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Published Apr 08, 2010 | Updated Sep 15, 2017

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Worm:Win32/Pykspa.E

Detected by Microsoft Defender Antivirus

Aliases: Backdoor.Win32.Zepfod.a (Kaspersky) Win32/AutoRun.Agent.TG (ESET) WORM_VILSEL.SM (Trend Micro)

Summary

Worm:Win32/Pykspa.E is a worm that spreads via Skype messaging, Twitter, mapped drives and network shares. It contains a backdoor that allows it to execute arbitrary commands from a remote attacker.

Manual removal is not recommended for this threat. To detect and remove this threat and other malicious software that may have been installed, run a full-system scan with an up-to-date antivirus product such as Microsoft Security Essentials, or the Microsoft Safety Scanner. For more information about using antivirus software, see http://www.microsoft.com/security/antivirus/av.aspx.

Additional remediation instructions for Worm:Win32/Pykspa.E

This threat may make lasting changes to a computer’s configuration that are NOT restored by detecting and removing this threat. For more information on returning an infected computer to its pre-infected state, please see the following article/s:

Restoring your System Registry:

For Windows 7: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/Back-up-the-registry
For Windows Vista: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Back-up-the-registry
For Windows XP: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756/

Resetting System Security Settings to default:

For Windows XP and Vista: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/313222

Stopping and starting Windows services:

For Windows 7: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/What-are-Administrative-Tools
For Windows Vista: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/What-are-Administrative-Tools
For Windows XP: http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/sys_srv_start_service.mspx

Enabling System Restore:

For Windows 7: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/What-is-System-Restore
For Windows Vista: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/What-is-System-Restore
For Windows XP: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310405

Enabling Windows Firewall:

For Windows 7: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Turn-Windows-Firewall-on-or-off
For Windows Vista: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Turn-Windows-Firewall-on-or-off
For Windows XP: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/283673

Enabling Windows Security Center/Action Center alerts:

For Windows 7: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/What-happened-to-Windows-Security-Center
For Windows Vista: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Using-Windows-Security-Center
For Windows XP: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/889737

Correctly disabling Autorun in Windows:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/953252

Recreating a clean HOSTS file:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/972034