Analysis by: Mc Justine De Guzman
ALIASES:

Trojan:Win64/Emotetcrypt.JN!MTB (MICROSOFT)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan Spy

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: Yes

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel: Downloaded from the Internet, Dropped by other malware

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. It may be downloaded from remote sites by other malware.

It executes commands from a remote malicious user, effectively compromising the affected system.

It saves downloaded files into the said created folder.

It deletes the initially executed copy of itself.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 545,280 bytes
File Type: DLL
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 30 May 2022
Payload: Connects to URLs/IPs, Collects system information, Saves files, Deletes copies of itself, Drops files

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.

It may be downloaded from remote site(s) by the following malware:

Installation

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

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.. %AppDataLocal% is the Local Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

It adds the following processes:

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.. %AppDataLocal% is the Local Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

It creates the following folders:

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.. %AppDataLocal% is the Local Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

Autostart Technique

This Trojan Spy registers itself as a system service to ensure its automatic execution at every system startup by adding the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
services\{File Name of Copy} → If executed with admin rights
ImagePath = %System%\regsvr32.exe "%System%\{Random characters}\{File Name of Copy}

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

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run → If executed without admin rights
{File Name of Copy} = %System%\regsvr32.exe "%AppDataLocal%\{Random characters}\{File Name of Copy}

Backdoor Routine

This Trojan Spy executes the following commands from a remote malicious user:

Download Routine

This Trojan Spy saves the files it downloads using the following names:

It saves downloaded files into the said created folder.

Information Theft

This Trojan Spy gathers the following data:

Other Details

This Trojan Spy does the following:

It deletes the initially executed copy of itself.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.800
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 17.565.00
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 14 May 2022
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 17.565.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 14 May 2022

Step 1

Trend Micro Predictive Machine Learning detects and blocks malware at the first sign of its existence, before it executes on your system. When enabled, your Trend Micro product detects this malware under the following machine learning name:

    • Troj.Win32.TRX.XXPE50FFF056

Step 3

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 4

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 5

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\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\{File name of dropped file}
    • ImagePath = %System%\regsvr32.exe %System%\{random characters}\{File Name of Copy}

Step 6

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.

  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\{File Name of Copy}

Step 7

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.
  • %System%\{Random characters}\{Random characters}.{3 random characters}
  • %AppDataLocal%\{Random characters}\{Random characters}.{3 random characters}
  • {Malware Installation Folder Path}\{random characters}.dll
  • {Malware Installation Folder Path}\{random characters}.exe

Step 8

Search and delete these folders

[ Learn More ]
Please make sure you check the Search Hidden Files and Folders checkbox in the More advanced options option to include all hidden folders in the search result.
  • %System%\{Random characters}
  • %AppDataLocal%\{Random characters}

Step 9

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TrojanSpy.Win64.EMOTET.YXCEOZ. 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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