TSPY_ZBOT.YUYASU

 Analysis by: Ryan Gardo

 ALIASES:

PWS:Win32/Zbot (Microsoft); a variant of Win32/Spy.Zbot.YW trojan (ESET);

 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.

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.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

299, 008 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

18 May 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.

Installation

This spyware drops the following files:

  • %User Temp%\{random file name 4}.bat - deletes initially executed copy of malware
  • %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: %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.. %Application Data% is the Application Data folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)

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 Application Data folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)

It creates the following folders:

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

(Note: %Application Data% is the Application Data folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)

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

  • Local\{GUID}
  • Global\{GUID}

It attaches itself to all running processes.

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 entries:

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

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:

  • www.{BLOCKED}rolc.com/file.php|file=config.dll

It steals the following information:

  • FTP credentials
  • Internet session cookies
  • Flash player data
  • Personal certificates
  • Video capture
  • Keyboard logs
  • Clipboard logs

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 avoids injecting on the following processes on the system:

  • Microsoft
  • ESET
  • AVG
  • AntiVir
  • avast!
  • Kaspersky
  • Norton
  • Symantec
  • 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.

  •   SOLUTION

    Minimum Scan Engine:

    9.800

    FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

    12.822.06

    FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

    07 Oct 2016

    VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

    12.823.00

    VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

    08 Oct 2016

    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

    Search and delete these files

    [ 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.
    • %User Temp%\{random file name4}.bat
    • <

    Step 5

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

    Step 6

    The following created files/folders/registry keys/registry entries cannot be identified by the user since there are no reference values in the created key. The only way it can be identified is by comparing the present system information with a backup. Note that the said components do not have to be deleted since it won't be harmful to the system.

    • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft
      • {random key}

    Step 7

    Reset Internet security settings

    [ Learn More ]

    Step 8

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


    Did this description help? Tell us how we did.