VBS_CRIGENT.LK

Posted: April 10, 2014

Threat Metric

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Threat Level: The threat level scale goes from 1 to 10 where 10 is the highest level of severity and 1 is the lowest level of severity. Each specific level is relative to the threat's consistent assessed behaviors collected from SpyHunter's risk assessment model.

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Volume Count: Similar to the detection count, the Volume Count is specifically based on the number of confirmed and suspected threats infecting systems on a daily basis. High volume counts usually represent a popular threat but may or may not have infected a large number of systems. High detection count threats could lay dormant and have a low volume count. Criteria for Volume Count is relative to a daily detection count.

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Ranking:	4,490
Threat Level:	1/10
Infected PCs:	2,813

First Seen:	April 10, 2014
Last Seen:	October 14, 2023
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

VBS_CRIGENT.LK is a worm that spreads through Windows document files and uses innovative methods of evading detection while exploiting your PC. Although VBS_CRIGENT.LK's intended payload may possess other functions, malware researchers can infer that VBS_CRIGENT.LK gathers potentially sensitive information from infected PCs and makes communication with external servers that, in theory, could exert control over the machine. Deleting VBS_CRIGENT.LK, like all threats that try to remain in stealth, requires both appropriate anti-malware products and supportive security protocols, such as using Safe Mode, to thwart any possible interference.

How Windows PowerShell Empowers a Worm's Attacks

Many PC threats base themselves on simple executable files, but malware experts also find that some especially well-camouflaged forms of threats use other means of structuring their attacks. VBS_CRIGENT.LK is an example of this threatening software and exploits the Windows PowerShell – a command-line utility inherent to Windows 7, and compatible with most other versions of Windows – for attacking the infected PC. VBS_CRIGENT.LK's distribution is closely-tied to other threats with threat-downloading capabilities, and, historically, is associated with Microsoft Excel and Word documents that disguise its installer.

VBS_CRIGENT.LK also includes software-downloading functions unto itself, which VBS_CRIGENT.LK uses to install separate components. These components are unlikely to trip the flags of many security programs, since they are legitimate products – albeit ones that are used for unsafe purposes, such as the anonymity-enabling Tor browser.

Although VBS_CRIGENT.LK may be reconfigured for other attacks, malware analysts have found that its default payloads encompass the following functions:

VBS_CRIGENT.LK may gather system information and transmits this data back to its C&C server. Information gathered may be used for other attacks and includes the OS version, the user account's privilege settings, geographical data and details about installed versions of Microsoft Office.
VBS_CRIGENT.LK listens for additional instructions from its server whenever Windows starts, which lets VBS_CRIGENT.LK launch new attacks as instructed.
Most significantly, VBS_CRIGENT.LK does have the ability to create copies of itself, for which malware experts have found VBS_CRIGENT.LK worthy of classifying as a worm. VBS_CRIGENT.LK's copies hide within Microsoft DOC and XLS file types, and VBS_CRIGENT.LK even may delete similar file types (such as the modern DOCX) to replace them with infected versions. Launching any of these files also will launch VBS_CRIGENT.LK. The modifications made have the potential to damage a file's normal data, rendering it unreadable.

Spotting the Worm Peeking out of Your Documents

VBS_CRIGENT.LK does its best to hide itself from any victims, but you may be able to notice the components of non-threatening programs being exploited by VBS_CRIGENT.LK, such as the Tor browser or the Polipo Web proxy. Another giveaway of VBS_CRIGENT.LK infections that malware researchers have verified is that VBS_CRIGENT.LK does not use the latest Microsoft Office formats and prefers to delete and replace them with the old DOC and XLS file formats. Accordingly, if you see a DOCX file suddenly 'transformed' into DOC, it may be a sign of tampering by VBS_CRIGENT.LK.

Anti-malware tools should disinfect any PC compromised by this worm, and you should be cautious about avoiding opening any files that could re-trigger VBS_CRIGENT.LK's installation, including most Microsoft Office file types. VBS_CRIGENT.LK is a recently-identified worm that's notable primarily for its extensive use of legitimate software and online services during its installation and attacks – making it correspondingly difficult to confirm threatening activities.

Technical Details

Additional Information

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