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TSPY_HESBOT.A

September 10, 2013
 Analysis by: Jimelle Monteser
 ALIASES:

Win32/Spy.Hesperbot.A trojan (NOD32)

 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: Yes

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Downloaded from the Internet, Dropped by other malware

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 retrieves specific information from the affected system.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

263,168 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

06 Sep 2013

Payload:

Compromises system security

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 copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %Windows%\{random folder name}\(random filename).exe

(Note: %Windows% is the Windows folder, which is usually C:\Windows.)

It creates the following folders:

  • %All Users Profile%\Application Data\{random folder name}
  • %All Users Profile%\Application Data\Sun

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

  • Global\{random}.mutex

It stays memory-resident by creating remote threads:

  • explorer.exe

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
{random = "%Windows%\{random folder name}\(random filename).exe"

Dropping Routine

This spyware drops the following files:

  • %All Users Profile%\Application Data\{random folder name 1}\{random filename1}.dat
  • %All Users Profile%\Application Data\{random folder name 1}\{random filename2}.dat
  • %All Users Profile%\Application Data\Sun\{random filename3}.bkp
  • %All Users Profile%\Application Data\Sun\{random filename4}.bkp

(Note: %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.)

Information Theft

This spyware retrieves the following information from the affected system:

  • Computer Name
  • OS Version
  • System Information (Processor type and architecture)

NOTES:

This spyware has the capability to do any of the following:

  • Download Configuration File
  • Download Component Malwares
  • Download updated copy of itself

It connects to the following URL to send and receive information:

  • {BLOCKED}whoisrecord.co.uk

As of this writing, the said servers are currently inaccessible.

It retrieves machine GUID and digital product ID by querying the following registries:

quote>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Cryptography
MachineGuid

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
DigitalProductId

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.300

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

10.260.05

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

06 Sep 2013

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

10.261.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

06 Sep 2013

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

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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • {random} "%Windows%\{random folder name}\(random filename).exe"

Step 4

Search and delete these folders

[ 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.
  • %All Users Profile%\Application Data\{random folder name}
  • %All Users Profile%\Application Data\Sun

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as TSPY_HESBOT.A. 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.

Step 6

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