TROJ_COINMINE

April 06, 2017
 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:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

This Trojan 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:

3,592,538 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

19 Jun 2014

Arrival Details

This Trojan 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 creates the following folders:

  • %System Root%\DOCUME~1
  • %System Root%\DOCUME~1\Wilbert
  • %User Profile%\LOCALS~1
  • %User Temp%\nsc3.tmp
  • %User Temp%\nse19.tmp
  • %Program Files%\PCDApp
  • %User Temp%\nsj2E.tmp

(Note: %System Root% is the Windows root folder, where it usually is C:\ on all Windows operating system versions.. %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.. %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp 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.. %Program Files% is the Program Files folder, where it usually is C:\Program Files on all Windows operating system versions; C:\Program Files (x86) for 32-bit applications running on Windows 64-bit operating systems.)

Other System Modifications

This Trojan deletes the following files:

  • %User Temp%\nsx1.tmp
  • %User Temp%\nsc3.tmp
  • %User Temp%\nso17.tmp
  • %User Temp%\nse19.tmp
  • %Program Files%\PCDApp\o.c
  • %User Temp%\nso2C.tmp
  • %User Temp%\nsj2E.tmp

(Note: %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp 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.. %Program Files% is the Program Files folder, where it usually is C:\Program Files on all Windows operating system versions; C:\Program Files (x86) for 32-bit applications running on Windows 64-bit operating systems.)

It adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\PCDataApp

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\PCDataApp

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PCDataApp
nid = "1005"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Control\Session Manager\Environment
GPU_MAX_ALLOC_PERCENT = "75"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PCDataApp
iid = "{D83B0FB3-00E2-4EC0-8B9B-10C456CB2F67}"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PCDataApp
epochdate = "1402565924"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PCDataApp
install = "installed"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\PCDataApp
install = "installed"

Dropping Routine

This Trojan drops the following files:

  • %User Temp%\nsc3.tmp\System.dll
  • %User Temp%\app_e.exe
  • %User Temp%\aescrypt.exe.001
  • %User Temp%\aescrypt.exe.002
  • %User Temp%\aescrypt.exe.003
  • %User Temp%\nsc3.tmp\nsExec.dll
  • %User Temp%\crpt.exe
  • %User Temp%\app_d.exe
  • %User Temp%\nse19.tmp\System.dll
  • %Program Files%\PCDApp\uninstaller.exe
  • %Program Files%\PCDApp\wget.exe
  • %User Temp%\nse19.tmp\nsExec.dll
  • o.o
  • %System Root%/Program Files/PCDApp/o.c
  • %User Temp%\nsj2E.tmp\System.dll
  • %User Temp%\nsj2E.tmp\nsExec.dll

(Note: %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp 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.. %Program Files% is the Program Files folder, where it usually is C:\Program Files on all Windows operating system versions; C:\Program Files (x86) for 32-bit applications running on Windows 64-bit operating systems.. %System Root% is the Windows root folder, where it usually is C:\ on all Windows operating system versions.)

Other Details

This Trojan connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • {BLOCKED}.180.238

This report is generated via an automated analysis system.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.700

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

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_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software
    • PCDataApp
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software
    • PCDataApp

Step 3

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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PCDataApp
    • nid = "1005"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Session Manager\Environment
    • GPU_MAX_ALLOC_PERCENT = "75"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PCDataApp
    • iid = "{D83B0FB3-00E2-4EC0-8B9B-10C456CB2F67}"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PCDataApp
    • epochdate = "1402565924"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PCDataApp
    • install = "installed"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\PCDataApp
    • install = "installed"

Step 4

Search and delete these components

[ Learn More ]
There may be some components that are hidden. Please make sure you check the Search Hidden Files and Folders checkbox in the "More advanced options" option to include all hidden files and folders in the search result.
  • %User Temp%\nsc3.tmp\System.dll
  • %User Temp%\app_e.exe
  • %User Temp%\aescrypt.exe.001
  • %User Temp%\aescrypt.exe.002
  • %User Temp%\aescrypt.exe.003
  • %User Temp%\nsc3.tmp\nsExec.dll
  • %User Temp%\crpt.exe
  • %User Temp%\app_d.exe
  • %User Temp%\nse19.tmp\System.dll
  • %Program Files%\PCDApp\uninstaller.exe
  • %Program Files%\PCDApp\wget.exe
  • %User Temp%\nse19.tmp\nsExec.dll
  • o.o
  • %System Root%/Program Files/PCDApp/o.c
  • %User Temp%\nsj2E.tmp\System.dll
  • %User Temp%\nsj2E.tmp\nsExec.dll

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.
  • %System Root%\DOCUME~1
  • %System Root%\DOCUME~1\Wilbert
  • %User Profile%\LOCALS~1
  • %User Temp%\nsc3.tmp
  • %User Temp%\nse19.tmp
  • %Program Files%\PCDApp
  • %User Temp%\nsj2E.tmp

Step 6

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as TROJ_COINMINE. 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 7

Restore this file from backup only Microsoft-related files will be restored. If this malware/grayware also deleted files related to programs that are not from Microsoft, please reinstall those programs on you computer again.

  • %User Temp%\nsx1.tmp
  • %User Temp%\nsc3.tmp
  • %User Temp%\nso17.tmp
  • %User Temp%\nse19.tmp
  • %Program Files%\PCDApp\o.c
  • %User Temp%\nso2C.tmp
  • %User Temp%\nsj2E.tmp


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