TSPY_GAUSS.A

This spyware is designed to steal system-related information and gather banking, social networking, email and instant messaging (IM) credentials. It is believed to be used in targeted attacks aimed at Middle East entities.

To get a one-glance comprehensive view of the behavior of this Spyware, refer to the Threat Diagram shown below.

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 retrieves specific information from the affected system.

It connects to certain websites to send and receive information. It terminates if the said processes exist. This is to ensure that it runs uninterrupted on the affected system.

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 non-malicious files:

• %User Temp%\~shw.tmp - log file
• %User Temp%\~gdl.tmp - log file
• %User Temp%\~mdk.tmp - log file
• %User Temp%\md.bak - log file
• %Windows%\system\Temp\s61cs3.dat - log file
• %Windows%\temp\~ZM6AD3.tmp - log file
• %User Temp%\ws1bin.dat - log file
• %Windows%\Fonts\pldnrfn.ttf - font file

(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, XP, and Server 2003.. %Windows% is the Windows folder, which is usually C:\Windows or C:\WINNT.)

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

• ShellHWDetectionMutex

Autostart Technique

This spyware modifies the following registry entry(ies) to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\CLSID\{CLSID}\
InProcServer32
(Default) = "%System%\wbem\wmihlp32.dll"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is %system32%\wbem\wbemsvc.dll.)

Other System Modifications

This spyware adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Reliability
TimeStampForUI = "{data}"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Reliability
ShutdownIntervalSnapshotUI = "{data}"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Reliability
ShutdownInterval = "{data}"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Fonts
Palida Narrow (TrueType) = "pldnrfn.ttf"

Information Theft

This spyware retrieves the following information from the affected system:

• CMOS information
• BIOS information
• Computer name
• Domain account information
• Operating System Version
• Workstation information
• Available drives
• Driectories under %Program Files% folder
• IE version
• Environment variables
• Network adapter information
• Routing table
• Disk information
• Running Processes
• Available Microsoft SQL servers
• URL cache
• Available network shares
• Proxy configuration

(Note: %Program Files% is the default Program Files folder, usually C:\Program Files.)

Other Details

This spyware connects to the following URL(s) to check for an Internet connection:

• www.google.com
• www.update.windows.com

It connects to the following website to send and receive information:

• {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.45.115
• {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.166.116
• {BLOCKED}mputeradvisor.com
• {BLOCKED}nction.org
• {BLOCKED}advisor.info
• {BLOCKED}7.com
• {BLOCKED}access.net
• {BLOCKED}ity.net

It checks for the presence of the following process(es):

• abcd.exe
• acs.exe
• adoronsfirewall.exe
• alertwall.exe
• ALMon.exe
• ALsvc.exe
• alupdate.exe
• AntiHook.exe
• app_firewall.exe
• apvxdwin.exe
• armorwall.exe
• as3pf.exe
• asr.exe
• aupdrun.exe
• authfw.exe
• avas.exe
• avcom.exe
• AVKProxy.exe
• avkservice.exe
• AVKTray.exe
• AVKWCtl.exe
• avkwctrl.exe
• avmgma.exe
• avp.exe
• avtask.exe
• aws.exe
• backgroundscanclient.exe
• bgctl.exe
• bgnt.exe
• blackd.exe
• blackice.exe
• blinksvc.exe
• bootsafe.exe
• bullguard.exe
• CavApp.exe
• cavasm.exe
• CavAUD.exe
• CavCons.exe
• CavEmSrv.exe
• Cavmr.exe
• CavMud.exe
• Cavoar.exe
• CavQ.exe
• CavSn.exe
• CavSub.exe
• CavUMAS.exe
• CavUserUpd.exe
• Cavvl.exe
• cdas17.exe
• cdas2.exe
• cdinstx.exe
• CEmRep.exe
• clamd.exe
• CMain.exe
• cmdagent.exe
• cmgrdian.exe
• configmgr.exe
• configuresav.exe
• cpd.exe
• csi-eui.exe
• CV.exe
• DCSUserProt.exe
• dfw.exe
• dlservice.exe
• dltray.exe
• dvpapi.exe
• emlproui.exe
• emlproxy.exe
• endtaskpro.exe
• espwatch.exe
• Ethereal.exe
• fameh32.exe
• fch32.exe
• fgui.exe
• filedeleter.exe
• filemon.exe
• firewall.exe
• firewall2004.exe
• firewallgui.exe
• fsar32.exe
• fsav32.exe
• fsdfwd.exe
• fsgk32.exe
• fsgk32st.exe
• fsguidll.exe
• fshdll32.exe
• fsm32.exe
• fsma32.exe
• fsmb32.exe
• fsorsp.exe
• fspc.exe
• fsqh.exe
• fsrt.exe
• fssm32.exe
• fsus.exe
• fwsrv.exe
• gateway.exe
• GDFirewallTray.exe
• GDFwSvc.exe
• GDScan.exe
• gsava.exe
• gssm32.exe
• hpf_.exe
• iface.exe
• InstLsp.exe
• invent.exe
• ipatrol.exe
• ipcserver.exe
• ipctray.exe
• kpf4gui.exe
• kpf4ss.exe
• licwiz.exe
• livehelp.exe
• lookout.exe
• lpfw.exe
• mpf.exe
• mpfcm.exe
• Netcap.exe
• Netguard Lite.exe
• netguardlite.exe
• Netmon.exe
• nstzerospywarelite.exe
• oasclnt.exe
• omnitray.exe
• OnAccessInstaller.exe
• onlinent.exe
• op_mon.exe
• opf.exe
• opfsvc.exe
• outpost.exe
• Packetizer.exe
• Packetyzer.exe
• pcipprev.exe
• pctav.exe
• pctavsvc.exe
• pcviper.exe
• persfw.exe
• pfft.exe
• pgaccount.exe
• prevxcsi.exe
• prifw.exe
• privatefirewall 3.exe
• privatefirewall3.exe
• procguard.exe
• procmon.exe
• protect.exe
• pxagent.exe
• rawshark.exe
• RDTask.exe
• rtt_crc_service.exe
• sab_wab.exe
• sagui.exe
• SAVAdminService.exe
• savcleanup.exe
• savcli.exe
• savmain.exe
• savprogress.exe
• SavService.exe
• scfmanager.exe
• scfservice.exe
• schedulerdaemon.exe
• sdcdevcon.exe
• sdcdevconIA.exe
• sdcdevconx.exe
• sdcservice.exe
• sdtrayapp.exe
• siteadv.exe
• sndsrvc.exe
• Sniffer.exe
• snsmcon.exe
• snsupd.exe
• SoftAct.exe
• sp_rsser.exe
• spfirewallsvc.exe
• sppfw.exe
• spybotsd.exe
• SpyHunter3.exe
• spywareterminatorshield.exe
• spywat~1.exe
• ssupdate.exe
• SUPERAntiSpyware.exe
• Tcpdump.exe
• terminet.exe
• Tethereal.exe
• THGuard.exe
• tppfdmn.exe
• tscutynt.exe
• tshark.exe
• tzpfw.exe
• umxagent.exe
• umxtray.exe
• updclient.exe
• UUpd.exe
• uwcdsvr.exe
• VCATCH.EXE
• vdtask.exe
• VSDesktop.exe
• vsmon.exe
• webwall.exe
• Windump.exe
• winroute.exe
• Wireshark.exe
• wwasher.exe
• xauth_service.exe
• xfilter.exe
• ywareterminatorshield.exe
• zanda.exe
• zapro.exe
• zerospywarele.exe
• zerospywarelite_installer.exe
• zlclient.exe
• zlh.exe

It terminates if the said processes exist. This is to ensure that it runs uninterrupted on the affected system.

NOTES:

This spyware uses the following components, all of which are detected as TSPY_GAUSS.A:

• %System%\devwiz.ocx
• %System%\dskapi.ocx
• %System%\lanhlp32.ocx
• %System%\mcdmn.ocx
• %System%\smdk.ocx
• %System%\wbem\wmihlp32.ocx
• %System%\wbem\wmiqry32.ocx
• %System%\windig.ocx
• %System%\winshell.ocx

It checks if it is loaded by LSASS.EXE. If it is, it proceeds with the installation. If not, it proceeds with its main routine.

It creates the following events:

• ShellHWStop
• Global\ShellHWDetectionEvent

It writes a random binary data in the following registry key that will be used to create the file pldnrfn.ttf:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Reliability
ShutdownInterval = "{random binary data }"

This spyware is capable of stealing the following information:

• User credentials related to online banking, social networking, email and instant messaging
• Browsing history
• Cookies and passwords

It installs a Firefox plugin detected as JS_GAUSS.A in order to aid in its information stealing routine.

This spyware drops the following components in removable drives:

• System32.dat - also detected as TSPY_GAUSS.A
• System32.bin - also detected as TSPY_GAUSS.A
• thumbs.db - log file

It also creates the following folders to removable drives:

• .Backup0{character}
• .Backup00{character}

It then drops the following autostart components which exploits CVE-2010-2568:

• desktop.ini
• target.lnk