TSPY_TRICKBOT.NSGAAAH

July 13, 2018
 Analysis by: Carl Maverick Pascual
 ALIASES:

Trojan:Win32/Totbrick.H (Microsoft) ; W32.Trojan.Trickbot (Webroot)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan Spy

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: No

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

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

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

393,263 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

11 Jul 2018

Arrival Details

This Trojan Spy 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 Trojan Spy drops the following copies of itself into the affected system and executes them:

  • %Application Data%\msnet\{malware name}

(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%\msnet\FAQ
  • %Application Data%\msnet\info.dat
  • %Application Data%\msnet\README.md
  • %Application Data%\msnet\Modules\injectDll32
  • %Application Data%\msnet\Modules\networkDll32
  • %Application Data%\msnet\Modules\systeminfo32

(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 adds the following processes:

  • svchost.exe

It creates the following folders:

  • %Application Data%\msnet
  • %Application Data%\msnet\Modules

(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.)

Other Details

This Trojan Spy connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.167.132:8082/tot265/{computer name}_{encrypted data}

It executes the following command to disable/stop/delete Windows components:

  • sc stop WinDefend
  • sc delete WinDefend
  • powershell Set-MpPreference -DisableRealtimeMonitoring $true

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

14.372.08

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

11 Jul 2018

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

14.373.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

12 Jul 2018

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

Note that not all files, folders, and registry keys and entries are installed on your computer during this malware's/spyware's/grayware's execution. This may be due to incomplete installation or other operating system conditions. If you do not find the same files/folders/registry information, please proceed to the next step.

Step 3

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 4

Search and delete this folder

[ 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.
  • %Application Data%\msnet

Step 5

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TSPY_TRICKBOT.NSGAAAH. 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:

This malware disables Microsoft Windows Defender by deleting the registry related to Windows Defender Service. Running it after the machine has been infected causes an error. If you wish to repair the error, you may install another version of Microsoft Windows Defender from a legitimate and proper channel.


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