BKDR_ANDROM.WEY

 Analysis by: Jaime Benigno Reyes

 ALIASES:

Dropper-FLK!A4F10D4ED625 (McAfee); Trojan.Win32.FakeFolder.h (Kaspersky); Mal/Generic-L (Sophos); Trojan.Win32.Generic!BT (Sunbelt); Trojan horse Inject2.ARGX (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: Backdoor

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: Yes

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Downloaded from the Internet, Dropped by other malware

This backdoor arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

It executes commands from a remote malicious user, effectively compromising the affected system.

It executes the downloaded files. As a result, malicious routines of the downloaded files are exhibited on the affected system.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

98,758 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

29 Aug 2014

Payload:

Compromises system security

Arrival Details

This backdoor 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 backdoor drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %User Temp%\ms{random characters}.{extension name}
  • %AppDataLocal%\Temp\ms{random}.{extension name} (Windows Vista and higher versions)
  • %All Users Profile%\Local Settings\Temp\ms{random}.{extension name} (Versions lower than Windows Vista)

(Note: %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.. %AppDataLocal% is the Local Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista and 7.. %All Users Profile% is the All Users or Common profile folder, which is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users in Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, and C:\ProgramData in Windows Vista and 7.)

It stays memory-resident by injecting codes into the following processes:

  • wuauclt.exe
  • svchost.exe

Autostart Technique

This backdoor adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
Load = "%User Temp%\ms{random}.{extension name}"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
Load = "%AppDataLocal%\Temp\ms{random}.{extension name}" (Windows Vista and higher versions)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\
Explorer\Run
{random number} = "%User Temp%\ms{random}.{extension name}"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\
Explorer\Run
{random number} = "%All Users Profile%\Local Settings\Temp\ms{random}.{extension name}" (Versions lower than Windows Vista)

Backdoor Routine

This backdoor executes the following commands from a remote malicious user:

  • Download a file directed by C&C server, save it as %User Temp%\{random number}.exe and execute it
  • Download a file directed by C&C server, save it as %All Users Profile%\ms{random number}.dat and loads it
  • Start a process
  • Uninstall itself
  • Remote shell commands

(Note: %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.. %All Users Profile% is the All Users or Common profile folder, which is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users in Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, and C:\ProgramData in Windows Vista and 7.)

It connects to the following URL(s) to send and receive commands from a remote malicious user:

  • http://{BLOCKED}gate.pw/skyload/skygate.php
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.204.237/skyload/skygate.php

Download Routine

This backdoor accesses the following websites to download files:

  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.137.91/images/0/saner.exe
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.137.91/images/0/0.dll

It saves the files it downloads using the following names:

  • %User Temp%\{random number}.exe - detected as TROJ_SULUNCH.VI
  • %All Users Profile%\ms{random number}.dat - detected as TSPY_FAREIT.WEY

(Note: %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.. %All Users Profile% is the All Users or Common profile folder, which is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users in Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, and C:\ProgramData in Windows Vista and 7.)

It then executes the downloaded files. As a result, malicious routines of the downloaded files are exhibited on the affected system.

NOTES:

The {extension name} of the dropped copy is any of the following:

  • bat
  • cmd
  • com
  • exe
  • pif
  • scr

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.700

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

11.118.05

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

30 Aug 2014

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

11.119.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

31 Aug 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 malware/grayware files dropped/downloaded by BKDR_ANDROM.WEY. (Note: Please skip this step if the threats listed below have already been removed.)

    • TROJ_SULUNCH.VI
    • TSPY_FAREIT.WEY

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 NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
    • Load = "%User Temp%\ms{random}.{extension name}"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
    • Load = "%AppDataLocal%\Temp\ms{random}.{extension name}" (Windows Vista and higher versions)
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\Explorer\Run
    • {random number} = "%User Temp%\ms{random}.{extension name}"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\Explorer\Run
    • {random number} = "%All Users Profile%\Local Settings\Temp\ms{random}.{extension name}" (Versions lower than Windows Vista)

Step 6

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.
  • %User Temp%\{random number}.exe
  • %All Users Profile%\ms{random number}.dat

Step 7

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