Backdoor.Win32.PTERODO.A


 ALIASES:

RDN/Generic.fuv (McAfee); Exploit.Win32.Agent.iqy (Kaspersky); Mal/Generic-L (Sophos); Win32.Malware!Drop (Sunbelt)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Backdoor

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

This Backdoor arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

It deletes itself after execution.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

738,050 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

15 Oct 2019

Arrival Details

This Backdoor 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 Backdoor adds the following processes:

  • ua.cmd
  • %User Temp%\7ZSfx000.cmd
  • taskkill /f /im Harvesterx64.exe
  • ua.rar.exe -pe,k.lrbgbyljcjdcrbt;hbntufdyj
  • "Harvesterx64.exe"
  • %System%\PING.EXE ping 8.8.8.8
  • %System%\DllHost.exe /Processid:{F9717507-6651-4EDB-BFF7-AE615179BCCF}
  • %System%\svchost.exe -k netsvcs
  • %Windows%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v4.0.30319\mscorsvw.exe
  • %System%\svchost.exe -k LocalServiceAndNoImpersonation
  • %Windows%\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\mscorsvw.exe
  • %System%\sppsvc.exe
  • "%System Root%\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmpnetwk.exe"
  • schtasks /create /sc minute /mo 20 /tn "Google CrashReport update" /tr "%AppDataLocal%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\Harvesterx64.exe" /f

(Note: %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).. %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.. %Windows% is the Windows folder, where it usually is C:\Windows on all Windows operating system versions.. %System Root% is the Windows root folder, where it usually is C:\ on all Windows operating system versions.. %AppDataLocal% is the Local Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

It creates the following folders:

  • %Windows%\ServiceProfiles\NetworkService\AppData\Local\Microsoft
  • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\Default\LocalStorage\USB\1E90000
  • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\Default\LocalStorage
  • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\Default\LocalStorage\USB
  • %User Profile%\AppData
  • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome
  • %AppDataLocal%\Google
  • %User Temp%\7ZipSfx.000
  • %System Root%\Users
  • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\Default

(Note: %Windows% is the Windows folder, where it usually is C:\Windows on all Windows operating system versions.. %AppDataLocal% is the Local Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).. %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).. %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).. %System Root% is the Windows root folder, where it usually is C:\ on all Windows operating system versions.)

Other System Modifications

This Backdoor deletes the following files:

  • %Windows%\Tasks\Google CrashReport update.job

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

It modifies the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
services\SSDPSRV
Type = "16"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 20.)

Dropping Routine

This Backdoor drops the following files:

  • %All Users Profile%\Microsoft\Network\Downloader\qmgr1.dat
  • %AppDataLocal%\Microsoft\Windows\cache32.bins
  • %All Users Profile%\Microsoft\Windows\DRM\v3ks.sec
  • %All Users Profile%\Microsoft\Windows\DRM\drmstore.hds
  • %AppDataLocal%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\Harvesterx64.exe
  • %User Temp%\7ZipSfx.000\dux.cmd
  • %AppDataLocal%\Microsoft\Media Player\CurrentDatabase_372.wmdb
  • %User Temp%\7ZipSfx.000\ua.cmd
  • %User Temp%\7ZipSfx.000\Harvesterx64.exe
  • %User Temp%\7ZipSfx.000\dux.rar
  • %All Users Profile%\Microsoft\Network\Downloader\qmgr0.dat
  • %User Temp%\7ZipSfx.000\ua.rar
  • %User Temp%\7ZSfx000.cmd
  • %User Temp%\7ZipSfx.000\ua.rar.exe

(Note: %All Users Profile% is the common user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\All Users on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\ProgramData on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit). . %AppDataLocal% is the Local Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).. %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

Other Details

This Backdoor connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • {BLOCKED}224.6
  • {BLOCKED}.23.116
  • {BLOCKED}.194.168
  • {BLOCKED}.53.63
  • {BLOCKED}.20.226

It deletes itself after execution.

This report is generated via an automated analysis system.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

Step 1

Before doing any scans, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 users must disable System Restore to allow full scanning of their computers.

Step 2

Identify and terminate files detected as Backdoor.Win32.PTERODO.A

[ Learn More ]
  1. Windows Task Manager may not display all running processes. In this case, please use a third-party process viewer, preferably Process Explorer, to terminate the malware/grayware/spyware file. You may download the said tool here.
  2. 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.
  3. If the detected file is not displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer, continue doing the next steps.

Step 3

Restore these modified registry values

[ Learn More ]

Important:Editing the Windows Registry incorrectly can lead to irreversible system malfunction. Please do this only if you know how to or you can seek your system administrator's help. You may also check out this Microsoft article first before modifying your computer's registry.

  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\SSDPSRV
    • From: Type = "16"
      To: Type = ""20""

Step 4

Search and delete these components

[ Learn More ]
There may be some components 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%\Microsoft\Network\Downloader\qmgr1.dat
  • %AppDataLocal%\Microsoft\Windows\cache32.bins
  • %All Users Profile%\Microsoft\Windows\DRM\v3ks.sec
  • %All Users Profile%\Microsoft\Windows\DRM\drmstore.hds
  • %AppDataLocal%\Microsoft\Windows\Explorer\Harvesterx64.exe
  • %User Temp%\7ZipSfx.000\dux.cmd
  • %AppDataLocal%\Microsoft\Media Player\CurrentDatabase_372.wmdb
  • %User Temp%\7ZipSfx.000\ua.cmd
  • %User Temp%\7ZipSfx.000\Harvesterx64.exe
  • %User Temp%\7ZipSfx.000\dux.rar
  • %All Users Profile%\Microsoft\Network\Downloader\qmgr0.dat
  • %User Temp%\7ZipSfx.000\ua.rar
  • %User Temp%\7ZSfx000.cmd
  • %User Temp%\7ZipSfx.000\ua.rar.exe

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.
  • %Windows%\ServiceProfiles\NetworkService\AppData\Local\Microsoft
  • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\Default\LocalStorage\USB\1E90000
  • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\Default\LocalStorage
  • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\Default\LocalStorage\USB
  • %User Profile%\AppData
  • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome
  • %AppDataLocal%\Google
  • %User Temp%\7ZipSfx.000
  • %System Root%\Users
  • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\Default

Step 6

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as Backdoor.Win32.PTERODO.A. 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 the following Trend Micro Support pages for more information:

Step 7

Restore this file from backup only Microsoft-related files will be restored. If this malware/grayware also deleted files related to programs that are not from Microsoft, please reinstall those programs on you computer again.

  • %Windows%\Tasks\Google CrashReport update.job


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