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HKTL_PRODUKEY.GA

January 11, 2017
 Analysis by: RonJay Kristoffer Caragay
 ALIASES:

NirSoft (PUA) (Sophos); Hacktool (Symantec); PUP.Optional.ProductKeyFinder (Malwarebytes); not-a-virus:PSWTool.Win32.ProductKey.dy (Kaspersky)

 PLATFORM:

Windows 64-bit

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

  • Threat Type: Hacking Tool

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: No

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Downloaded from the Internet, Dropped by other malware

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 manually installed by a user.

This is the Trend Micro detection for files that exhibit certain behaviors.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

115,296 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

30 Sep 2015

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 manually installed by a user.

Other Details

This is the Trend Micro detection for:

  • An application that displays the Product ID and CD-Key of the following software if installed on the affected system:
    • Microsoft Windows 98/ME
    • Microsoft Windows 2000
    • Microsoft Windows NT
    • Microsoft Windows XP
    • Microsoft Windows Vista
    • Microsoft Windows Server 2003
    • Microsoft Windows 7
    • Microsoft Windows 8
    • Microsoft Office 2000
    • Microsoft Office 2003
    • Microsoft Office 2007
    • Microsoft Office 2010
    • Microsoft SQL Server 2000
    • Microsoft SQL Server 2005
    • Microsoft Exchange Server 2000
    • Microsoft Exchange Server 2003
    • Visual Studio

It does the following:

  • Display the following information:
    • Product Name
    • Product Key
    • Installation Folder
    • Service Pack
    • Computer Name
    • Modified Time
  • Copy selected items
  • Save selected items into specified file
  • Export All/Selected Items in HTML format as {grayware path}\report.html
  • Save config as {grayware path and filename}.cfg
  • May accept the following parameters in command-line options:
    • /remoteall - Display product information across local network
    • /remotealldomain {Domain Name} - Display product information across from specified domain
    • /remote {Computer Name} - Display product information from the specified computer name
    • /iprange {ip range} - Display product information from the specified IP addresses range
    • /remotefile {file} - Display product information from the specified all computer names specified in a file
    • /windir {%Windows%) - Display product information from another operating system on the same computer
    • /external - Display product information from all external Windows installations of the disks
    • /regfile {Software Registry File} - Display product information from another operating system on the same computer using registry key
    • /nosavereg - Start software without saving configuration
    • /WindowsKeys {0 or 1} - Option to display product keys of Windows
    • /OfficeKeys {0 or 1} - Option to display product keys of MS-Office
    • /IEKeys {0 or 1} - Option to display product keys of Internet Explorer
    • /SQLKeys {0 or 1} - Option to display product keys of SQL Server
    • /ExchangeKeys {0 or 1} - Option to display product keys of Exchange
    • /ExtractEdition {0 or 1} - Option to display the Windows edition information
    • /stab {specified filename} - Save in a tab-delimited text format.
    • /scomma {specified filename} - Save in a comma-delimited text format.
    • /stabular {specified filename} - Save in a tabular text format.
    • /shtml {specified filename} - Save in HTML format.
    • /sverhtml {specified filename} - Save in vertical HTML format.
    • /sxml {specified filename} - Save in XML format.
    • /sort - Sort items
    • /nosort - Save without sorting
    • /NoErrorMessage - No error message

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

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.800

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 HKTL_PRODUKEY.GA

[ 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

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.  
  • {grayware path and filename}.cfg
  • {grayware path}\report.html

Step 5

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