TROJ_FAKEAL.SMEP
PW:Win32/Zbot.gen!Y (Microsoft); Trojan.FakeAV!gen32 (Symantec); Trojan.Win32.FakeAV.xbu (Kaspersky); Trojan-Spy:W32/Zbot.AHRP (FSecure); Troj/Zbot-AHB (Sophos); FraudTool.Win32.FakeAV.hdd (GFI-Sunbelt)
Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003
Threat Type: Trojan
Destructiveness: No
Encrypted: No
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.
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 drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:
- %User Profile%\Application Data\{random folder name 1}\{random file name 1}.exe
(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%\Application Data\{random folder name 2}\{random file name 2}
- %User Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book\{user name}.wab
- %User Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book\{user name}.wab~
(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 creates the following folders:
- %User Profile%\Application Data\{random folder name 1}
- %User Profile%\Application Data\{random folder name 2}
(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.)
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
{random CLSID} = "%User Profile%\Application Data\{random folder name 1}\{random file name 1}.exe"
Other System Modifications
This Trojan adds the following registry keys:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Account Manager
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
{random key}
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB
It adds the following registry entries:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Privacy
CleanCookies = 0
It modifies the following registry entries:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\
Zones\0
1609 = 0
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 1.)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\
Zones\1
1406 = 0
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 1.)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\
Zones\1
1609 = 0
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 1.)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\
Zones\2
1609 = 0
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 1.)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\
Zones\3
1406 = 0
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 3.)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\
Zones\3
1609 = 0
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 1.)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\
Zones\4
1406 = 0
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 3.)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\
Zones\4
1609 = 0
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 1.)
SOLUTION
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
Restart in Safe Mode
Step 3
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
- {random CLSID} = %User Profile%\Application Data\{random folder name 1}\{random file name 1}.exe
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Privacy
- CleanCookies = 0
Step 4
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\Microsoft
- Internet Account Manager
- Internet Account Manager
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft
- {random key}
- {random key}
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft
- WAB
- WAB
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\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\0
- From: 1609=0
To: 1609=1
- From: 1609=0
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\1
- From: 1406=0
To: 1406=1
- From: 1406=0
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\1
- From: 1609=0
To: 1609=1
- From: 1609=0
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\2
- From: 1609=0
To: 1609=1
- From: 1609=0
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\3
- From: 1406=0
To: 1406=3
- From: 1406=0
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\3
- From: 1609=0
To: 1609=1
- From: 1609=0
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\4
- From: 1406=0
To: 1406=3
- From: 1406=0
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\4
- From: 1609=0
To: 1609=1
- From: 1609=0
Step 6
Search and delete this file
- %User Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book\{user name}.wab
- %User Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book\{user name}.wab~
Step 7
Search and delete this folder
- %User Profile%\Application Data\{random folder name 1}
- %User Profile%\Application Data\{random folder name 2}
Step 8
Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TROJ_FAKEAL.SMEP. 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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