file to a convenient location, such as your downloads folder or the Windows desktop, or removable media known to be uninfected. 3. To check the authenticity of the digital signature, refer to the "Digital signature" section later in this writeup. 4. Close all the running programs before running the tool. 5. If you are on a network, or if you have a full-time connection to the Internet, disconnect the computer from the network and the Internet. 6. If you are running Windows Me or XP, then disable System Restore. Refer to the "System Restore option in Windows Me/XP" section later in this writeup for further details. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Caution: If you are running Windows Me/XP, we strongly recommend that you do not skip this step. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7. Double-click the FxMydoom.exe file to start the removal tool. 8. Click Start to begin the process, and then allow the tool to run. 9. Restart the computer. 10. Run the removal tool again to ensure that the system is clean. 11. If you are running Windows Me/XP, then re-enable System Restore. 12. If you are using Active Desktop, you may need to restore it. 13. Run LiveUpdate to make sure that you are using the most current virus definitions. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Note: The removal procedure may not be successful if Windows Me/XP System Restore is not disabled, as previously directed, because Windows prevents outside programs from modifying System Restore. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When the tool has finished running, you will see a message indicating whether W32.Mydoom@mm infected the computer. In the case of a removal of the worm, the program displays the following results: o Total number of scanned files o Number of deleted files o Number of repaired files o Number of terminated viral processes o Number of fixed registry entries -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DIGITAL SIGNATURE FxMydoom.exe is digitally signed. Symantec recommends that you use only copies of FxMydoom.exe, which have been directly downloaded from the Symantec Security Response Web site. To check the authenticity of the digital signature, follow these steps: 1. Go to http://www.wmsoftware.com/free.htm. 2. Download and save the chktrust.exe file to the same folder in which you saved FxMydoom.exe (for example, C:\Downloads). 3. Depending on your operating system, do one of the following: o Click Start, point to Programs, and then click MS-DOS Prompt. o Click Start, point to Programs, click Accessories, and then click Command Prompt. 4. Change to the folder in which FxMydoom.exe and Chktrust.exe are stored, and then type: chktrust -i FxMydoom.exe. For example, if you saved the file to the C:\Downloads folder, you would enter the following commands: cd\ cd downloads chktrust -i FxMydoom.exe Press Enter after typing each command. If the digital signature is valid, you will see the following: "Do you want to install and run "W32.Mydoom@mm Removal Tool" signed on 3/5/2004 09:13 AM and distributed by Symantec Corporation?" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Notes: o The date and time displayed in this dialog box will be adjusted to your time zone, if your computer is not set to the Pacific time zone. o If you are using Daylight Saving time, the displayed time will be exactly one hour earlier. o If this dialog box does not appear, there are two possible reasons: => The tool is not from Symantec: Unless you are sure that the tool is legitimate and that you downloaded it from the legitimate Symantec Web site, you should not run it. => The tool is from Symantec and is legitimate: However, your operating system was previously instructed to always trust content from Symantec. For information on this and on how to view the confirmation dialog again, read the document, "How to restore the Publisher Authenticity confirmation dialog box." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Click Yes to close the dialog box. 6. Type exit, and then press Enter. (This will close the MS-DOS session.) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SYSTEM RESTORE OPTION IN WINDOWS ME/XP Users of Windows Me and Windows XP should temporarily turn off System Restore. Windows Me/XP uses this feature, which is enabled by default, to restore the files on your computer in case they become damaged. If a virus, worm, or Trojan infects a computer, System Restore may back up the virus, worm, or Trojan on the computer. Windows prevents outside programs, including antivirus programs, from modifying System Restore. Therefore, antivirus programs or tools cannot remove threats in the System Restore folder. As a result, System Restore has the potential of restoring an infected file onto your computer, even after you have cleaned the infected files from all the other locations. Also, a virus scan may detect a threat in the System Restore folder even though you have removed the threat. For instructions on how to turn off System Restore, read your Windows documentation, or one of the following articles: o "How to disable or enable Windows Me System Restore" o "How to turn off or turn on Windows XP System Restore" For additional information, and an alternative to disabling Windows Me System Restore, see the Microsoft Knowledge Base article, "Antivirus Tools Cannot Clean Infected Files in the _Restore Folder," Article ID: Q263455. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Revision History: March 5, 2004: Version 1.0.7.1 release to support W32.Mydoom.G@mm and W32.Mydoom.H@mm. February 25, 2004: Updated the fixtool GUI to enable scanning of mapped drives without invoking the tool from the command prompt. February 24, 2004: Version 1.0.6 release to support W32.Mydoom.F@mm. February 4, 2004: Renamed to W32.Mydoom@mm Removal Tool from W32.Novarg.A@mm/W32.Mydoom.B@mm Removal Tool. February 2, 2004: Updated information about registry key removal. January 30, 2004: Updated fix tool to incorporate W32.Mydoom.B@mm. January 27, 2003: Version 1.0.3 released to correct fix minor bugs