W32.Sality.PE
Threat Scorecard
EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecard
EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecards are assessment reports for different malware threats which have been collected and analyzed by our research team. EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecards evaluate and rank threats using several metrics including real-world and potential risk factors, trends, frequency, prevalence, and persistence. EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecards are updated regularly based on our research data and metrics and are useful for a wide range of computer users, from end users seeking solutions to remove malware from their systems to security experts analyzing threats.
EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecards display a variety of useful information, including:
Ranking: The ranking of a particular threat in EnigmaSoft’s Threat Database.
Severity Level: The determined severity level of an object, represented numerically, based on our risk modeling process and research, as explained in our Threat Assessment Criteria.
Infected Computers: The number of confirmed and suspected cases of a particular threat detected on infected computers as reported by SpyHunter.
See also Threat Assessment Criteria.
| Threat Level: | 80 % (High) |
| Infected Computers: | 2 |
| First Seen: | January 23, 2012 |
| Last Seen: | February 18, 2022 |
| OS(es) Affected: | Windows |
The W32.Sality.PE virus was first discovered in the summer of 2003. However, as of 2011 W32.Sality.PE was still among the most widespread virus infection online. The criminals behind W32.Sality.PE have updated W32.Sality.PE continually since its creation. W32.Sality.PE has the ability to infect files corrupting executable files (with the EXE extension) on all detected drives. W32.Sality.PE also integrates the victim's computer into a peer-to-peer botnet, connects to remote servers and has the ability to download files and set them up on the victim's computer. According to ESG security researchers, W32.Sality.PE also has the ability to detect the presence of the most popular anti-virus software and to disable it.
A General Description of W32.Sality.PE' Functionality
Present versions of W32.Sality.PE are not the same as those that originated in the Russian Federation in 2003. The original version of W32.Sality.PE was a basic file infector with keylogging capabilities. Present versions of W32.Sality.PE have sophisticated spreading mechanisms and the creation of a vast network that is made up of computer systems infected with W32.Sality.PE. In order to infect a file, W32.Sality.PE overwrites the infected file with a complex set of instructions in an obfuscated code. This makes it difficult for PC security researchers to understand exactly how the virus works. The virus itself is added to the last section of the infected file.
The W32.Sality.PE Botnet and Self-Protective Measures
The main goal of W32.Sality.PE is to download another kind of malware from a remote server, receiving the URLs for these malicious file downloads through its peer-to-peer botnet. These malicious URLs form a convoluted network of links, usually points to additional URLs with several steps between W32.Sality.PE and the malicious files it downloads. This is designed to counter some of the protective measures enacted by PC security analysts. As a way to protect itself, W32.Sality.PE changes security configurations in the infected computer's Windows Registry as well as detects the presence of anti-virus software, which W32.Sality.PE can then disable. One of the most dangerous aspects of W32.Sality.PE is its ability to alter Windows' Safe Mode, ensuring that W32.Sality.PE stays on the victim's computer. This virus is also highly invasive, attempting to inject itself into nearly all running processes on the infected system.
Submit Comment
Please DO NOT use this comment system for support or billing questions. For SpyHunter technical support requests, please contact our technical support team directly by opening a customer support ticket via your SpyHunter. For billing issues, please refer to our "Billing Questions or Problems?" page. For general inquiries (complaints, legal, press, marketing, copyright), visit our "Inquiries and Feedback" page.