TROJ_ARTIEF.RTN

December 06, 2012
 Analysis by: Mark Joseph Manahan
 ALIASES:

Exploit:Win32/CVE-2012-0158 (Microsoft), Exploit-CVE2012-0158.b!rtf (McAfee)

 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows Vista (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows 7 (32-bit, 64-bit)

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: No

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Spammed via email

This malware used a Christmas-themed exploit document to deliver its payload, BKDR_GAMFRIC.A. The backdoor (MagicFire) is rarely seen in the wild possibly because its only use in targeted attacks.

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

For the related story, you may read the blog post Christmas-Themed Malware Starts to Jingle All the Way

This Trojan arrives as an attachment to email messages spammed by other malware/grayware or malicious users.

It executes the dropped file(s). As a result, malicious routines of the dropped files are exhibited on the affected system.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

75,625 bytes

File Type:

RTF

Initial Samples Received Date:

06 Dec 2012

Payload:

Drops files

Arrival Details

This Trojan arrives as an attachment to email messages spammed by other malware/grayware or malicious users.

Installation

This Trojan drops the following files:

  • %User Temp%\svchost.exe - BKDR_GAMFRIC.A
  • %User Temp%\temp.doc - Normal Document

(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, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista and 7.)

Dropping Routine

This Trojan takes advantage of the following software vulnerabilities to drop malicious files:

It executes the dropped file(s). As a result, malicious routines of the dropped files are exhibited on the affected system.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.300

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

9.576.02

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

06 Dec 2012

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

9.577.00

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

Remove grayware/spyware files dropped/downloaded by TROJ_ARTIEF.RTN

Step 3

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as TROJ_ARTIEF.RTN. 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 4

Download and apply this security patch Refrain from using these products until the appropriate patches have been installed. Trend Micro advises users to download critical patches upon release by vendors. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/security/bulletin/ms12-027


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