Trojan.Win32.FUPORPLEX.END

 Analysis by: Karen Ivy Titiwa

 ALIASES:

HEUR:Trojan.Win32.Perkiler.vho(KASPERSKY); Trojan.GenericKD.34100572(BITDEFENDER)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Downloaded from the Internet

This Trojan 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:

436,224 bytes

File Type:

DLL

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

01 Sep 2020

Arrival Details

This Trojan 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 Trojan drops the following files:

  • %System%\drivers\dump_{Random characters}.sys

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.)

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

  • %System%\Ms{Random character}App.dll

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.)

It adds the following processes:

  • %System%\svchost.exe -k LocalService
  • %System%\svchost.exe -k NetworkService

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.)

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

  • Global\ExpDriver
  • Global\ExpServicA
  • Global\{Characters based on volume serial number}CSS
  • Global\{Characters based on volume serial number}AppService
  • Global\{Characters based on volume serial number}SetService
  • Global\{Characters based on volume serial number}SetServiceX
  • Global\{Characters based on volume serial number}SLG_MutexLock

Autostart Technique

This Trojan is a .DLL file that adds the following services:

  • Ms{Random characters}App -> runs %System%\Ms{Random character}App.dll
  • dump_{Random characters} -> runs %System%\drivers\dump_{Random characters}.sys

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.)

Other System Modifications

This Trojan deletes the following files:

  • All files inside the %Windows% folder with Ms and Es or Ex in its filename
  • All files inside the %System% folder with Ms and Es or Ex in its filename

(Note: %Windows% is the Windows folder, where it usually is C:\Windows on all Windows operating system versions.. %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.)

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
DirectPlay8\Direct3D
{Random characters} = {Random characters}

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\{CurrentControlSet or ControlSet001}\
Control\SafeBoot\Minimal\
Ms{Random characters}App
(Default) = Service

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\{CurrentControlSet or ControlSet001}\
Control\SafeBoot\Network\
Ms{Random characters}App
(Default) = Service

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\{CurrentControlSet or ControlSet001}\
Control\SafeBoot\Minimal\
dump_{Random characters}.sys
(Default) = Service

Other Details

This Trojan does the following:

  • It checks whether it is running on the following processes:
    • WinLogon.exe
    • svchost.exe
  • It adds the malicious Ms{Random characters}App service to the netsvcs service group by modifying the value of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Svchost\netsvcs.
  • Added %System%\svchost.exe -k LocalService serves as a watchdog for added %System%\svchost.exe -k NetworkService and vice versa
  • It locates for the following files to continue its malicious routine:
    • %Windows%\AppPatch\Ke{Random characters}.xsl
    • %Windows%\AppPatch\Ac{Random characters}.sdb
    • .moe files in %Windows%\AppPatch\Custom
    • .mow files in %Windows%\AppPatch\Custom

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.. %Windows% is the Windows folder, where it usually is C:\Windows on all Windows operating system versions.)

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

16.204.01

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

02 Sep 2020

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

16.205.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

03 Sep 2020

Step 1

Trend Micro Predictive Machine Learning detects and blocks malware at the first sign of its existence, before it executes on your system. When enabled, your Trend Micro product detects this malware under the following machine learning name:

     
    • Troj.Win32.TRX.XXPE50FFF036

Step 2

Before doing any scans, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 users must disable System Restore to allow full scanning of their computers.

Step 3

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 4

Identify and terminate files detected as Trojan.Win32.FUPORPLEX.END

[ Learn More ]
  1. Windows Task Manager may not display all running processes. In this case, please use a third-party process viewer, preferably Process Explorer, to terminate the malware/grayware/spyware file. You may download the said tool here.
  2. If the detected file is displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer but you cannot delete it, restart your computer in safe mode. To do this, refer to this link for the complete steps.
  3. If the detected file is not displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer, continue doing the next steps.

Step 5

Disable this malware service

[ Learn More ]
    • Ms{Random characters}App
    • dump_{Random characters}

Step 6

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\DirectPlay8\Direct3D
    •     {Random characters}={Random characters}

  • In     HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\{CurrentControlSet or ControlSet001}\Control\SafeBoot\Minimal\Ms{Random characters}App
    •     (Default)=Service

  • In     HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\{CurrentControlSet or ControlSet001}\Control\SafeBoot\Network\Ms{Random characters}App
    •     (Default)=Service
    •    
  • In     HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\{CurrentControlSet or ControlSet001}\Control\SafeBoot\Minimal\dump_{Random characters}.sys
    •     (Default)=Service

Step 7

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.
  • %System%\Ms{Random character}App.dll
  • %System%\drivers\dump_{Random characters}.sys

Step 8

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as Trojan.Win32.FUPORPLEX.END. 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 the following Trend Micro Support pages for more information:


Did this description help? Tell us how we did.