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TSPY_GOLROTED.FRD

February 17, 2015
 Analysis by: Michelle Morales
 PLATFORM:

Windows

 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.

As of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

1,148,848 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

16 Feb 2015

Payload:

Connects to URLs/IPs

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 and executes them:

  • %User Temp%\{malware file name}.exe
  • %User Temp%\pchealth.exe

(Note: %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)

It drops the following files:

  • %Application Data%\pid.txt
  • %Application Data%\pidloc.txt --> contains path of copied malware with original name

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

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
pchealth = "%User Temp%\pchealth.exe"

Other System Modifications

This spyware adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\
ESENT\Process\{malware name}

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\
ESENT\Process\{malware name}\
DEBUG

Download Routine

This spyware connects to the following URL(s) to download its component file(s):

  • www.download.windowsupdate.com/msdownload/update/v3/static/trustedr/en/authrootseq.txt
  • www.download.windowsupdate.com/msdownload/update/v3/static/trustedr/en/authrootstl.cab

As of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.

Information Theft

This spyware gathers the following data:

  • Browser cookies
  • POP3, IMAP, HTTPMail, SMTP, FTP Passwords
  • System information

It attempts to steal stored email credentials from the following:

  • Pidgin Messenger
  • Paltalk Messenger
  • Miranda Messenger
  • Windows Credential Messenger
  • Outlook Express
  • IncrediMail
  • Gmail Notifier
  • MSN Messenger
  • Yahoo! Mail
  • Netscape Mail
  • Mozilla Thunderbird
  • Windows Mail
  • Windows Live Mail

It attempts to get stored information such as user names, passwords, and hostnames from the following browsers:

  • Comodo Dragon
  • SRWare Iron Browser
  • Apple Safari
  • Internet Explorer
  • Mozilla Firefox
  • Google Chrome
  • Opera Browser
  • SeaMonkey
  • Flock Browser
  • Chrome SxS
  • CoolNovo

Stolen Information

This spyware sends the data it gathers to the following email addresses via SMTP:

  • {BLOCKED}esh@finegucci.com.de

Other Details

This spyware connects to the following URL(s) to get the affected system's IP address:

  • http://whatismyipaddress.com

NOTES:

The email message it sends contains the following information:

  • Operating System Intel Recovery
    • PC Name
    • Local Time
    • Installed Language
    • Net Version
    • Operating System Platform
    • Operating System Version
    • Internal IP Address
    • External IP Address
    • Installed Anti-Virus
    • Installed Firewall
  • {User Name} Recoveries
    • Source of Information
    • Host Name
    • Username
    • Password

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.700

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

11.482.02

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

16 Feb 2015

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

11.483.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

17 Feb 2015

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

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 4

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
    • pchealth = "%User Temp%\pchealth.exe"

Step 5

Delete this registry key

[ 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.

  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\ESENT\Process\{malware name}

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.
  • %Application Data%\pid.txt
  • %Application Data%\pidlock.txt

Step 7

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TSPY_GOLROTED.FRD. 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 8

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as TSPY_GOLROTED.FRD. 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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