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TROJ_FAKEAV.DPW

April 12, 2013
 Analysis by: Nikko Tamana
 Modified by: Nikko Tamana
 ALIASES:

Mal/FakeAV-KL (Sophos), Trojan horse FakeAV_r.PX (AVG), W32/FakeAV.SDA!tr (Fortinet), W32/FakeAlert.TW.gen!Eldorado (FProt), Trojan.Win32.FakeAV (Ikarus), Trojan.Win32.FakeAV.ovrs (Kaspersky), Rogue:Win32/Winwebsec (Microsoft), Trojan.FakeAV!gen96 (Norton)

 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: No

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Downloaded from the Internet


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 does not have any propagation routine.

It does not have any backdoor routine.

It does not have any downloading capability.

When users agree to buy the software, it connects to a certain URL. It displays a window where users can purchase this fake antivirus program.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

573,440 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

01 Apr 2013

Payload:

Connects to URLs/IPs, Displays graphics/image, Terminates processes

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 files:

  • %Start Menu%\Programs\System Progressive Protection\System Progressive Protection.lnk - detected as LNK_FAKEAV.SM2
  • %All Users Profile%\Application Data\{random folder name}\{random file name}
  • %All Users Profile%\Application Data\{random folder name}\{random file name}.ico
  • %Desktop%\System Progressive Protection.lnk - detected as LNK_FAKEAV.SM2

(Note: %Start Menu% is the current user's Start Menu folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Start Menu or C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu on Windows Vista and 7.. %All Users Profile% is the All Users or Common profile folder, which is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users in Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, and C:\ProgramData in Windows Vista and 7.. %Desktop% is the current user's desktop, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{User Name}\Desktop on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\Desktop on Windows Vista and 7.)

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

  • %All Users Profile%\Application Data\{random folder name}\{random file name}.exe

(Note: %All Users Profile% is the All Users or Common profile folder, which is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users in Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, and C:\ProgramData in Windows Vista and 7.)

It creates the following folders:

  • %Start Menu%\Programs\System Progressive Protection
  • %All Users Profile%\Application Data\{random folder name}

(Note: %Start Menu% is the current user's Start Menu folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Start Menu or C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu on Windows Vista and 7.. %All Users Profile% is the All Users or Common profile folder, which is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users in Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, and C:\ProgramData in 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\RunOnce
{random file name} = "%All Users Profile%\Application Data\{random folder name}\{random file name}.exe"

Propagation

This Trojan does not have any propagation routine.

Backdoor Routine

This Trojan does not have any backdoor routine.

Download Routine

This Trojan does not have any downloading capability.

Rogue Antivirus Routine

This Trojan displays the following fake alerts:

When users agree to buy the software, it connects to the following URL to continue the purchase:

  • http://{BLOCKED}lingpay.com/p/?&lid=3070017&affid=60815&nid=DC0C021C&group=srs

The following window is displayed for users to purchase the fake antivirus program:

It displays the following window and pretends to scan the system:

NOTES:

This Trojan terminates processes except the following:

  • alg.exe
  • csrss.exe
  • ctfmon.exe
  • explorer.exe
  • iexplore.exe
  • lsass.exe
  • services.exe
  • smss.exe
  • svchost.exe
  • winlogon.exe

This Trojan connects to the following URL to let the remote user know that the installation was successful:

  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.225.41/api/stats/install/?ts=87fe138e

It connects to the following URL to get the URL where the affected user will connect to when opted to activate the fake antivirus software:

  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.225.41/api/urls/?ts=87fe138e

It may possibly connect to the following URLs for activation:

  • http://{BLOCKED}illing.com/p/?
  • http://{BLOCKED}rketpay.com/p/?
  • http://{BLOCKED}tepors.com/p/?
  • http://{BLOCKED}illing.com/p/?
  • http://{BLOCKED}lingpay.com/p/?
  • http://{BLOCKED}ybilling.com/p/?
  • http://{BLOCKED}gshoper.com/p/?
  • http://{BLOCKED}utbiz.com/p/?
  • http://{BLOCKED}gpayer.com/p/?
  • http://{BLOCKED}gshopes.com/p/?
  • http://{BLOCKED}payment.com/p/?
  • http://{BLOCKED}rchant.com/p/?
  • http://{BLOCKED}s.{BLOCKED}support.info/?

It does not have rootkit capabilities.

It does not exploit any vulnerability.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.300

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

9.850.05

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

11 Apr 2013

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

9.851.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

12 Apr 2013

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

Remove malware/grayware files dropped/downloaded by TROJ_FAKEAV.DPW

Step 3

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product and note files detected as TROJ_FAKEAV.DPW

Step 4

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 5

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\RunOnce
    • {random file name} = "%All Users Profile%\Application Data\{random folder name}\{random file name}.exe"

Step 6

Search and delete these files

[ Learn More ]
There may be some component 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.
  • %All Users Profile%\Application Data\{random folder name}\{random file name}
  • %All Users Profile%\Application Data\{random folder name}\{random file name}.ico

Step 7

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.
  • %Start Menu%\Programs\System Progressive Protection
  • %All Users Profile%\Application Data\{random folder name}

Step 8

Search and delete the files detected as TROJ_FAKEAV.DPW

*Note: Some component files may be 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.

To stop the malware/grayware from running when certain files are opened:

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

  1. Right-click Start then click Search....
  2. In the Named input box, type the name of the file that was detected earlier.
  3. In the Look In drop-down list, select My Computer then press Enter.
  4. Once located, select the file then press SHIFT+DELETE to delete it.

For Windows Vista and Windows 7:

  1. Click Start>Computer.
  2. In the Search Computer input box, type the name of the file detected earlier, and press Enter.
  3. Once located, select the file then press SHIFT+DELETE to delete it.
    *Note: Read the following Microsoft page if these steps do not work on Windows 7.

Step 9

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TROJ_FAKEAV.DPW. 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 10

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