TSPY_BANKER.VIX

August 13, 2013
 Analysis by: Alvin Bacani
 ALIASES:

Troj/Banker-FWU (Sophos)

 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows Vista (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows 7 (32-bit, 64-bit)

 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 is related to the bogus project dubbed as flashplayerwindows.When executed, it connects to Google Code to download other files.

To get a one-glance comprehensive view of the behavior of this Spyware, refer to the Threat Diagram shown below.

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 attempts to steal information, such as user names and passwords, used when logging into certain banking or finance-related websites.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

2,563,584 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

02 Aug 2013

Payload:

Connects to URLs/IPs, Downloads files

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:

  • %System Root%\ProgramData\log.brt

(Note: %System Root% is the root folder, which is usually C:\. It is also where the operating system is located.)

It drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %User Startup%\iexplorer.exe

(Note: %User Startup% is the current user's Startup folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Profiles\{user name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\Profiles\{user name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows NT, and C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup.)

Other System Modifications

This spyware adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
System
ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin = "0"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
Explorer
TaskbarNoThumbnail = "1"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
System
EnableLUA = "0"

Download Routine

This spyware downloads an updated copy of itself from the following website(s):

  • http://www.{BLOCKED}0.com/bart4/up.txt

Information Theft

This spyware attempts to steal information from the following banks and/or other financial institutions:

  • Banco Itau
  • Banco de Brasil

Other Details

This spyware connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://{BLOCKED}ctor.pl/wp-content/plugins/xml/infect.php
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.200.175:49990

NOTES:

It monitors the following browsers, specifically the address bar or title bar, if the visited site is related to the targeted banks or financial institutions:

  • Internet Explorer
  • Mozilla Firefox
  • Google Chrome

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.300

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

10.194.01

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

02 Aug 2013

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

10.195.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

02 Aug 2013

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

Terminate a malware/grayware process

[ Learn More ]

*Note: If the detected process is not displayed in theWindows Task Manager, continue doing the next steps.

    • %User Startup%\iexplorer.exe

Step 3

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 Startup%\iexplorer.exe
  • %System Root%\ProgramData\log.brt

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\Policies\System
    • ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin = "0"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
    • TaskbarNoThumbnail = "1"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
    • EnableLUA = "0"

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as TSPY_BANKER.VIX. 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.