TSPY_ZBOT.LQG


 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 REPORTED INFECTION:
 SYSTEM IMPACT RATING:
 INFORMATION EXPOSURE:

  • Threat Type: Spyware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: Yes

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

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 modifies Internet Explorer security settings. This puts the affected computer at greater risk, as it allows malicious URLs to be accessed by the computer.

It deletes the initially executed copy of itself.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

404,472 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

28 Nov 2012

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:

  • %User Profile%\Application Data\{random1}\{random}.exe

(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista and 7.)

It drops the following files:

  • %User Profile%\Application Data\{random2}\{random}.{random}
  • %User Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book\{username}.wab

(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista and 7.)

It creates the following folders:

  • %User Profile%\Application Data\{random1}
  • %User Profile%\Application Data\{random2}
  • %User Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book

(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista and 7.)

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} = "%User Profile%\Application Data\{random1}\{random}.exe"

Other System Modifications

This spyware adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
{random}

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Privacy

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Privacy
CleanCookies = "0"

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"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\GloballyOpenPorts\
List
{port}:TCP = "{port}:TCP:Enabled:TCP {port}"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\GloballyOpenPorts\
List
{port}:UDP = "{port}:UDP:Enabled:UDP {port}"

Web Browser Home Page and Search Page Modification

This spyware modifies Internet Explorer zone settings.

Information Theft

This spyware accesses the following site to download its configuration file:

  • http://{BLOCKED}acking.pro/joe/index2.php|file=income.bmp

Other Details

This spyware deletes the initially executed copy of itself

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.300

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

9.554.04

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

28 Nov 2012

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

9.555.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

28 Nov 2012

Step 1

For Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 users, before doing any scans, please make sure you disable System Restore to allow full scanning of your computer.

Step 2

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 3

Delete this registry key

[ 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_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft
    • WAB
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer
    • Privacy

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_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • {GUID} = %User Profile%\Application Data\{random1}\{random}.exe
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\GloballyOpenPorts\List
    • {port}:UDP = {port}:UDP:Enabled:UDP {port}
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\GloballyOpenPorts\List
    • {port}:TCP = {port}:TCP:Enabled:TCP {port}
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\List
    • %Windows%\explorer.exe = %Windows%\explorer.exe:*:Enabled:Windows Explorer

Step 5

Search and delete these folders

[ Learn More ]
Please make sure you check the Search Hidden Files and Folders checkbox in the More advanced options option to include all hidden folders in the search result.
  • %User Profile%\Application Data\{random1}
  • %User Profile%\Application Data\{random2}
  • %User Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book

Step 6

Reset Internet security settings

[ Learn More ]

Step 7

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TSPY_ZBOT.LQG. 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.

NOTES:

The created registry key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\{random} 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 keys with a backup if the users have one. Note that the key need not to be deleted since it won't cause the user system any harm.


Did this description help? Tell us how we did.