Analysis by: Sabrina Lei Sioting

ALIASES:

PSW.OnlineGames3.AMIC (AVG); Trojan-GameThief.Win32.Magania.dfrd (Kaspersky); Trojan:Win32/Malagent (Microsoft); Win32/PSW.Gamania.NCV (NOD32)

 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: Yes

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel: Downloaded from the Internet, Dropped by other malware

This Trojan 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 sensitive information such as user names and passwords related to certain games.

It creates an event.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 101,688 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 29 Jul 2010
Payload: Connects to URLs/IPs, Terminates processes, Steals information, Modifies files

Arrival Details

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

Installation

This Trojan drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %System%\{random five letters}.exe

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, which is usually C:\Windows\System32.)

It injects itself into the following processes as part of its memory residency routine:

  • explorer.exe
  • Iexplore.exe

Autostart Technique

This Trojan modifies the following registry entries to ensure it automatic execution at every system startup:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Userinit = "%System%\userinit.exe,{random five letters}.exe"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is %System%\userinit.exe,.)

Process Termination

This Trojan terminates the following processes if found running in the affected system's memory:

  • ALUSCHEDULERSVC.EXE
  • ASHDISP.EXE
  • avast.setup
  • AVGNT.EXE
  • AVGRSX.EXE
  • avgupd.exe
  • avgupd.exe
  • AVP.EXE
  • AYAGENT.AYE
  • AYUpdate.aye
  • BDAGENT.EXE
  • CCSVCHST.EXE
  • eguiEmon.dll
  • eguiEpfw.dll
  • EKRN.EXE
  • ekrnEmon.dll
  • ekrnEpfw.dll
  • LIVESRV.EXE
  • luall.exe
  • mcupdate.exe
  • preupd.exe
  • prupdate.ppl
  • setup.ovr
  • SfFnUp.exe
  • UFSEAGNT.EXE
  • UfUpdUi.exe
  • Update.exe
  • updater.dll
  • VCRMON.EXE
  • VSTSKMGR.EXE
  • vsupdate.dll

Download Routine

This Trojan connects to the following URL(s) to download its component file(s):

  • http://{BLOCKED}na.com/images/china.gif
  • http://{BLOCKED}na.com/images/china.jpg
  • http://{BLOCKED}na.com/images/china.bmp

Information Theft

This Trojan steals sensitive information such as user names and passwords related to the following games:

  • MapleStory
  • Arad Senki
  • Ragnarok Online
  • World of Warcraft
  • Gersang
  • Blue Sky
  • Twelve Sky
  • Red Stone
  • Dungeon Fighter
  • Play Online
  • Gamania
  • AION GameClient
  • Xtreme Jade
  • Neowiz Games

Other Details

This Trojan creates the following event(s):

  • MN_XADLEBCBAXCSDFGEWQCDDD0
  • DWONS_ASMAPING_XADADAKEUPOIUY98753M

NOTES:

This Trojan checks the language of the system by querying the following registry entry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Nls\Language
InstallLanguage = "{number}"

If the number above is equivalent to 0804, this means that the language is in Chinese. It does not continue its routines.

It searches for the following files on the affected system:

  • %System%\drivers\cdaudio.sys
  • %System%\dllcache\cdaudio.sys

If found, the files are modified and executed as a service with service name AVPsys. This is used as part of its memory residency.

It also disables a particular antivirus from updating itself by creating the following registry entry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\KasperskyLab\protected\AVP7\profiles\Updater
enabled = "0"

It obtains user account details from the aforementioned games by monitoring the following processes:

  • _beanfuncore.exe
  • aclient.exe
  • aion.bin
  • arad.exe
  • blueskyclient_r.exe
  • changchun.exe
  • client.exe
  • dnf.exe
  • elementclient.exe
  • engine.exe
  • gersang.exe
  • InphaseNXD.exe
  • l2.bin
  • maplestory.exe
  • msnmsgr.exe
  • online.dat
  • pcotp.exe
  • pol.exe
  • ragexe.exe
  • ragfree.exe
  • ragurdrexe.exe
  • Red Stone.exe
  • twelvesky2.exe
  • wow.exe
  • yahoomessenger.exe

It also monitors the Internet Explorer (IE) activities of the affected system, specifically the address bar, if a user visits sites:

  • http://12sky2.paran.com
  • http://aion.plaync.co.kr
  • http://dbo.netmarble.net
  • http://df.nexon.com/?go=home|intro
  • http://dragonnest.nexon.com
  • http://game4.netmarble.net/prius/main.asp
  • http://id.hangame.com
  • http://itemmall.gersang.co.kr\
  • http://login.live.com
  • http://login.nexon.com/login
  • http://maplestory.nexon.com
  • http://r2.hangame.com
  • http://raycity.pmang.com
  • http://sp1.nexon.com
  • http://tw.beanfun.com
  • http://tw.beanfun.gamania.com
  • http://tw.yahoo.com
  • http://www.gersang.co.kr\
  • http://www.hangame.com
  • http://www.nexon.com
  • http://www.pmang.com
  • http://yulgang.mgame.com
  • https://login.plaync.co.kr
  • https://login.yahoo.com
  • https://tw.beanfun.gamania.com
  • https://tw.beanfun.gamania.com/unlock_login
  • https://tw.gash.gamania.com/gashlogin.aspx
  • https://tw.gash.gamania.com/updatemainaccountpassword.aspx
  • https://tw.gash.gamania.com/updateserviceaccountpassword.aspx?servicecode=600035
  • https://tw.gash.gamania.com/updateserviceaccountpassword.aspx?servicecode=610074
  • https://tw.login.beanfun.com
  • https://www.worldofwarcraft.com/login/login

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.200
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 7.344.01
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 29 Jul 2010
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 7.345.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 30 Jul 2010

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

Restore this modified registry value

[ 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\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
    • From: Userinit = "%System%\userinit.exe,{random five letters}.exe"
      To: Userinit = %System%\userinit.exe,

Step 4

Delete this registry value

[ 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\SOFTWARE\KasperskyLab\protected\AVP7\profiles\Updater
    • enabled = "0"

Step 5

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TROJ_GAMETHI.SMO. 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.

Step 6

Restore these deleted files from backup

*Note: Only Microsoft-related keys/values will be restored. If this malware/grayware also deleted registry keys/values related to programs that are not from Microsoft, please reinstall those programs on your computer.

  • %System%\drivers\cdaudio.sys
  • %System%\dllcache\cdaudio.sys

Step 7

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as TROJ_GAMETHI.SMO. 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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