Analysis by: jasperm
 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, XP, Server 2003

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: No

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

This Trojan may be dropped by other malware. It may be unknowingly downloaded by a user while visiting malicious websites.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 48,960 bytes
File Type: PE
Memory Resident: No
Initial Samples Received Date: 04 Oct 2010
Payload: Connects to URLs/Ips

Arrival Details

This Trojan may be dropped by other malware.

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

Installation

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

  • %System%\termsrvs.exe

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, which is usually C:\Windows\System on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\System32 on Windows NT and 2000, or C:\Windows\System32 on Windows XP and Server 2003.)

It injects threads into the following normal process(es):

  • IEXPLORE.EXE

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
messengr = %System%\termsrvs.exe

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Active Setup\Installed Components\{2BE8D280-841E-938D-0476-B069DB56AD9C}
StubPath = %System%\termsrvs.exe

Other System Modifications

This Trojan adds the following registry keys as part of its installation routine:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Active Setup\Installed Components\{2BE8D280-841E-938D-0476-B069DB56AD9C}

Other Details

This Trojan does the following:

  • It may visit the following websites to display pop-up advertisements or download other possibly malicious files:
    • {BLOCKED}o.ezua.com
    • {BLOCKED}y.selfip.com

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 8.900

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

Close all opened browser windows

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
    • messengr=%System%\termsrvs.exe
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components\{2BE8D280-841E-938D-0476-B069DB56AD9C}
    • StubPath=%System%\termsrvs.exe

Step 4

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. Before you could do this, you must restart in Safe Mode. For instructions on how to do this, you may refer to this page If the preceding step requires you to restart in safe mode, you may proceed to edit the system registry.

  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components\
    • {2BE8D280-841E-938D-0476-B069DB56AD9C}

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as TROJ_SWIZZOR.WIN. 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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