TSPY_ZBOT.YEV

 Analysis by: Jimelle Monteser

 ALIASES:

Virus.Win32.Zbot (Ikarus), Trojan-Spy.Win32.Zbot.qtnu (Kaspersky), VirTool:Win32/CeeInject.gen!JV (Microsoft)

 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:
 INFORMATION EXPOSURE:

  • Threat Type: Spyware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • 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 the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

735,210 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

04 Dec 2013

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 files:

  • %Application Data%\{random folder name 2}\{random file name 2}.{random extension name 1}
  • %Application Data%\{random folder name 3}\{random file name 3}.{random extension name 2}
  • %Application Data%\Microsoft\Address Book\{username}.wab
  • %Application Data%\Microsoft\Address Book\{username}.wab~

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

It drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %Application Data%\{random folder name 1}\{random file name 1}.exe
  • %Application Data%\InstallDir\help.pdf

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

It creates the following folders:

  • %Application Data%\{random folder name 1}
  • %Application Data%\{random folder name 2}
  • %Application Data%\{random folder name 3}
  • %Application Data%\InstallDir
  • %Application Data%\Microsoft\Address Book

(Note: %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming 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
help = "%Application Data%\InstallDir\help.pdf"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
{random} = "%Application Data%\{random folder name 1}\{random file name 1}.exe"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
help = "%Application Data%\InstallDir\help.pdf"

Other System Modifications

This spyware adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PPT_Test.Application

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PPT_Test.Application\CLSID

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
{random}

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB\WAB4

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB\WAB4\WAB File Name

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PPT_Test.Application
Default = "PPT_Test.Application"

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PPT_Test.Application\CLSID
Default = "{CLSID}"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
{random}
{random} = "{random values}"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB\WAB4
OlkContactRefresh = "0"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB\WAB4
OlkFolderRefresh = "0"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB\WAB4
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\WAB\WAB4 FirstRun = "1"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB\WAB4\WAB File Name
Default = "%Application Data%\Microsoft\Address Book\{username}.wab"

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"

Web Browser Home Page and Search Page Modification

This spyware modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.

Other Details

This spyware connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • {BLOCKED}ther.org.in/news/file.php

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.700

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

10.452.02

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

04 Dec 2013

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

10.453.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

05 Dec 2013

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

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product and note files detected as TSPY_ZBOT.YEV

Step 3

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 4

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_CLASSES_ROOT
    • PPT_Test.Application
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft
    • WAB

Step 5

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
    • help = "%Application Data%\InstallDir\help.pdf"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • {random} = "%Application Data%\{random folder name 1}\{random file name 1}.exe"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • help = "%Application Data%\InstallDir\help.pdf"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\List
    • %Windows%\explorer.exe = "%Windows%\explorer.exe:*:Enabled:Windows Explorer"

Step 6

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.
  • %Application Data%\{random folder name 1}
  • %Application Data%\{random folder name 2}
  • %Application Data%\{random folder name 3}
  • %Application Data%\InstallDir
  • %Application Data%\Microsoft\Address Book

Step 7

Reset Internet security settings

[ Learn More ]

Step 8

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TSPY_ZBOT.YEV. 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 9

The following created registry key(s) 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 of the system registry. Note that the said key(s) do not have to be deleted since it won't be harmful to the system:

  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\{random}


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