TROJ_FAKEAV.SMWC


 ALIASES:

Rogue:Win32/FakeRean (Microsoft); FakeAlert-Rena.dg (McAfee); Trojan.FakeAV!gen101 (Symantec); Trojan.Win32.FakeAV.pblx (Kaspersky); Trojan.Win32.FakeAV.gcd (v) (Sunbelt); Trojan horse Generic30.BRRI (AVG)

 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW


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.

It deletes itself after execution.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

274,624 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

24 May 2013

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.

Other System Modifications

This Trojan adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe\DefaultIcon

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe\shell

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe\shell\
open

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe\shell\
open\command

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe\shell\
runas

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe\shell\
runas\command

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile\DefaultIcon

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile\shell

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile\shell\
open

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile\shell\
open\command

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile\shell\
runas

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile\shell\
runas\command

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile
EnableFirewall = "0"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile
DoNotAllowExceptions = "0"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile
DisableNotifications = "1"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\DomainProfile
EnableFirewall = "0"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\DomainProfile
DoNotAllowExceptions = "0"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\DomainProfile
DisableNotifications = "1"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe
Content Type = "application/x-msdownload"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe\shell\
open\command
IsolatedCommand = "%1 %*"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe\shell\
runas\command
IsolatedCommand = "%1 %*"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile
Content Type = "application/x-msdownload"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile\shell\
open\command
IsolatedCommand = "%1 %*"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile\shell\
runas\command
IsolatedCommand = "%1 %*"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows
Identity = "b57ddac"

It modifies the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\SharedAccess
Start = "4"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 2.)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Security Center
AntiVirusDisableNotify = "1"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Security Center
AntiVirusOverride = "1"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Security Center
FirewallDisableNotify = "1"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Security Center
FirewallOverride = "1"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Security Center
UpdatesDisableNotify = "1"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
ctfmon.exe = "%System%\ctfmon.exe"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is %Windows%\system32\ctfmon.exe.)

Dropping Routine

This Trojan drops the following files:

  • %Application Data%\lbl.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.)

Other Details

This Trojan deletes itself after execution.

This report is generated via an automated analysis system.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.300

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

Delete this registry key

[ 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
    • .exe
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe
    • DefaultIcon
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe
    • shell
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe\shell
    • open
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe\shell\open
    • command
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe\shell
    • runas
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe\shell\runas
    • command
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER
    • exefile
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile
    • DefaultIcon
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile
    • shell
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile\shell
    • open
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile\shell\open
    • command
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile\shell
    • runas
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile\shell\runas
    • command

Step 3

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\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile
    • EnableFirewall = "0"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile
    • DoNotAllowExceptions = "0"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile
    • DisableNotifications = "1"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\DomainProfile
    • EnableFirewall = "0"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\DomainProfile
    • DoNotAllowExceptions = "0"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\DomainProfile
    • DisableNotifications = "1"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe
    • Content Type = "application/x-msdownload"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe\shell\open\command
    • IsolatedCommand = "%1 %*"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe\shell\runas\command
    • IsolatedCommand = "%1 %*"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile
    • Content Type = "application/x-msdownload"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile\shell\open\command
    • IsolatedCommand = "%1 %*"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile\shell\runas\command
    • IsolatedCommand = "%1 %*"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows
    • Identity = "b57ddac"

Step 4

Restore these modified registry values

[ 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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\SharedAccess
    • From: Start = "4"
      To: Start = ""2""
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center
    • AntiVirusDisableNotify = "1"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center
    • AntiVirusOverride = "1"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center
    • FirewallDisableNotify = "1"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center
    • FirewallOverride = "1"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center
    • UpdatesDisableNotify = "1"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • From: ctfmon.exe = "%System%\ctfmon.exe"
      To: ctfmon.exe = ""%Windows%\system32\ctfmon.exe""

Step 5

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.
  • %Application Data%\lbl.exe

Step 6

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as TROJ_FAKEAV.SMWC. 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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