Analysis by: Paul Steven Nadera

ALIASES:

HEUR:Backdoor.MSIL.Remcos.gen (Microsoft); a variant of MSIL/Kryptik.UUS trojan (NOD32)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Backdoor

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: Yes

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

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

This Backdoor 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 dropped by other malware.

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

It steals certain information from the system and/or the user. It logs a user's keystrokes to steal information.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 380,928 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 25 Feb 2020
Payload: Connects to URLs/IPs, Collects system information, Steals information, Logs keystrokes

Arrival Details

This Backdoor 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 dropped by the following malware:

  • Trojan.P97M.REMCOS.AB

Installation

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

  • %AppDataLocal%\Usermodehost.exe

(Note: %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:

  • cmd.exe /c copy "%User Temp%\dee.1exe" "%AppDataLocal%\Usermodehost.exe"

(Note: %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:

  • %Application Data%\remcos

(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 mutexes to ensure that only one of its copies runs at any one time:

  • Remcos_Mutex_Inj
  • nenye-IEA1X9

Autostart Technique

This Backdoor drops the following files:

  • %Application Data%\remcos\logs.dat -> log file used by the malware to store information sniffed by the keylogger

(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 drops the following shortcut pointing to its copy in the User Startup folder to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

  • %User Startup%\Usermodehost.lnk

(Note: %User Startup% is the current user's Startup folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Profiles\{user name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\Profiles\{user name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows NT, C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows 2003(32-bit), XP and 2000(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit), 10(64-bit).)

Other System Modifications

This Backdoor adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\nenye-IEA1X9
licence = "{data}"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\nenye-IEA1X9
exepath = "{hex values}"

Backdoor Routine

This Backdoor executes the following commands from a remote malicious user:

  • Rename File
  • Delete File
  • Find File
  • Download File
  • Execute A File
  • Upload File
  • Execute a command
  • Execute Downloaded File
  • Terminate Process
  • Close Window
  • Change Window Text
  • Show Window
  • Enum Window
  • Terminate Thread
  • Change Wallpaper
  • Empty Clipboard
  • Get Clipboard Contents
  • Set Clipboard Contents
  • Shutdown Windows
  • Show message box
  • Modify registry
  • Enumerate registry key/entries
  • Get Keyboard Layout Information
  • Activate Keylogger
  • Turn Off Keylogger
  • Connect to a server
  • Close Connection
  • Clear browser logins and cookies
  • Get process id of window
  • Hide or Show Window
  • Uninstall Self
  • Update Self
  • Terminate Self
  • Terminate Process
  • List files and subfiles in directory
  • Modify Service
  • Play Sound
  • Create Alarm
  • Switch Windows
  • Get DxDiag Information
  • Get System Timing Information
  • Open CMD
  • Close Socket
  • Change Keep-Alive timeout
  • Capture Image Using Camera

It connects to the following URL(s) to send and receive commands from a remote malicious user:

  • anita98.{BLOCKED}s.org:3131

Information Theft

This Backdoor steals the following information:

  • Operating System Version
  • User Privilege (Admin or Non-Admin)
  • Processor Revision No.
  • Processor Level
  • Processor Identifier
  • Processor Architecture
  • System type (32-bit or 64-bit)
  • Keyboard Layout
  • Keyboard Key Pressed
  • Idle Time of User
  • Clipboard Contents
  • User Name
  • Computer Name

It logs a user's keystrokes to steal information.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.850
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 15.720.03
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 03 Mar 2020
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 15.721.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 04 Mar 2020

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.XXPE50FFF034

Step 2

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 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_CURRENT_USER\Software\nenye-IEA1X9
    • licence = "{data}"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\nenye-IEA1X9
    • exepath = "{hex values}"

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.

  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\nenye-IEA1X9

Step 7

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.
  • %User Startup%\Usermodehost.lnk
  • %Application Data%\remcos\logs.dat
  • %AppDataLocal%\Usermodehost.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.
  • %Application Data%\remcos

Step 9

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as Backdoor.MSIL.REMCOS.AOZ. 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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