Analysis by: John Anthony Banes
ALIASES:

Trojan:Win32/Vools!bit (Microsoft)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: No

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel: Dropped by other malware

This Trojan may arrive bundled with malware packages as a malware component. It arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

It connects to certain websites to send and receive information. It gathers information and reports it to its servers.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 334,336 bytes
File Type: DLL
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 21 Nov 2018
Payload: Compromises system security, Steals information

Arrival Details

This Trojan may arrive bundled with malware packages as a malware component.

It arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

Installation

This Trojan drops the following files:

  • %Windows%\SYSWOW64\MgmtFilterShim.ini - contains "+" string.

(Note: %Windows% is the Windows folder, where it usually is C:\Windows on all Windows operating system versions.)

Download Routine

This Trojan connects to the following URL(s) to download its component file(s):

  • http://{domain name}/resource
  • http://{domain name}/modules.dat

Other Details

This Trojan connects to the following website to send and receive information:

  • c.{BLOCKED}z.tk
  • {domain name}/homepage.php?mac={mac address}&ip={ip address}&host={host}&tick={value}&os={os}&cpu={value}&{string}

It requires the following additional components to properly run:

  • %Windows%\SYSWOW64\MarsTraceDiagnostics.xml - configuration file, it may contain the following data:
    • URLs including {domain name}
    • Coinminer files (%Windows%\SYSWOW64\WUDFhostex.exe) and arguments used
    • %Windows%\AppDiagnostics\Wininit.exe and Eternalblue/Doublepulsar-related Files

(Note: %Windows% is the Windows folder, where it usually is C:\Windows on all Windows operating system versions.)

It does the following:

  • It opens port 60153 and starts listening to the said port.
  • It can receive a command in the server that downloads and executes an arbitrary file saved as %User Temp%\tmp{random}.{exe/tmp}
  • It injects %Windows%\AppDiagnostics\Wininit.exe into any available process. If injection fails, this file is executed directly.
  • It injects %Windows%\SYSWOW64\WUDFHostex.exe into any available process. If injection fails, this file is executed directly.
  • Update its files or modules
  • It refers to %Windows%\SYSWOW64\MarsTraceDiagnostics.xml to delete files, services and scheduled task related to older versions of this malware.

(Note: %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista, 7, and 8.. %Windows% is the Windows folder, where it usually is C:\Windows on all Windows operating system versions.)

It gathers the following information and reports it to its servers:

  • MAC Address
  • IP Address
  • Host name
  • OS version
  • CPU and GPU information

NOTES:

The value of the {domain name} depends on the file %Windows%\SYSWOW64\MarsTraceDiagnostics.xml which may contain more than one URL.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.850
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 14.864.05
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 11 Mar 2019
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 14.865.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 12 Mar 2019

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

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 4

Search and delete this file

[ 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.
  • %Windows%\SYSWOW64\MgmtFilterShim.ini
  • %Windows%\SYSWOW64\MarsTraceDiagnostics.xml
  • %Windows%\SYSWOW64\WUDFhostex.exe
  • %Windows%\AppDiagnostics\Wininit.exe

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as Trojan.Win64.MARSATORMIN.AA. 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:


Did this description help? Tell us how we did.