TSPY_ZBOT.YJK
PWS:Win32/Zbot(Microsoft), Trojan.Zbot(Symantec), PWSZbot-FLW!A40733DB39E3(McAfee), Trojan-PWS.Win32.Zbot(Ikarus), Win32/Spy.Zbot.ZR trojan(Eset)
Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows Vista (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows 7 (32-bit, 64-bit)
Threat Type: Spyware
Destructiveness: No
Encrypted: Yes
In the wild: Yes
OVERVIEW
Downloaded from the Internet
This spyware 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 modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.
As of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
247,185 bytes
EXE
Yes
04 Apr 2014
Connects to URLs/IPs
Arrival Details
This spyware 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 spyware drops the following copies of itself into the affected system and executes them:
- %Application Data%\{random folder}\{random file name}.exe
(Note: %Application Data% is the Application Data folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)
It drops the following files:
- %Application Data%\Microsoft\Address Book\{user name}.wab
- %Application Data%\Microsoft\Address Book\{user name}.wab~
(Note: %Application Data% is the Application Data folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)
It creates the following folders:
- %Application Data%\{random folder}
- %Application Data%\Microsoft\Address Book
(Note: %Application Data% is the Application Data folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)
It stays memory-resident by injecting codes into the following processes:
- explorer.exe
Autostart Technique
This spyware adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
{GUID} = "%Application Data%\{random folder}\{random file name}.exe"
Other System Modifications
This spyware adds the following registry keys:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
{random key}
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB\WAB4
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB\WAB4\Wab File Name
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Privacy
It adds the following registry entries:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
{random key}
{random} = "{random}"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB\WAB4
OlkContactRefresh = "0"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB\WAB4
OlkFolderRefresh = "0"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB\WAB4
FirstRun = "1"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Privacy
CleanCookies = "0"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB\WAB4\Wab File Name
(Default) = "%Application Data%\Microsoft\Address Book\{user name}.wab"
It creates the following registry entry(ies) to bypass Windows Firewall:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\
List
%Windows%\explorer.exe = "%Windows%\explorer.exe:*:Enabled:Windows Explorer"
Propagation
This spyware does not have any propagation routine.
Backdoor Routine
This spyware does not have any backdoor routine.
Web Browser Home Page and Search Page Modification
This spyware modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.
Download Routine
This spyware connects to the following URL(s) to download its configuration file:
- http://www.{BLOCKED}e.su/coffee.php
As of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.
Information Theft
This spyware gathers the following data:
- Data on cookie files (URLs)
- Email-related information such as account names, email addresses, passwords, server data, and server port
- Email information stored in the user’s Windows Address Book (WAB) file
- Online banking credentials
- Personal digital cerificates
NOTES:
The configuration file may contain URLs where it downloads an updated copy of itself and where it sends its gathered information. It may also contain URLs of its target online banking and finance-related sites from where it steals the information.
It does not have rootkit capabilities.
It does not exploit any vulnerability.
SOLUTION
9.700
10.706.05
04 Apr 2014
10.707.00
05 Apr 2014
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
Restart in Safe Mode
Step 3
Delete this registry key
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
- WAB
- WAB
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer
- Privacy
- Privacy
Step 4
Delete this registry value
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\Run
- {GUID} = "%Application Data%\{random folder}\{random file name}.exe"
- {GUID} = "%Application Data%\{random folder}\{random file name}.exe"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\List
- %Windows%\explorer.exe = "%Windows%\explorer.exe:*:Enabled:Windows Explorer"
- %Windows%\explorer.exe = "%Windows%\explorer.exe:*:Enabled:Windows Explorer"
Step 5
Search and delete these folders
- %Application Data%\{random folder}
- %Application Data%\Microsoft\Address Book
Step 6
Reset Internet security settings
Step 7
Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TSPY_ZBOT.YJK. 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 8
The following created files/folders/registry keys/registry entries cannot be identified by the user since there are no reference values in the created key. The only way it can be identified is by comparing the present system information with a backup. Note that the said components do not have to be deleted since it won't be harmful to the system.
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\{random key}
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