PE_XIAOBAMINER.SM

 Analysis by: Johnlery Triunfante

 ALIASES:

W32.XiaobaMiner (Norton); Trojan:Win32/Qhost (Microsoft); W32/Agent.OJQ!tr.spy (Fortinet)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: File infector

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: No

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Downloaded from the Internet, Dropped by other malware, Via physical/removable drives

This coinminer has file infecting capabilities.

This File infector arrives via removable drives. It arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

It prepends its codes to target files.

It drops an AUTORUN.INF file to automatically execute the copies it drops when a user accesses the drives of an affected system.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

3,152,856 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

06 Apr 2018

Payload:

Drops files, Connects to URLs/IPs, Deletes files, Modifies HOSTS file

Arrival Details

This File infector arrives via removable drives.

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

  • %Windows%\360\360Safe\deepscan\ZhuDongFangYu.exe

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

Autostart Technique

This File infector adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
Explorer
Run = %Windows%\360\360Safe\deepscan\ZhuDongFangYu.exe

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
ZhuDongFangYu = %Windows%\360\360Safe\deepscan\ZhuDongFangYu.exe

Other System Modifications

This File infector adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
System
EnableLUA = 0

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
System
Disableregistrytools = 1

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Advanced\Folder\Hidden\
SHOWALL
CheckedValue = 0

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
Explorer
NoFolderOptions = 1

It deletes the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Control\SafeBoot\Minimal

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Control\SafeBoot\Network

File Infection

This File infector infects the following file types:

  • .exe
  • .com
  • .scr
  • .pif

It prepends its codes to target files.

Propagation

This File infector drops the following copy of itself in all physical and removable drives:

  • {Drive Letter}:\RECYCLER\S-5-4-62-7581032776-5377505530-562822366-6588\ZhuDongFangYu.exe

It drops an AUTORUN.INF file to automatically execute the copies it drops when a user accesses the drives of an affected system.

The said .INF file contains the following strings:

[autorun]
open=RECYCLER\S-5-4-62-7581032776-5377505530-562822366-6588\ZhuDongFangYu.exe
shellexecute=RECYCLER\S-5-4-62-7581032776-5377505530-562822366-6588\ZhuDongFangYu.exe
shell\Auto\command=RECYCLER\S-5-4-62-7581032776-5377505530-562822366-6588\ZhuDongFangYu.exe
shell\open=RECYCLER\S-5-4-62-7581032776-5377505530-562822366-6588\ZhuDongFangYu.exe
shell\open\Command=RECYCLER\S-5-4-62-7581032776-5377505530-562822366-6588\ZhuDongFangYu.exe

HOSTS File Modification

This File infector overwrites the system's HOSTS files to prevent users from accessing the following websites:

  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.51.17
  • {BLOCKED}0.{BLOCKED}o.com
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.236.92
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.176.251
  • {BLOCKED}s.{BLOCKED}p.com
  • {BLOCKED}l.{BLOCKED}in.com
  • {BLOCKED}in.com
  • {BLOCKED}sky.com.cn
  • {BLOCKED}o.com
  • {BLOCKED}g.com.cn
  • {BLOCKED}u.{BLOCKED}a.net
  • {BLOCKED}l.{BLOCKED}a.com
  • {BLOCKED}n.{BLOCKED}ft.com
  • {BLOCKED}otal.com
  • www.{BLOCKED}0.cn
  • www.{BLOCKED}e.cn
  • www.{BLOCKED}e.com
  • www.{BLOCKED}v.com
  • www.{BLOCKED}2.cn
  • www.{BLOCKED}b.com
  • www.{BLOCKED}a.net
  • www.{BLOCKED}t.com.cn
  • www.{BLOCKED}in.com
  • www.{BLOCKED}sky.com
  • www.{BLOCKED}sky.com.cn
  • www.{BLOCKED}o.org
  • www.{BLOCKED}2.com
  • www.{BLOCKED}lub.com
  • www.{BLOCKED}o.cn
  • www.{BLOCKED}o.com
  • www.{BLOCKED}g.com.cn
  • www.{BLOCKED}otal.com

Other Details

This File infector does the following:

  • It deletes the following file types:
    • .gho
    • .iso
  • It modifies the following file types by appending a malicious script capable of coin mining:
    • .html
    • .htm
  • Its malicious script may contain the following:

  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

Identify and terminate files detected as PE_XIAOBAMINER.SM

[ 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 4

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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
    • EnableLUA = 0
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
    • Disableregistrytools = 1
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced\Folder\Hidden\SHOWALL
    • CheckedValue = 0
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
    • NoFolderOptions = 1
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
    • Run = %Windows%\360\360Safe\deepscan\ZhuDongFangYu.exe
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • ZhuDongFangYu = %Windows%\360\360Safe\deepscan\ZhuDongFangYu.exe

Step 5

Restore these deleted registry keys/values from backup

*Note: Only Microsoft-related keys/values will be restored. If the malware/grayware also deleted registry keys/values related to programs that are not from Microsoft, please reinstall those programs on your computer.

  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot\Minimal
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot\Network

Step 6

Remove these strings added by the malware/grayware/spyware in the HOSTS file

[ Learn More ]
    • 127.0.0.0 360.qihoo.com
    • 127.0.0.1 qihoo.com
    • 127.0.0.1 www.qihoo.com
    • 127.0.0.1 www.qihoo.cn
    • 127.0.0.1 124.40.51.17
    • 127.0.0.1 58.17.236.92
    • 127.0.0.1 www.kaspersky.com
    • 127.0.0.1 60.210.176.251
    • 127.0.0.1 www.cnnod32.cn
    • 127.0.0.1 www.lanniao.org
    • 127.0.0.1 www.nod32club.com
    • 127.0.0.1 www.dswlab.com
    • 127.0.0.1 bbs.sucop.com
    • 127.0.0.1 www.virustotal.com
    • 127.0.0.1 tool.ikaka.com
    • 127.0.0.1 www.jiangmin.com
    • 127.0.0.1 www.duba.net
    • 127.0.0.1 www.eset.com.cn
    • 127.0.0.1 www.nod32.com
    • 127.0.0.1 shadu.duba.net
    • 127.0.0.1 union.kingsoft.com
    • 127.0.0.1 www.kaspersky.com.cn
    • 127.0.0.1 kaspersky.com.cn
    • 127.0.0.1 virustotal.com
    • 127.0.0.1 www.360.cn
    • 127.0.0.1 www.360safe.cn
    • 127.0.0.1 www.360safe.com
    • 127.0.0.1 www.chinakv.com
    • 127.0.0.1 www.rising.com.cn
    • 127.0.0.1 rising.com.cn
    • 127.0.0.1 dl.jiangmin.com
    • 127.0.0.1 jiangmin.com

Step 7

Search and delete these files

[ 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.  
  • %Windows%\360\360Safe\deepscan\ZhuDongFangYu.exe
  • {Drive Letter}:\RECYCLER\S-5-4-62-7581032776-5377505530-562822366-6588\ZhuDongFangYu.exe

Step 8

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as PE_XIAOBAMINER.SM. 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:


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