Crossplatform virus – the latest proof of concept

We’ve received a new sample: another cross platform virus. This sample is the latest attempt to create malicious code which will infect both Linux and Win32 systems. It’s therefore been given a double name: Virus.Linux.Bi.a/ Virus.Win32.Bi.a

The virus is written in assembler and is relatively simple: it only infects files in the current directory. However, it is interesting in that it is capable of infecting the different file formats used by Linux and Windows – ELF and PE format files respectively.

To infect ELF files, the virus uses INT 80 system calls and injects its body into the file immediately after the ELF file header and before the “.text” section. This changes the entry point of the original file.

Infected files are identified with a 2-byte signature, 7DFBh, at 0Bh.

The virus uses the Kernel32.dll function to infect systems running Win32. It injects its code to the final section, and gains control by again changing the entry point. Infected PE files contain the same 2-byte signature as ELF files; the signature is placed in the PE TimeDateStamp header.

Infected files contain the following text strings:

The infector itself contains the following strings:

The virus doesn’t have any practical application – it’s classic Proof of Concept code, written to show that it is possible to create a cross platform virus.
However, our experience shows that once proof of concept code is released, virus writers are usually quick to take the code, and adapt it for their own use.

Detection for Virus.Linux.Bi.a/ Virus.Win32.Bi.a was added to the Kaspersky Anti-Virus databases shortly after the sample was received.