VBS.Monopoly

VBS.Monopoly is an encrypted worm that works on Windows operating systems which support Visual Basic Script 4.0 and later. The worm uses Microsoft Outlook to send a copy of itself to all the recipients in the user's Outlook Address Book. The worm usually appears as MONOPOLY.VBS in the email.

NOTE: The definition set prior to August 9 detects this worm as VBS.Freelink.

Also Known As:	Monopoly
Type:	Trojan Horse, Virus, Worm
Infection Length:	52073 bytes

Wild Number of infections: 0 - 49 Number of sites: 0 - 2 Geographical distribution: Low Threat containment: Easy Removal: Easy

Threat Metrics Wild: Low Damage: Low Distribution: Low

Similar to VBS.Freelink, the worm is written in Visual Basic Script. When launched, the worm drops a picture named MONOPOLY.JPG in the temporary folder. It also creates MONOPOLY.WSH and MONOPOLY.VBE files.

MONOPOLY.WSH executes MONOPOLY.VBE. The latter sends out an email message to everyone in the user's Outlook Address Book. The message has the following subject and message:

Subject: Bill Gates joke
Message: Bill Gates is guilty of monopoly. Here is the proof.  :-)

Bill Gates is guilty of monopoly. Here is the proof.

Symantec Security Response encourages all users and administrators to adhere to the following basic security "best practices":

• Turn off and remove unneeded services. By default, many operating systems install auxiliary services that are not critical, such as an FTP server, telnet, and a Web server. These services are avenues of attack. If they are removed, blended threats have less avenues of attack and you have fewer services to maintain through patch updates.
• If a blended threat exploits one or more network services, disable, or block access to, those services until a patch is applied.
• Always keep your patch levels up-to-date, especially on computers that host public services and are accessible through the firewall, such as HTTP, FTP, mail, and DNS services (for example, all Windows-based computers should have the current Service Pack installed.). Additionally, please apply any security updates that are mentioned in this writeup, in trusted Security Bulletins, or on vendor Web sites.
• Enforce a password policy. Complex passwords make it difficult to crack password files on compromised computers. This helps to prevent or limit damage when a computer is compromised.
• Configure your email server to block or remove email that contains file attachments that are commonly used to spread viruses, such as .vbs, .bat, .exe, .pif and .scr files.
• Isolate infected computers quickly to prevent further compromising your organization. Perform a forensic analysis and restore the computers using trusted media.
• Train employees not to open attachments unless they are expecting them. Also, do not execute software that is downloaded from the Internet unless it has been scanned for viruses. Simply visiting a compromised Web site can cause infection if certain browser vulnerabilities are not patched.

To remove this worm, delete the MONOPOLY.VBS, MONOPOLY.VBE, and MONOPOLY.WSH files.

Write-up by: Raul Elnitiarta