Dialer.KWI is a dialer type malware. Dialers usually try to establish phone connections with high rate numbers, significantly increasing the phone bill of the affected user. Dialer.KWI affects computers that use a modem to connect to the Internet, as the virus modifies the Dial-up network access settings. It changes the telephone number provided by the ISP (Internet Service Provider), which is a local-rate number, to a high-rate number. It uses stealth techniques to avoid being detected by the user: - It uses techniques included in its code to hide itself while it is active.
- It modifies system permissions in order to hide itself.
It uses several methods in order to avoid detection by antivirus companies: - It prevents scanning tools from running, such as Windows Registry Editor, FileMonitor, etc.
- It terminates its own execution if it detects that a memory dump program is running, such as Procdump.
- It terminates its own execution if it detects that a debugging program is active.
Dialer.KWI does not spread automatically using its own means. It needs an attacking user's intervention in order to reach the affected computer. The means of transmission used include, among others, floppy disks, CD-ROMs, email messages with attached files, Internet downloads, FTP, IRC channels, peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing networks, etc. |