Analysis by: Byron Jon Gelera
ALIASES:

Java/Adwind.B (PANDA); JV/Backdoor-Adwind.p (McAfee)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Backdoor

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

This cross-platform remote access trojan (RAT) can be run on any machine installed with Java. This includes Windows, Mac OSX, Linux, and Android. This malware is capable of stealing information through harvesting keystrokes, take screenshots, film and retrieve videos, and exfiltrate data.

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.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 577,317 bytes
File Type: JAR
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 23 Aug 2017

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.

Installation

This Backdoor adds the following folders:

  • %User Profile%\EqIVOOFKccE (Hidden Attribute)
  • %User Profile%\fUTkALeaTxM
  • %Application Data%\Oracle

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

It drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %User Profile%\EqIVOOFKccE\nIVvzduITjt.GgmmPn (Hidden Attribute)

(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista and 7.)

It drops the following files:

  • %User Profile%\EqIVOOFKccE\ID.txt (Hidden Attribute)
  • %System%\test.txt
  • %User Profile%\fUTkALeaTxM\ID.txt
  • %Application Data%\Oracle\{copies of files under Java Installation folder}

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

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
kZotXoFiRaA = "%Application Data%\Oracle\bin\javaw.exe" -jar "%User Profile%\EqIVOOFKccE\nIVvzduITjt.GgmmPn"

Other Details

This Backdoor connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • {BLOCKED}luize88.{BLOCKED}o.org

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.850
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 13.630.01
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 31 Aug 2017
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 13.631.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 01 Sep 2017

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

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
    • kZotXoFiRaA = "%Application Data%\Oracle\bin\javaw.exe" -jar "%User Profile%\EqIVOOFKccE\nIVvzduITjt.GgmmPn"

Step 5

Search and delete this folder

[ 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.
  • %User Profile%\EqIVOOFKccE(Hidden Attribute)
  • %User Profile%\fUTkALeaTxM
  • %Application Data%\Oracle

Step 6

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.
  • %System%\test.txt

Step 7

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as JAVA_ADWIND.BG. 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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