TROJ_FAKEAV.QAE

October 13, 2012
 ALIASES:

Rogue:Win32/FakeRean (Microsoft); FakeAlert-CN.gen.aa (McAfee); Trojan.FakeAV!gen69 (Symantec); FraudTool.Win32.FakeRean.b (v) (Sunbelt); Gen:Variant.Kazy.15159 (FSecure)

 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

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.

It disables Task Manager, Registry Editor, and Folder Options.

It deletes itself after execution.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

319,488 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

01 Jun 2012

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.

Other System Modifications

This Trojan adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe\DefaultIcon

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe\shell

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe\shell\
open

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe\shell\
open\command

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe\shell\
runas

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe\shell\
runas\command

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile\DefaultIcon

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile\shell

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile\shell\
open

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile\shell\
open\command

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile\shell\
runas

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile\shell\
runas\command

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe
Content Type = "application/x-msdownload"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe\shell\
open\command
IsolatedCommand = "%1 %*"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe\shell\
runas\command
IsolatedCommand = "%1 %*"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile
Content Type = "application/x-msdownload"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile\shell\
open\command
IsolatedCommand = "%1 %*"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile\shell\
runas\command
IsolatedCommand = "%1 %*"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows
Identity = "6915d928"

It modifies the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
ctfmon.exe = "%System%\ctfmon.exe"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is %Windows%\system32\ctfmon.exe.)

It creates the following registry entry(ies) to disable Task Manager, Registry Tools and Folder Options:

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

Dropping Routine

This Trojan drops the following files:

  • %Application Data%\rha.exe

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

Other Details

This Trojan deletes itself after execution.

This report is generated via an automated analysis system.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.200

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

Enable Registry Editor, Task Manager, and Folder options

[ Learn More ]
By doing this step, you also enable other applications/programs disabled by this malware/grayware.

Step 3

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.

  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER
    • .exe
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe
    • DefaultIcon
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe
    • shell
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe\shell
    • open
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe\shell\open
    • command
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe\shell
    • runas
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe\shell\runas
    • command
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER
    • exefile
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile
    • DefaultIcon
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile
    • shell
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile\shell
    • open
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile\shell\open
    • command
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile\shell
    • runas
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile\shell\runas
    • command

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\.exe
    • Content Type = "application/x-msdownload"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe\shell\open\command
    • IsolatedCommand = "%1 %*"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.exe\shell\runas\command
    • IsolatedCommand = "%1 %*"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile
    • Content Type = "application/x-msdownload"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile\shell\open\command
    • IsolatedCommand = "%1 %*"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\exefile\shell\runas\command
    • IsolatedCommand = "%1 %*"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows
    • Identity = "6915d928"

Step 5

Restore this modified 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
    • From: ctfmon.exe = "%System%\ctfmon.exe"
      To: ctfmon.exe = ""%Windows%\system32\ctfmon.exe""

Step 6

Search and delete this file

[ Learn More ]
There may be some component 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%\rha.exe

Step 7

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as TROJ_FAKEAV.QAE. 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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