TSPY_ZBOT.PCA

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 is injected into all running processes to remain memory resident.

It does not have any propagation routine.

It does not have any backdoor routine.

It modifies Internet Explorer security settings. This puts the affected computer at greater risk, as it allows malicious URLs to be accessed by the computer.

As of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.

It connects to certain websites to send and receive information. It deletes the initially executed copy of itself.

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.

Installation

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

• %Application Data%\{random folder name 1}\{random file name 1}.exe

(Note: %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista and 7.)

It drops the following files:

• %Application Data%\{random folder name 2}\{random file name 2}.{random file extension} - contains encrypted stolen information
• %User Temp%\tmp{random}.bat - Used to delete its initially executed copy

(Note: %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista and 7.. %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista and 7.)

It creates the following folders:

• %Application Data%\{random folder name 1}
• %Application Data%\{random folder name 2}

(Note: %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista and 7.)

It is injected into all running processes to remain memory resident.

It adds the following mutexes to ensure that only one of its copies runs at any one time:

• Global\{GUID}
• Local\{GUID}

Autostart Technique

This spyware adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
{random} = "%Application Data%\{random folder name 1}\{random file name 1}.exe"

Other System Modifications

This spyware adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
{random}

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Privacy
CleanCookies = "0"

Propagation

This spyware does not have any propagation routine.

Backdoor Routine

This spyware does not have any backdoor routine.

Web Browser Home Page and Search Page Modification

This spyware modifies Internet Explorer zone settings.

Download Routine

This spyware connects to the following website(s) to download and execute a malicious file:

• http://{BLOCKED}emesedahl.com/images/cacax.exe

As of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.

Information Theft

This spyware accesses the following site to download its configuration file:

• http://{BLOCKED}ing-offices.com/pmserver/browse.php
• http://{BLOCKED}2013.org/pmserver/browse.php

Other Details

This spyware connects to the following URL(s) to check for an Internet connection:

• http://www.google.com/webhp

It connects to the following website to send and receive information:

• http://{BLOCKED}ing-offices.com/pmserver/get.php
• http://{BLOCKED}013.org/pmserver/get.php

It deletes the initially executed copy of itself

NOTES:

The configuration file may contain URLs where it downloads an updated copy of itself and where it sends its gathered information. It may also contain URLs of its target online banking and finance-related sites from where it steals the information.

It may also gather the following information from the affected system:

• Data on Cookie files (URLs)
• Email-related information such as account names, email addresses, passwords, server data, and server port
• Email information stored in the user’s Windows Address Book (WAB) file

It also connects to random generated IP addresses.

It does not have rootkit capabilities.

It does not exploit any vulnerability.