Analysis by: Clive Fuentebella
ALIASES:

HackTool:Win32/AutoKMS (MICROSOFT)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Hacking Tool

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: Yes

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

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

This Hacking Tool 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: 1,174,440 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: No
Payload: Drops files, Adds processes, Connects to URLs/IPs

Arrival Details

This Hacking Tool 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 Hacking Tool drops the following files:

  • {Malware file path}\msact++.db
  • {Malware file path}\msact++.db-journal
  • {Malware file path and name}.log
  • %User Temp%\MSAct.vbs

(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).)

It adds the following processes:

  • "%System%\cmd.exe" /c cscript.exe MSAct.vbs //NoLogo all

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.)

Other Details

This Hacking Tool does the following:

  • It attempts to activate the following:
    • Microsoft Windows OS
    • Microsoft Office 2010-2021
  • It opens the following URL upon clicking the button "WebChat Windows" or "WebChat Office":
    • https://{BLOCKED}d.info/

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.800
SSAPI PATTERN File: 2.477.00
SSAPI PATTERN Date: 06 Jan 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:

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

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.
  • {Malware file path}\msact++.db
  • {Malware file path}\msact++.db-journal
  • {Malware file path and name}.log
  • %User Temp%\MSAct.vbs

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as HackTool.Win32.AutoKMS.AUSZR. 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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