TROJ_AGENT_012337.TOMB
Generic PUP.x!uz. (McAfee); Trojan.Gen.2 (Symantec); Trojan.Win32.Genome.abizk (Kaspersky); Win32.Adware.Genius (Sunbelt); Gen:Variant.MSILKrypt.16 (FSecure)
Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003

Threat Type: Trojan
Destructiveness: No
Encrypted:
In the wild: Yes
OVERVIEW
This Trojan arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.
It modifies files, disabling programs and applications from properly running.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Arrival Details
This Trojan 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 creates the following folders:
- %User Profile%\Application Data\Genius
(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Profiles\{user name} on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\Profiles\{user name} on Windows NT, and C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003.)
Autostart Technique
This Trojan adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Genius = "{malware path and file name}"
Other System Modifications
This Trojan modifies the following files:
- %Application Data%\GDIPFONTCACHEV1.DAT
(Note: %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Profiles\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\Profiles\{user name}\Application Data on Windows NT, and C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003.)
It adds the following registry keys:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Genius
hkey_local_machine\software\microsoft\
esent\process\{malware file name}
hkey_local_machine\software\microsoft\
esent\process\{malware file name}\
debug
It adds the following registry entries:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Genius
id = "{706C9A23-9058-4780-9179-0EE8467AACB4}"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Genius
eula = "1"
It modifies the following registry entries:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
GDIPlus
FontCachePath = "%Application Data%"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is %User Profile%\Local Settings\Application Data.)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\Eventlog\Application\
ESENT
EventMessageFile = "%System%\ESENT.dll"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is {random values}.)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\Eventlog\Application\
ESENT
CategoryMessageFile = "%System%\ESENT.dll"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is {random values}.)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\Eventlog\Application\
ESENT
CategoryCount = "1"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 10.)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\Eventlog\Application\
ESENT
TypesSupported = "7"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 7.)
This report is generated via an automated analysis system.
SOLUTION
Step 1
For Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 users, before doing any scans, please make sure you disable System Restore to allow full scanning of your computer.
Step 2
Restart in Safe Mode
Step 3
Delete this registry key
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
- Genius
- In hkey_local_machine\software\microsoft\esent\process
- {malware file name}
- In hkey_local_machine\software\microsoft\esent\process\{malware file name}
- debug
Step 4
Delete this registry value
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
- Genius = "{malware path and file name}"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Genius
- id = "{706C9A23-9058-4780-9179-0EE8467AACB4}"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Genius
- eula = "1"
Step 5
Restore this modified registry value
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\GDIPlus
- From: FontCachePath = "%Application Data%"
To: FontCachePath = ""%User Profile%\Local Settings\Application Data""
- From: FontCachePath = "%Application Data%"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Eventlog\Application\ESENT
- From: EventMessageFile = "%System%\ESENT.dll"
To: EventMessageFile = ""{random values}""
- From: EventMessageFile = "%System%\ESENT.dll"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Eventlog\Application\ESENT
- From: CategoryMessageFile = "%System%\ESENT.dll"
To: CategoryMessageFile = ""{random values}""
- From: CategoryMessageFile = "%System%\ESENT.dll"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Eventlog\Application\ESENT
- From: CategoryCount = "1"
To: CategoryCount = ""10""
- From: CategoryCount = "1"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Eventlog\Application\ESENT
- From: TypesSupported = "7"
To: TypesSupported = ""7""
- From: TypesSupported = "7"
Step 6
Search and delete this folder
- %User Profile%\Application Data\Genius
Step 7
Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TROJ_AGENT_012337.TOMB. 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.
Step 8
Restore deleted/modified files and/or registry entries from backup
*Note: Only Microsoft-related files/keys/values will be restored. If this malware/grayware also deleted registry keys/values related to programs that are not from Microsoft, please reinstall those programs on your computer.
- %Application Data%\GDIPFONTCACHEV1.DAT
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