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TrojanSpy.Win32.SOCELARS.D

September 14, 2021
 Analysis by: Warren Adam Sto. Tomas
 ALIASES:

TrojanSpy:Win32/Socelars.PAA!MTB (Microsoft)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan Spy

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: No

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Downloaded from the Internet, Dropped by other malware

This Trojan Spy arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites. It may be dropped by other malware.

It connects to certain websites to send and receive information.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

1,448,448 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

09 Aug 2021

Payload:

Drops files, Connects to URLs/IPs

Arrival Details

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

It may be dropped by the following malware:

Installation

This Trojan Spy drops the following files:

  • Browser extension:
    • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\kjkfjbddnkpfcflenfcleijhgaaiapaf\8.66.88_0\background.html
    • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\kjkfjbddnkpfcflenfcleijhgaaiapaf\8.66.88_0\icon.png
    • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\kjkfjbddnkpfcflenfcleijhgaaiapaf\8.66.88_0\js\aes.js
    • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\kjkfjbddnkpfcflenfcleijhgaaiapaf\8.66.88_0\js\background.js
    • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\kjkfjbddnkpfcflenfcleijhgaaiapaf\8.66.88_0\js\content.js
    • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\kjkfjbddnkpfcflenfcleijhgaaiapaf\8.66.88_0\js\jquery-3.3.1.min.js
    • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\kjkfjbddnkpfcflenfcleijhgaaiapaf\8.66.88_0\js\mode-ecb.js
    • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\kjkfjbddnkpfcflenfcleijhgaaiapaf\8.66.88_0\js\pad-nopadding.js
    • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\kjkfjbddnkpfcflenfcleijhgaaiapaf\8.66.88_0\manifest.json

(Note: %AppDataLocal% is the Local Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

It adds the following processes:

  • xcopy "%AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\User Data" "%User Temp%\cghjgasaaz99\" /s /e /y
  • %Program Files%\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe --window-position=-50000,-50000 --user-data-dir="%User Temp%\cghjgasaaz99" https://www.facebook.com/ https://www.facebook.com/pages/ https://secure.facebook.com/ads/manager/account_settings/account_billing/

It creates the following folders:

  • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\kjkfjbddnkpfcflenfcleijhgaaiapaf
  • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\kjkfjbddnkpfcflenfcleijhgaaiapaf\8.66.88_0

(Note: %AppDataLocal% is the Local Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

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

  • patatoes

Other System Modifications

This Trojan Spy adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\
Google\Chrome\ExtensionInstallWhitelist
99 = kjkfjbddnkpfcflenfcleijhgaaiapaf

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Askhelpfinder
path = %User Temp%\{malware file name and extension}

Process Termination

This Trojan Spy terminates the following processes if found running in the affected system's memory:

  • chrome.exe

Information Theft

This Trojan Spy gathers the following data:

  • Login Data, User name, Password, Account information, and Cookies from the following browsers:
    • Chrome
    • Firefox
    • Internet Explorer
  • Amazon/Facebook information:
    • Paypal information
    • Credit card information
    • Transactions history
    • Billing information
    • Internet Explorer history

Stolen Information

This Trojan Spy sends the gathered information via HTTP POST to the following URL:

  • http://www.{BLOCKED}y.top
  • http://{retrieved url}/Home/Index/lkdinl

Other Details

This Trojan Spy connects to the following website to send and receive information:

  • To retrieve URL {retrieved url} to be used in sending gathered data
    • http://www.{BLOCKED}n.com/
    • http://www.{BLOCKED}c.top/
    • http://www.{BLOCKED}ce.xyz/

It does the following:

  • It attempts to bypass UAC using CMSTPLUA COM interface.
  • The browser extension it drops is used to steal more Facebook information. It will send stolen information and receive response from the following URLs:
    • {URL1}/Home/Index/xcvjs
      • http://www.{BLOCKED}n.com/
      • http://www.{BLOCKED}c.top/
      • http://www.{BLOCKED}ce.xyz/
    • {URL2}
      • Format:
      • URLs:
        • http://www.{BLOCKED}bt.top
        • http://www.{BLOCKED}q.xyz
        • http://www.{BLOCKED}t.top

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.800

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

16.956.05

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

09 Sep 2021

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

16.957.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

10 Sep 2021

Step 1

Trend Micro Predictive Machine Learning detects and blocks malware at the first sign of its existence, before it executes on your system. When enabled, your Trend Micro product detects this malware under the following machine learning name:

     
    • Troj.Win32.TRX.XXPE50FFF048

Step 2

Before doing any scans, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 users must disable System Restore to allow full scanning of their computers.

Step 3

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 4

Identify and terminate files detected as TrojanSpy.Win32.SOCELARS.D

[ Learn More ]
  1. Windows Task Manager may not display all running processes. In this case, please use a third-party process viewer, preferably Process Explorer, to terminate the malware/grayware/spyware file. You may download the said tool here.
  2. If the detected file is displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer but you cannot delete it, restart your computer in safe mode. To do this, refer to this link for the complete steps.
  3. If the detected file is not displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer, continue doing the next steps.

Step 5

Close all opened browser windows

Step 6

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\Policies\Google\Chrome\ExtensionInstallWhitelist
    • 99 = kjkfjbddnkpfcflenfcleijhgaaiapaf
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Askhelpfinder
    • path = %User Temp%\{malware file name and extension}

Step 7

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.
  • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\kjkfjbddnkpfcflenfcleijhgaaiapaf

Step 8

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as TrojanSpy.Win32.SOCELARS.D. 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 the following Trend Micro Support pages for more information:


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