Analysis by: Pearl Charlaine Espejo
 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 modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 929,792 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 01 Mar 2017
Payload: Connects to URLs/IPs, Steals information

Arrival Details

This malware arrives via the following means:

  • Through an email attachment containing a download link which connects to https://www.{BLOCKED}x.com/s/m8xvnk2kpksk9bw/TOTAL RFQ 000073548657093.zip?dl=1.

Installation

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

  • %User Temp%\subfolder\filename.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%\pidloc.txt --> contains full name and path of malware
  • %Application Data%\pid.txt --> contains the process id of the malware
  • %User Temp%\holdermail.txt
  • %User Temp%\holderwb.txt

(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.. %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 adds the following processes:

  • vbc.exe

Autostart Technique

This spyware drops the following files:

  • %Application Data%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\filename.vbs

(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.)

Other System Modifications

This spyware modifies the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Advanced
Hidden = "1"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is {User preference}.)

Web Browser Home Page and Search Page Modification

This spyware modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.

Information Theft

This spyware gathers the following data:

  • Computer name
  • Local Date and Time
  • Installed Language
  • .Net Version
  • Operating System Platform
  • Operating System Version
  • Internal IP Address
  • External Ip Address
  • Installed Antivirus
  • Installed Firewall
  • Key logs
  • Clipboard logs
  • Screenshot
  • Account information from:
    • Bitcoin
    • Minecraft
    • Steam
    • Internet Download Manager
    • jDownloader
    • RuneScape

It attempts to steal stored email credentials from the following:

  • Thunderbird
  • Eudora
  • Internet Account Manager
  • MS Outlook
  • Outlook Express
  • Group Mail Free
  • IncrediMail
  • Windows Mail
  • Windows Live Mail
  • Yahoo! Mail
  • Gmail

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

  • Internet Explorer
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Opera
  • Safari
  • SeaMonkey

Other Details

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

  • http://whatismyipaddress.com/

It does the following:

  • It attempts to steal stored account credentials from the following Instant Messaging applications:
    • Google Talk
    • MSN Messenger

NOTES:

This spyware sends the data it gathers via:

  • Email: {BLOCKED}illioneuro@yandex.com
  • FTP: ftp.yourhost.com
  • Web Panel: hxxp://www.{BLOCKED}e.com/logs.php

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.850
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 13.250.04
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 01 Mar 2017
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 13.251.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 02 Mar 2017

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

Identify and terminate files detected as TSPY_GOLROTED.AUSSKL

[ 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 4

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\Explorer\Advanced
    • From: Hidden = "1"
      To: Hidden = {User preference}

Step 5

Reset Internet security settings

[ Learn More ]

Step 6

Search and delete these files

[ 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%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\filename.vbs
  • %Application Data%\pid.txt
  • %Application Data%\pidloc.txt
  • %User Temp%\holdermail.txt
  • %User Temp%\holderwb.txt

Step 7

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