HKTL_BITCOINMINE

 Analysis by: Cris Nowell Pantanilla

 ALIASES:

Program:Win32/CoinMiner (Microsoft)

 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 REPORTED INFECTION:
 SYSTEM IMPACT RATING:
 INFORMATION EXPOSURE:

  • Threat Type: Hacking Tool

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: No

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW


This hacking tool is a Bitcoin miner used to generate bitcoins.

To get a one-glance comprehensive view of the behavior of this Hacking Tool, refer to the Threat Diagram shown below.

This hacking tool may be bundled with a malware to send to other machines and use the affected machine to mine for Bitcoins.

The affected machine uses high CPU power, which also requires more electricity. This may result in higher electricity bills.

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:

743,936 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

25 Jul 2011

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.

It may be downloaded from the following remote sites:

  • http://{BLOCKED}ft.com/open/bitcoin/

NOTES:

This hacking tool is a Bitcoin miner used to generate bitcoins.

It may be bundled with a malware to send to other machines and use the affected machine to mine for Bitcoins.

The affected machine uses high CPU power, which also requires more electricity. This may result in higher electricity bills.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

8.900

SSAPI PATTERN File:

1.215.00

SSAPI PATTERN Date:

08 Sep 2011

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

Identify and terminate files detected as HKTL_BITCOINMINE

[ Learn More ]
  1. If the detected file is displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer but you cannot delete it, restart your computer in safe mode. To do this, refer to this link for the complete steps.
  2. If the detected file is not displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer, continue doing the next steps.

Step 3

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as HKTL_BITCOINMINE. 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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