Jump to content

Can Malware Automatically Startup in Safe Mode?


Recommended Posts

Guest Larry(LJL269)
Posted

If so, how difficult would it be to accomplish?

 

Your help is MUCH appreciated. Thanks- bye- Larry

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------

 

A working unsecure OS is infinitely better than non-working secure OS.

Just spent 1 week cleaning up the mess WUpdate made preventing

hypothetical security problems. http://microscum.com/comsense/

  • Replies 6
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Popular Days

Guest Stefan Kanthak
Posted

"David H. Lipman" <DLipman~nospam~@Verizon.Net> wrote:

<span style="color:blue">

> From: "Larry(LJL269)" <NO@EMAIL.COM>

>

> | If so, how difficult would it be to accomplish?

>

> | Your help is MUCH appreciated. Thanks- bye- Larry

>

> Yes, it's easy. Just inject a DLL in a process that loads in both Normal and Safe Modes.</span>

 

Which process but injects this DLL? And who starts the injector

process?

Back to square one!

 

Malware has to install a driver/service and create the necessary

registry entries beyond

 

[HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot\Minimal\<driver/service>]

 

to start automatically in safe mode, for example.

 

Stefan

Guest FromTheRafters
Posted

Safe Mode only reduces the number of programs run at startup to

those needed by the OS and GUI.

 

"Larry(LJL269)" <NO@EMAIL.COM> wrote in message

news:en67j4lk0nr7qcb5044fpqjnpiph1cpo0i@4ax.com...<span style="color:blue">

> If so, how difficult would it be to accomplish?

>

> Your help is MUCH appreciated. Thanks- bye- Larry

>

> ----------------------------------------------------------------------

>

> A working unsecure OS is infinitely better than non-working secure OS.

> Just spent 1 week cleaning up the mess WUpdate made preventing

> hypothetical security problems. http://microscum.com/comsense/ </span>

Guest David H. Lipman
Posted

From: "Stefan Kanthak" <postmaster@[127.0.0.1]>

 

 

| Which process but injects this DLL? And who starts the injector

| process?

| Back to square one!

 

A trojan dropper or trojan downloader may inject the process

 

| Malware has to install a driver/service and create the necessary

| registry entries

| beyond

 

| [HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot\Minimal\<driver/service>]

 

| to

| start automatically in safe mode, for example.

 

| Stefan

 

 

One of many places to inject a DLL is...

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Notify

 

Two others using EXE files are under...

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

 

Userinit

C:\WINDOWS\system32\userinit.exe, malware_name.exe

 

Shell

Explorer.exe malware_name.exe

 

 

--

Dave

http://www.claymania.com/removal-trojan-adware.html

Multi-AV - http://www.pctipp.ch/downloads/dl/35905.asp

Guest Stefan Kanthak
Posted

"David H. Lipman" <DLipman~nospam~@Verizon.Net> wrote:

<span style="color:blue">

> From: "Stefan Kanthak" <postmaster@[127.0.0.1]>

>

>

> | Which process but injects this DLL? And who starts the injector

> | process?

> | Back to square one!

>

> A trojan dropper or trojan downloader may inject the process</span>

 

Yes. But this dropper/downloader needs to run then already, therefore

it has to be started somehow.

The OPs question was: is this possible in safe mode too?

 

DLL injection does NOT start any malware in the first place,

DLL injection is the result when malware uses this attack vector.

<span style="color:blue">

> | Malware has to install a driver/service and create the necessary

> | registry entries

> | beyond

>

> | [HKLMSYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlSafeBootMinimal<driver/service>]

>

> | to

> | start automatically in safe mode, for example.</span>

~~~~~~~~~~~<span style="color:blue">

> | Stefan

>

>

> One of many places to inject a DLL is...</span>

 

OK, so your definition of "DLL injection" differs from mine: I did

not consider that "static" and more or less trivial way of DLL

injection.

<span style="color:blue">

> HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionWinlogonNotify</span>

 

In safe mode too? I don't know this for sure.

<span style="color:blue">

> Two others using EXE files are under...

> HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows NTCurrentVersionWinlogon

>

> Userinit

> C:WINDOWSsystem32userinit.exe, malware_name.exe

>

> Shell

> Explorer.exe malware_name.exe</span>

 

The latter not in "safe mode with command line only"!

 

Stefan

Guest David H. Lipman
Posted

From: "Stefan Kanthak" <postmaster@[127.0.0.1]>

 

| "David H. Lipman" <DLipman~nospam~@Verizon.Net> wrote:

 

| Yes. But this dropper/downloader needs to run then already, therefore

| it has to be started somehow.

| The OPs question was: is this possible in safe mode too?

 

| DLL injection does NOT start any malware in the first place,

| DLL injection is the result when malware uses this attack vector.

 

 

Yes. But once executed the damage is done and the modifications have been made.

 

<span style="color:blue"><span style="color:green">

>> | Malware has to install a driver/service and create the necessary

>> | registry</span></span>

| entries<span style="color:blue"><span style="color:green">

>> | beyond</span></span>

<span style="color:blue"><span style="color:green">

>> |</span></span>

| [HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot\Minimal\<driver/service>]

<span style="color:blue"><span style="color:green">

>> | to

>> |</span></span>

| start automatically in safe mode, for example.

|

| ~~~~~~~~~~~<span style="color:blue"><span style="color:green">

>> | Stefan</span></span>

 

<span style="color:blue"><span style="color:green">

>> One of many places to inject a DLL is...</span></span>

 

| OK, so your

| definition of "DLL injection" differs from mine: I did

| not consider that "static" and

| more or less trivial way of DLL

| injection.

<span style="color:blue"><span style="color:green">

>> HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows</span></span>

| NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Notify

 

| In safe mode too? I don't know this for sure.

 

Sure. I only mentioned the Winlogon/Notify. Thaere are many starup points that can be

done. Too many to elaborate on.

<span style="color:blue"><span style="color:green">

>> Two others using EXE files are under...

>> HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows</span></span>

s

| NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

<span style="color:blue"><span style="color:green">

>> Userinit

>> C:WINDOWSsystem32userinit.exe,</span></span>

| malware_name.exe

<span style="color:blue"><span style="color:green">

>> Shell

>> Explorer.exe malware_name.exe</span></span>

 

| The latter not in "safe mode

| with command line only"!

 

| Stefan

 

Maybe but Safe Mode with Command Prompt Only" is not the way a user would use the PC. It

may be used for modifications or corrections but since it doesn't create a GUI nor load

the OS fully, a PC user will not be using this mode on a daily or even monthly basis.

 

The question was "Can Malware Automatically Startup in Safe Mode?" The answer is yes.

With followup question "If so, how difficult would it be to accomplish?" The answer is it

is not difficult at all.

 

--

Dave

http://www.claymania.com/removal-trojan-adware.html

Multi-AV - http://www.pctipp.ch/downloads/dl/35905.asp

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...