TSPY_SPYEYE.BIN

 Analysis by: Roland Marco Dela Paz

 ALIASES:

Trojan-Spy.Win32.SpyEyes.kyr (Kaspersky)

 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 REPORTED INFECTION:
 SYSTEM IMPACT RATING:
 INFORMATION EXPOSURE:

  • Threat Type: Spyware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: Yes

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW


This spyware may be downloaded by other malware/grayware/spyware from remote sites. It may be unknowingly downloaded by a user while visiting malicious websites.

It connects to a website to send and receive information.

It also has rootkit capabilities, which enables it to hide its processes and files from the user.

It modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.

It attempts to steal sensitive online banking information, such as user names and passwords. This routine risks the exposure of the user's account information, which may then lead to the unauthorized use of the stolen data.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

141,312 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

11 Aug 2011

Payload:

Hides files and processes, Compromises system security

Arrival Details

This spyware may be downloaded by other malware/grayware/spyware from remote sites.

It may be unknowingly downloaded by a user while visiting malicious websites.

Installation

This spyware drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %System Root%Recycle.Bin\B6232F3A1D5.exe

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

It drops the following non-malicious file:

  • %System Root%Recycle.Bin\2FC03553D109167 - configuration file

(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:

  • %System Root%Recycle.Bin

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

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
4Y3Y0C3AXF7XXHYWYOWMYC = "%System Root%Recycle.Bin\B6232F3A1D5.exe /q"

Other System Modifications

This spyware adds the following registry entries as part of its installation routine:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\PhishingFilter
EnabledV8 = "0"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\PhishingFilter
ShownServiceDownBalloon = "0"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Recovery
ClearBrowsingHistoryOnExit = "0"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
WarnOnPostRedirect = "0"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
WarnOnIntranet = "0"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
GlobalUserOffline = "0"

Backdoor Routine

This spyware connects to the following websites to send and receive information:

  • www.{BLOCKED}xxs400.biz

Rootkit Capabilities

This spyware also has rootkit capabilities, which enables it to hide its processes and files from the user.

Web Browser Home Page and Search Page Modification

This spyware modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.

Information Theft

This spyware attempts to steal sensitive online banking information, such as user names and passwords. This routine risks the exposure of the user's account information, which may then lead to the unauthorized use of the stolen data.

NOTES:

It injects a remote thread to all running processes except for the following:

  • System
  • smss.exe
  • csrss.exe
  • services.exe
  • Recycle.Bin.exe

It sends the following system information to its C&C server:

  • Account type
  • Internet Explorer (IE) version
  • Language ID
  • Local time
  • OS Information
  • Tick time
  • Timezone
  • Volume information

It reports the following BOT information to its C&C server:

  • Bot GUID
  • Bot hash
  • Bot Status (online/offline)
  • Bot version
  • Function data
  • Hooked function
  • Plug-in
  • Process name
  • Status of executed commands

It hooks the following APIs to aid in its malicious routines:

  • advapi32.dll:
    CryptEncrypt
  • crypt32.dll:
    PFXImportCertStore
  • user32.dll:
    TranslateMessage
  • wininet.dll:

    HttpAddRequestHeadersA
    HttpOpenRequestA
    HttpQueryInfoA
    HttpSendRequestA
    HttpSendRequestW
    InternetCloseHandle
    InternetQueryDataAvailable
    InternetQueryOptionA
    InternetReadFile
    InternetReadFileExA
    InternetWriteFile
  • ws2_32.dll:
    send
  • ntdll.dll:

    NtClose
    NtEnumerateValueKey
    NtQueryDirectoryFile
    NtResumeThread
    NtSetInformationFile
    NtVdmControl

It is capable of performing the following routines:

  • Update configuration file
  • Update itself
  • Steal FTP accounts
  • Steal POP3 accounts
  • Steal certificates
  • Capture screenshots
  • Perform forms grabbing and webinjects on the following browsers: Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera, Chrome
  • Harvest email addresses
  • Open a reverse FTP connection
  • Open a reverse connections through a proxy server
  • Open a remote desktop connection

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

8.900

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

8.353.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

13 Aug 2011

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

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_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • 4Y3Y0C3AXF7XXHYWYOWMYC = "%System Root%Recycle.Bin\B6232F3A1D5.exe /q"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\PhishingFilter
    • EnabledV8 = "0"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\PhishingFilter
    • ShownServiceDownBalloon = "0"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Recovery
    • ClearBrowsingHistoryOnExit = "0"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
    • WarnOnPostRedirect = "0"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
    • WarnOnIntranet = "0"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
    • GlobalUserOffline = "0"

Step 4

Search and delete this folder

[ 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.
  • %System Root%Recycle.Bin

Step 5

Reset Internet security settings

[ Learn More ]

Step 6

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