TROJ_FAKEAV.ORT

This Trojan is noteworthy as it tricks the user into purchasing the rogue product from a certain website asking for sensitive information, such as credit card numbers.

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

This Trojan moves the files from the %Start Menu% and %Desktop% folders to the created %User Temp%\smtmp folder. The files located in %Start Menu% are moved to the subfolder %User Temp%\smtmp\1, while the files located in %Desktop% are moved to the subfolder %User Temp%\smtmp\2.

It modifies the attributes of the files moved to the %User Temp%\smtmp folder into Hidden, to trick the users into thinking that the files have been deleted.

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

It deletes itself after execution.

It displays fake alerts that warn users of infection. It also displays fake scanning results of the affected system. It then asks for users to purchase it once scanning is completed. If users decide to purchase the rogue product, users are directed to a certain website asking for sensitive information, such as credit card numbers.

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.

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

Installation

This Trojan drops the following files:

• %System Root%:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\{random file name}.exe - detected as TROJ_FAKEAV.SM29

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

It drops the following component file(s):

• %Desktop%\Windows Recovery.lnk - non-malicious shortcut file
• %Start Menu%\Programs\Windows Recovery\Uninstall Windows Recovery.lnk - non-malicious shortcut file
• %Start Menu%\Programs\Windows Recovery\Windows Recovery.lnk - non-malicious shortcut file
• %System Root%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\{random file name} - non-malicious file

(Note: %Desktop% is the current user's desktop, which is usually C:\Windows\Profiles\{user name}\Desktop on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\Profiles\{user name}\Desktop on Windows NT, and C:\Documents and Settings\{User Name}\Desktop on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003.. %Start Menu% is the current user's Start Menu folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Profiles\{user name}\Start Menu on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\Profiles\{user name}\Start Menu on Windows NT and C:\Windows\Start Menu or C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003.. %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%:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\{random file name}.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:

• %Start Menu%\Programs\Windows Recovery
• %User Temp%\smtmp

(Note: %Start Menu% is the current user's Start Menu folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Profiles\{user name}\Start Menu on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\Profiles\{user name}\Start Menu on Windows NT and C:\Windows\Start Menu or C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003.. %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.)

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
{random file name} = "%System Root%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\{random file name}.exe"

Other System Modifications

This Trojan adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software
75fa38b7-8b94-4995-ad32-52e938867954 = ""

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
ActiveDesktop
NoChangingWallPaper = "1"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
System
DisableTaskMgr = "1"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\
system
DisableTaskMgr = "1"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
Associations
LowRiskFileTypes = "/{hq:/s`s:/ogn:/uyu:/dyd:/c`u:/bnl:/ble:/sdf:/lrh:/iul:/iulm:/fhg:/clq:/kqf:/`wh:/lqf:/lqdf:/lnw:/lq2:/l2t:/v`w:/rbs:"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
Attachments
SaveZoneInformation = "1"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
Explorer
NoDesktop = "1"

It modifies the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Download
CheckExeSignatures = "no"

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

Other Details

This Trojan deletes itself after execution.

Rogue Antivirus Routine

This Trojan displays fake alerts that warn users of infection. It also displays fake scanning results of the affected system. It then asks for users to purchase it once scanning is completed. If users decide to purchase the rogue product, users are directed to a certain website asking for sensitive information, such as credit card numbers.

NOTES:
This Trojan moves the files from the %Start Menu% and %Desktop% folders to the created %User Temp%\smtmp folder. The files located in %Start Menu% are moved to the subfolder %User Temp%\smtmp\1, while the files located in %Desktop% are moved to the subfolder %User Temp%\smtmp\2. It modifies the attributes of the files moved to %User Temp%\smtmp folder into Hidden, to trick the users into thinking that the files have been deleted. It displays the following messages:

• https://www.{BLOCKED}s-recovery.com/secure/payments/