TSPY_PWNPOS.A

 Analysis by: Jennifer Gumban

 PLATFORM:

Windows

 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:

Downloaded from the Internet, Dropped by other malware

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.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

397,501 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

17 Feb 2015

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

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
SystemUpdater = {malware path}

Stolen Information

The stolen information is saved in the following file:

  • syshealth.log

It sends the data it gathers to the following email addresses via SMTP:

  • {BLOCKED}mnomnom@gmail.com

NOTES:

It archives syshealth.log to yshealth.7z using 7z.exe (7zip). Both files are deleted after malware sends stolen information.

It attaches syshealth.7z, which contains the stolen information, to email.

It uses the following credentials to access SMTP:

username = {BLOCKED}s@fuego.cc
password = 1qaz2wsx3edc4rfv

It sends stolen information via SMTP using the following details:

smtpserver = {BLOCKED}l.{BLOCKED}o.cc
fromname = Drone
fromaddress ={BLOCKED}s@fuego.cc
toaddress = {BLOCKED}mnomnom@gmail.coom
subject = {computername} Drone

It searches for target files in fixed drives.

It gets information of its targeted files that:

  • Do not end in the following file extensions:
    • bmp
    • png
    • jpg
    • jpeg
    • gif
    • tiff
    • psd
    • tga
    • mp3
    • wav
    • aac
    • mov
    • mp4
    • mkv
    • avi
    • vmg
    • wmv
    • pdf
    • torrent
    • js
    • vb
    • vbs
    • exe
    • dll
    • cab
    • msi
  • Have file sizes not below 50 bytes
  • Have file sizes not exceeding 2 gigabytes

It hides the target files.

It saves its log into the following file

  • perfmonlog.log

Runs the following commandline to search for files:

  • grep.exe -Pihoa ?i)([0-9]{15,16}[D=](?:0[7-9]|1[0-5])(?:(?:0[1-9])|(?:1[0-2]))[0-9]{8,30})

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.700

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

11.484.03

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

01 Oct 2012

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

11.485.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

02 Oct 2012

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

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.
  • {malware path}\syshealth.log
  • {malware path}\perfmonlog.log
  • {malware path}\syshealth.7z

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\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • SystemUpdater = {malware path}

Step 5

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