Adware.Aurora

Behavior
Adware.Aurora is an adware program that displays advertisements and tracks browser information such as Web sites visited.

Note: Security Risk definitions dated prior to August 3, 2005 may detect this adware as Adware.BetterInternet.

Symptoms

* Your Symantec program detects Adware.Aurora.
* Unexpected advertisements appear in Internet Explorer browser windows.

Transmission
This security risk can be manually installed or installed as a component of another program.

technical details
File names: DrPMon.dll; svcproc.exe; Nail.exe; poller.exe; aurora.exe

When Adware.Aurora is executed, it performs the following actions:

1. Attempts to contact [http://]www.abetterinternet.com/[REMOVED] and download a number of component files.

2. Creates the following files on the compromised computer:

* %Windir%\Nail.exe
* %Windir%\svcproc.exe
* %Windir%\[RANDOM NAME].exe
* %System%\DrPMon.dll
* %System%\[RANDOM NAME].exe
* %Windir%\IDDJHJM.ini
* %Windir%\abiuninst.htm

Note:
* %System% is a variable that refers to the System folder. By default this is C:\Windows\System (Windows 95/98/Me), C:\Winnt\System32 (Windows NT/2000), or C:\Windows\System32 (Windows XP).
* %Windir% is a variable that refers to the Windows installation folder. By default, this is C:\Windows or C:\Winnt.
* [RANDOM NAME] refers to a random sequence of letters used by the security risk in creating the filename.

3. Creates the following registry subkeys.

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\aurora
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\abi-1
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Monitors\ZepMon
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SvcProc

4. Adds the value:

"[RANDOM NAME]" = "%System%\[RANDOM NAME].exe r"

to the registry subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

so that it runs every time Windows starts.

5. Modifies the value:

"Shell" = "Explorer.exe"

to

"Shell" = "Explorer.exe %Windir%\Nail.exe"

in the registry subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

so that it runs every time Windows starts.

To uninstall the Security Risk

1. On the Windows 2000 taskbar:
By default, Windows 2000 is set up the same as Windows 98, so follow the instructions for Windows 98. If otherwise, click Start, point to Settings > Control Panel, and then click Add/Remove Programs.

2. On the Windows XP taskbar:
1. Click Start > Control Panel.
2. In the Control Panel window, double-click Add or Remove Programs.

3. Click "The ABI Network-A Division of Direct Revenue"

Note: You may need to use the scroll bar to view the whole list.

4. Click Add/Remove, Change/Remove, or Remove (this varies with the operating system). Follow the prompts.

Note: After running the Add/Remove programs applet, all the files may have been removed. You will want to run a full system scan to ensure that this is the case. However, it is possible that no files will be detected after using Add/Remove programs.

To restart the computer in Safe mode or Safe mode with Command Prompt
Follow the instructions for your operating system.

Windows 95/98/Me
Shut down the computer and turn off the power. Wait for at least 30 seconds, and then restart the computer in Safe mode. For instructions, read the document: How to start the computer in Safe Mode.

Windows 2000

1. Shut down the computer, and then turn off the power. Wait for at least 30 seconds, and then restart the computer
2. When you see the black and white Starting Windows bar at the bottom of the screen, press the F8 key.
3. In the Windows 2000 Advanced Options Menu, select Safe mode with Command Prompt, and then press Enter.

Windows XP

1. Shut down the computer, and then turn off the power. Wait for at least 30 seconds, and then restart the computer. The computer begins processing a set of instructions known as the Basic Input/Output System (BIOS). What is displayed depends on the BIOS manufacturer. Some computers display a progress bar that refers to the word BIOS, while others may not display any indication that this process is occurring.
2. As soon as the BIOS has finished loading, begin tapping the F8 key on your keyboard. Continue to do so until the Windows Advanced Options menu appears. If you begin tapping the F8 key too soon, some computers will display a "keyboard error" message. To avoid this, restart the computer and try again.
3. In the Windows 2000 Advanced Options Menu, select Safe mode with Command Prompt, and then press Enter.

To delete the value from the registry
1. Do one of the following:

* Windows 2000/XP: Skip to step b.
* Windows 95/98/Me: Click Start > Run.

Note: If you skipped steps 4 and 5, click Start > Run.

2. Type regedit

Then press Enter
3. Navigate to and delete the following subkeys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\aurora
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\abi-1
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Monitors\ZepMon
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SvcProc

4. Navigate to the subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

5. In the right pane, delete any value that refers to the file detected in Step 3b.

6. Navigate to the subkey:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

7. In the right pane, change the value to:

"Shell" = "Explorer.exe"

8. Exit the Registry Editor.

9. Restart the computer in Normal Mode