Analysis by: Jennifer Gumban
ALIASES:

Trojan.Trickybot (Norton), Win32/TrickBot.A trojan (NOD32)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan Spy

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

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

This Trojan Spy 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: 412,160 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 12 Oct 2016
Payload: Connects to URLs/IPs, Drops files

Arrival Details

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

  • %Application Data%\{Malware File Name}.exe

(Note: %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 files:

  • %Application Data%\client_id
  • %Application Data%\group_tag
  • %Windows%\Tasks\Bot.job

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

It creates the following folders:

  • %Application Data%\Modules\
  • %Application Data%\Modules\injectDll32_configs
  • %Application Data%\Modules\mailsearcher32_configs

(Note: %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.)

Download Routine

This Trojan Spy saves the files it downloads using the following names:

  • %Application Data%\config.conf
  • %Application Data%\Modules\injectDll32
  • %Application Data%\Modules\systeminfo32
  • %Application Data%\Modules\injectDll32_configs\dinj
  • %Application Data%\Modules\injectDll32_configs\dpost
  • %Application Data%\Modules\injectDll32_configs\sinj
  • %Application Data%\Modules\mailsearcher32_configs\mailconf

(Note: %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.)

Other Details

This Trojan Spy connects to the following URL(s) to get the affected system's IP address:

  • ip.anysrc.net
  • bot.whatismyipaddress.com
  • icanhazip.com
  • api.ipify.org
  • myexternalip.com

It connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.28.77:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.28.24:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.209.51:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.44.28:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.23.98:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.138.194:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.211.34:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.234.69:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.28.0:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.176.6:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.52.75:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.131.97:443
  • 15616.{BLOCKED}ebhosting.net
  • zen.{BLOCKED}us.org
  • b.{BLOCKED}udacentral.org
  • dnsbl-1.{BLOCKED}tect.net
  • spam.dnsbl.{BLOCKED}s.net

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.850

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 the Scheduled Tasks added by this malware/grayware

[ Learn More ]

To delete the added Scheduled Task file:

For Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003:

  1. Open the Windows Scheduled Tasks. To do this, click Start>Programs>Accessories>System Tools>Scheduled Tasks.
  2. Double-click on a .JOB file.
  3. Check if the malware path and file name exists in the .JOB file. To do this, check the value in the Run field.
  4. If found, select the .JOB file then press SHIFT+DELETE to permanently delete the file.
  5. Repeat the steps above for the remaining .JOB files.

For Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012:

  1. Open the Windows Task Scheduler. To do this:
    • On Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008, click Start, type taskschd.msc in the Search input field, then press Enter.
    • On Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012, right-click on the lower left corner of the screen, click Run, type taskschd.msc, then press Enter.
  2. In the left panel of the Task Scheduler Window, click Task Scheduler Library.
  3. In the upper-middle panel, click a Task.
  4. In the lower middle panel, click the Actions tab
  5. Check if the malware path and file name exists in the task. To do this, check the value in the Details column under the Actions tab.
  6. If found, select the task and press DELETE and click Yes to delete the task.
  7. Repeat the steps above for the remaining tasks.

Step 5

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%\Modules

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.
  • %Application Data%\client_id
  • %Application Data%\group_tag
  • %Application Data%\config.conf

Step 7

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