Analysis by: Raighen Sanchez
ALIASES:

Trojan:JS/HideLink.A (MICROSOFT)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 DAMAGE POTENTIAL:
 DISTRIBUTION POTENTIAL:
 REPORTED INFECTION:
 SYSTEM IMPACT RATING:
 INFORMATION EXPOSURE:

  • Threat Type: Trojan

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: No

  • 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 does not have any propagation routine.

It does not have any backdoor routine.

It does not have any information-stealing capability.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 20,339 bytes
File Type: HTML, HTM
Memory Resident: No
Initial Samples Received Date: 03 Jul 2025

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.

Propagation

This Trojan does not have any propagation routine.

Backdoor Routine

This Trojan does not have any backdoor routine.

Rootkit Capabilities

This Trojan does not have rootkit capabilities.

Information Theft

This Trojan does not have any information-stealing capability.

Other Details

This Trojan does the following:

  • It connects to the following URL(s) to inject hidden SEO spam backlinks:
    • http://www.{BLOCKED}n.com/
  • It injects hidden CSS styling to position HTML elements off-screen at -9999 pixels.
  • It targets compromised Joomla CMS websites for CSS styling injection.

It does not exploit any vulnerability.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.800
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 20.536.03
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 22 Oct 2025
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 20.537.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 23 Oct 2025

Step 1

Before doing any scans, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 users must disable System Restore to allow full scanning of their computers.

Step 2

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as Trojan.JS.HIDELINK.C. 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 the following Trend Micro Support pages for more information:


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