TSPY_SPYEYE.EXEI

 Analysis by: Cris Nowell Pantanilla

 ALIASES:

Trojan-Spy.Win32.SpyEyes.gyi (Kaspersky), Trojan:Win32/EyeStye.N (Microsoft)

 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 REPORTED INFECTION:
 SYSTEM IMPACT RATING:
 INFORMATION EXPOSURE:

  • Threat Type: Spyware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: No

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

SpyEye is a known malware family that steals sensitive information from affected systems.

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

This spyware sends certain information to the remote malicious user. It performs certain routines.

It may perform webinjects and steal user information such as user names and passwords when the user visits websites for certain banks and/or financial institutions.

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 connects to a website to send and receive information.

It also has rootkit capabilities, which enables it to hide its processes and files from the user.

It attempts to steal sensitive online banking information, such as user names and passwords. This routine risks the exposure of the user's account information, which may then lead to the unauthorized use of the stolen data.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

Varies

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

19 May 2011

Payload:

Connects to URLs/IPs, Hides files and processes

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 component file(s):

  • %System Root%\usxxxxxxxx\config.bin

(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:

  • %System Root%\usxxxxxxxx\usxxxxxxxx.exe

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

It creates the following folders:

  • %System Root%\usxxxxxxxx

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

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

  • Global\SystemService

It injects itself into the following processes as part of its memory residency routine:

  • explorer.exe

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
usxxxxxxxx.exe = "%System Root%\usxxxxxxxx\usxxxxxxxx.exe"

Backdoor Routine

This spyware connects to the following websites to send and receive information:

  • http://{BLOCKED}4.{BLOCKED}5.228.147/~main/us1/gate.php
  • http://{BLOCKED}8.{BLOCKED}9.96.95/us1/gate.php
  • http://{BLOCKED}8.{BLOCKED}9.99.250/us1/gate.php
  • http://{BLOCKED}ker007.ru/us10/gate.php

Rootkit Capabilities

This spyware also has rootkit capabilities, which enables it to hide its processes and files from the user.

Information Theft

This spyware attempts to steal sensitive online banking information, such as user names and passwords. This routine risks the exposure of the user's account information, which may then lead to the unauthorized use of the stolen data.

NOTES:

It sends the following information to the remote malicious user:

  • Account type
  • Bot GUID
  • Bot hash
  • Bot version
  • Function data
  • Hooked function
  • Internet Explorer version
  • Language ID
  • Local time
  • Operating system information
  • Plug-in
  • Process name
  • Status (online/offline)
  • Tick time
  • Timezone
  • Volume information

It performs the following routines:

  • Capture entered information in web forms
  • Fill form data
  • Log keystrokes
  • Modify Internet Setting Zones
  • Modify Mozilla Firefox preference file
  • Steal FTP and POP3 user names and passwords
  • Update configuration file
  • Update itself

It may perform webinjects and steal user information such as user names and passwords when the user visits any of the following banks and/or financial institutions:

  • *.wellsfargo.com/*
  • *://online.wellsfargo.com/*
  • *bankofamerica.com*
  • *bankofamerica.com/*
  • https://*.bankofamerica.com/*/commonscript.js
  • https://online.wellsfargo.com/das/cgi-bin/session.cgi*
  • https://onlineeast#.bankofamerica.com/*/GotoCustomerServiceMenu*
  • https://onlineeast#.bankofamerica.com/*/GotoWelcome
  • https://onlineeast#.bankofamerica.com/*/SplashPageControl*
  • https://sitekey.bankofamerica.com/sas/maint.do
  • https://www.chase.com/*
  • https://www.wellsfargo.com/biz/*

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.200

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

8.164.13

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

19 May 2011

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

8.417.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

10 Sep 2011

Step 1

For Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 users, before doing any scans, please make sure you disable System Restore to allow full scanning of your computer.

Step 2

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

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_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • usxxxxxxxx.exe = "%System Root%\usxxxxxxxx\usxxxxxxxx.exe"

Step 4

Search and delete this folder

[ Learn More ]
Please make sure you check the Search Hidden Files and Folders checkbox in the More advanced options option to include all hidden folders in the search result.
  • %System Root%\usxxxxxxxx

Step 5

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