TSPY_ZBOT.VEK

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 does not have any propagation 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.

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

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 files:

• %Application Data%\Microsoft\Address Book\{username}.wab
• %Application Data%\Microsoft\Address Book\{username}.wab~
• %Application Data%\{random folder name 2}\{random file name 2}.{random extension 1}
• %Application Data%\{random folder name 3}\{random file name 3}.{random extension 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 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 injects itself into the following processes running in the affected system's memory:

• dwm.exe
• taskhost.exe
• taskeng.exe
• wscntfy.exe
• ctfmon.exe
• rdpclip.exe
• explorer.exe

It creates the following folders:

• %Application Data%\Microsoft\Address Book
• %Application Data%\{random folder name 1}
• %Application Data%\{random folder name 2}
• %Application Data%\{random folder name 3}

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

• Local\{GUID}
• Global\{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\
WAB

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB\WAB4

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB\WAB4\Wab File Name

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
{random key}

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB\WAB4
OlkContactRefresh = "0"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB\WAB4
OlkFolderRefresh = "0"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB\WAB4\Wab File Name
{Default} = "%Application Data%\Microsoft\Address Book\{user name}.wab"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
{random key}
{random} = "{random values}"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB\WAB4
FirstRun = "1"

It creates the following registry entry(ies) to bypass Windows Firewall:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\
List
%Windows%\explorer.exe = "%Windows%\explorer.exe:*:Enabled:Windows Explorer"

Propagation

This spyware does not have any propagation routine.

Web Browser Home Page and Search Page Modification

This spyware modifies Internet Explorer zone settings.

Information Theft

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

• http://{BLOCKED}dos.com/1008/file.php|file=cfg01.bin

It steals the following information:

• FTP credentials
• Internet session cookies
• Flash player data
• Personal certificates

Other Details

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

• http://www.google.com/webhp

It deletes the initially executed copy of itself

NOTES:

It queries for the following registry keys to check for the installed security related software:

• *ROOT\SECURITYCENTER
• *ROOT\SECURITYCENTER2

If found, it terminates the following security related software on the system:

• AVG
• Anti-Virus
• AntiVir
• Antivirus
• Client
• Desktop
• ESET
• Inspection
• Kaspersky
• Malware
• McAfee
• Microsoft
• Monitor
• Norton
• Protection
• SafenSoft
• Security
• Security Center
• SecurityCenter
• Service
• Shared
• Symantec
• SysWatch
• avast!

It steals passwords and usernames from cache and cookies of the following browsers:

• Chrome
• Firefox
• Internet Explorer

The configuration file may contain URLs where it downloads an updated copy of itself and where it sends its gathered information.

However, as of this writing, the URL where it downloads the configuration file is already inaccessible.

It does not have rootkit capabilities.

It does not exploit any vulnerability.