TSPY_KEGOTIP.YMY

 Analysis by: RonJay Kristoffer Caragay

 ALIASES:

PWS:Win32/Kegotip.C (Microsoft); RDN/Generic.dx!d2a (McAfee); Mal/Generic-L (Sophos); Win32.Malware!Drop (Sunbelt); Trojan horse SHeur4.BYJN (AVG)

 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:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Dropped by other malware, Downloaded from the Internet


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 may be dropped by other malware.

However, as of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

119,808 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

16 Jul 2014

Payload:

Steals information, 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.

It may be dropped by the following malware:

Installation

This spyware drops the following non-malicious files:

  • %Application Data%\Microsoft\Address Book\{user name}.wab
  • %Application Data%\Microsoft\Address Book\{current user}.wab~
  • %User Temp%\MSWQ{drive letter}.tmp

(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.. %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista and 7.)

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
regedit32 = "{malware path and filename}.exe"

Other System Modifications

This spyware adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\
List
{malware path and file name}.exe = "{malware path and file name}.exe:*:Enabled:Microsoft Office"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion
VendorId = "{random values}"

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

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

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

Information Theft

This spyware attempts to steal stored account information used in the following installed File Transfer Protocol (FTP) clients or file manager software:

  • SecureFX
  • FTPRush
  • UltraFXP
  • ALFTP
  • FTP Commander
  • FTP Navigator
  • TurboFTP
  • SmartFTP
  • ws_ftp
  • FileZilla
  • far
  • far2
  • Ghisler
  • CoreFTP
  • CoffeeCup
  • GlobalScape
  • MS IE FTP

It attempts to steal stored email credentials from the following:

  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Outlook Express

It attempts to get stored information such as user names, passwords, and hostnames from the following browsers:

  • Internet Explorer

Stolen Information

This spyware sends the gathered information via HTTP POST to the following URL:

  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.227.61/

Other Details

However, as of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.700

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

10.950.01

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

28 Jul 2014

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

10.951.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

29 Jul 2014

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

Remove the malware/grayware file that dropped/downloaded TSPY_KEGOTIP.YMY. (Note: Please skip this step if the threat(s) listed below have already been removed.)

Step 4

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

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
    • regedit32 = "{malware path and filename}.exe"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\List
    • {malware path and file name}.exe = "{malware path and file name}.exe:*:Enabled:Microsoft Office"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
    • VendorId = "{random values}"

Step 6

Delete this registry key

[ Learn More ]

=Important: Editing the Windows Registry incorrectly can lead to irreversible system malfunction. Please do this only if you know how to or you can seek your system administrator’s help. You may also check out this Microsoft article first before modifying your computer's registry.

  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft
    • WAB

Step 7

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.  
  • %Application Data%\Microsoft\Address Book\{user name}.wab
  • %Application Data%\Microsoft\Address Book\{current user}.wab~
  • %User Temp%\MSWQ{drive letter}.tmp

Step 8

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