JAVA_ADWIND.YYLQ

 Analysis by: RonJay Kristoffer Caragay

 ALIASES:

Trojan:Java/Adwind.H (Microsoft); BackDoor-FCRJ!Adwind (McAfee); Trojan.Java.Adwind (Ikarus); a variant of Java/Adwind.GJ (ESET-NOD32); Troj/JavaDL-XO (Sophos)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

This Trojan arrives as attachment to mass-mailed email messages.

However, as of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

99,169 bytes

File Type:

JAR

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

01 Jul 2015

Arrival Details

This Trojan arrives as attachment to mass-mailed email messages.

Installation

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

  • %User Profile%\eMkcAuMolkZ\eMkcAuMolkZ\jnsgrnsKLWh.R2eIgv

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

It drops the following files:

  • %User Profile%\eMkcAuMolkZ\YVpX7t\{copy of files under Java Installation folder}
  • %Windows%\t.txt

(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista and 7.. %Windows% is the Windows folder, where it usually is C:\Windows on all Windows operating system versions.)

It creates the following folders:

  • %User Profile%\eMkcAuMolkZ
  • %User Profile%\eMkcAuMolkZ\eMkcAuMolkZ
  • %User Profile%\eMkcAuMolkZ\uAuZbW3ztSt
  • %User Profile%\eMkcAuMolkZ\YVpX7t

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

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Ix2p4pWHu5i = ""%User Profile%\eMkcAuMolkZ\YVpX7t\bin\javaw.exe" -jar "%User Profile%\eMkcAuMolkZ\eMkcAuMolkZ\jnsgrnsKLWh.R2eIgv""

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Ix2p4pWHu5i = ""%User Profile%\eMkcAuMolkZ\YVpX7t\bin\javaw.exe" -jar "%User Profile%\eMkcAuMolkZ\eMkcAuMolkZ\jnsgrnsKLWh.R2eIgv""

Other Details

This Trojan connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • {BLOCKED}g.no-ip.org:1960

However, as of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.750

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

11.764.05

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

01 Jul 2015

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

11.765.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

02 Jul 2015

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

Note that not all files, folders, and registry keys and entries are installed on your computer during this malware's/spyware's/grayware's execution. This may be due to incomplete installation or other operating system conditions. If you do not find the same files/folders/registry information, please proceed to the next step.

Step 3

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

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_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • Ix2p4pWHu5i = ""%User Profile%\eMkcAuMolkZ\YVpX7t\bin\javaw.exe" -jar "%User Profile%\eMkcAuMolkZ\eMkcAuMolkZ\jnsgrnsKLWh.R2eIgv""
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • Ix2p4pWHu5i = ""%User Profile%\eMkcAuMolkZ\YVpX7t\bin\javaw.exe" -jar "%User Profile%\eMkcAuMolkZ\eMkcAuMolkZ\jnsgrnsKLWh.R2eIgv""

Step 5

Search and delete these folders

[ Learn More ]
Please make sure you check the Search Hidden Files and Folders checkbox in the More advanced options option to include all hidden folders in the search result.
  • %User Profile%\eMkcAuMolkZ

Step 6

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.
  • %Windows%\t.txt

Step 7

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