Modified by: Jay Garcia
ALIASES:

HEUR:Trojan-PSW.MSIL.Azorult.gen (Kaspersky); MSIL/Kryptik.SFX!tr (Fortinet)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan Spy

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

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

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 550,400 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 25 Jul 2019

Arrival Details

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

  • %Application Data%\zxcvghjk.exe

(Note: %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

It adds the following processes:

  • cmd.exe /C type nul > "%User Temp%\{malware name}:Zone.Identifier"
  • cmd.exe /c copy "%User Temp%\{malware name}" "%Application Data%\zxcvghjk.exe"
  • cmd.exe /c, "%Application Data%\zxcvghjk.exe"
  • "%Application Data%\zxcvghjk.exe"
  • cmd.exe /C type nul > "%Application Data%\zxcvghjk.exe:Zone.Identifier"

(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(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).. %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
dsfghj = "%Application Data%\zxcvghjk.exe -boot"

Dropping Routine

This Trojan Spy drops the following files:

  • {malware path and file name}:zone.identifier

Other Details

This Trojan Spy connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://emdholdings.{BLOCKED}o.za/img/index.php

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.850
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 15.256.03
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 25 Jul 2019
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 15.257.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 26 Jul 2019

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

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
    • dsfghj = "%Application Data%\zxcvghjk.exe -boot"

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.
  • %Application Data%\zxcvghjk.exe

Step 5

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TrojanSpy.MSIL.AZORULT.F. 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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