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Published Nov 23, 2005 | Updated Sep 15, 2017

Worm:Win32/Sober.Z@mm

Detected by Microsoft Defender Antivirus

Aliases: WORM_SOBER.AG (Trend Micro) W32/Sober@MM!M681 (McAfee) Win32/Sober.W!Worm (CA)

Summary

Win32/Sober.Z@mm is a mass-mailing worm that targets computers running Microsoft Windows. The worm sends a zipped copy of itself as an attachment to e-mail addresses that it finds on the infected computer. The worm runs when a user opens the attachment in the e-mail message.
 
This worm was assigned CME ID CME-681.
 
December 16, 2005 Update: Win32/Sober.Z@mm is programmed to download and run malicious files from certain Web domains beginning on January 6, 2006, midnight UTC/GMT . Beginning approximately every two weeks thereafter, the worm is set to begin downloading and running malicious files from additional sites on the same Web domains.
 
To manually recover from infection by Win32/Sober.Z@mm, follow these steps:
  1. Disconnect from the Internet.
  2. Restart your computer in safe mode.
  3. End the worm process.
  4. Delete the main worm file from your computer.
  5. Delete the worm registry entries.
  6. Restart your computer.
  7. Take steps to prevent re-infection.

Disconnect from the Internet

To help ensure that the computer is not actively infecting other computers, disconnect it from the Internet before proceeding. Print this Web page or save a copy on your computer; then unplug your network cable and disable your wireless connection. You can reconnect to the Internet after completing these steps.

Restart your computer in safe mode

To start your computer in safe mode
  1. Remove all floppy disks and CDs from the computer, and then restart the computer.
  2. When prompted, press F8. If Windows starts without displaying the Please select the operating system to start menu, restart your computer. Press F8 after the firmware POST process completes, but before Windows displays graphical output.
  3. From the Windows Advanced Options menu, select a safe mode option.

End the worm process

To end the worm process
  1. Press CTRL+ALT+DEL once and click Task Manager.
  2. Click Processes and click Image Name to sort the running processes by name.
  3. Select the process services.exe if it exists, and click End Process.

Delete the main worm file from your computer

To delete the main worm file from your computer
  1. Click Start, and click Run.
  2. In the Open field, type %windir%\winsecurity
  3. Click OK.
  4. Click Name to sort files by name.
  5. Delete the file services.exe if it is in the list.
  6. On the Desktop, right-click the Recycle Bin and click Empty Recycle Bin.
  7. Click Yes to confirm the deletion.
If deleting the file fails, use the following steps to verify that process services.exe is not running:
  1. Press CTRL+ALT+DEL once and click Task Manager.
  2. Click Processes and click Image Name to sort the running processes by name.
  3. Confirm that services.exe is not in the list.

Delete the worm registry entries

Win32/Sober.Z@mm creates entries in the Windows registry that cause the worm to run each time Windows starts. These entries should be deleted.
To delete the worm registry entries
  1. On the Start menu, click Run.
  2. Type regedit and click OK.
  3. In the left pane, navigate to the registry key:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
  4. In the right pane, right-click the following value, if it exists: Windows
  5. Click Delete and click Yes to delete the value.
  6. In the left pane, navigate to the registry key:
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
  7. In the right pane, right-click the following value, if it exists: _Windows
  8. Click Delete and click Yes to delete the value.
  9. Close the Registry Editor.

Restart your computer

To restart your computer
  1. On the Start menu, click Shut Down.
  2. Select Restart from the drop-down list and click OK.

Take steps to prevent re-infection

Do not reconnect your computer to the Internet until the computer is protected from re-infection. See the "Preventing Infection" section for more information.
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