TrojanSpy.MSIL.NEGASTEAL.KDO

February 13, 2020
 Modified by: Clive Fuentebella
 ALIASES:

MSIL/Kryptik.SLM!tr (FORTINET); HEUR:Trojan.MSIL.Crypt.gen (KASPERSKY)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan Spy

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: Yes

  • 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:

878,592 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

13 Feb 2020

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 adds the following folders:

  • %Application Data%\{Random characters}.{Random characters}
  • %Application Data%\{Random characters}.{Random characters}\Chrome
  • %Application Data%\{Random characters}.{Random characters}\Chrome\Default
  • %Application Data%\{Random characters}.{Random characters}\Firefox
  • %Application Data%\{Random characters}.{Random characters}\Firefox\Profiles
  • %Application Data%\{Random characters}.{Random characters}\Firefox\Profiles\{Random characters}.default

(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(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

It drops the following files:

  • %Application Data%\{Random characters}.{Random characters}.zip
  • %Application Data%\{Random characters}.{Random characters}\Firefox\Profiles\{Random characters}.default\cookies.sqlite
  • %Application Data%\{Random characters}.{Random characters}\Chrome\Default\Cookies
  • %Application Data%\{Random characters}.jpeg

(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(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

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

  • %Application Data%\{Random characters}.exe

(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(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

It adds the following processes:

  • "%Windows%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v{.NET version}\installutil.exe" /logtoconsole=false /logfile= /u "{Malware file path and name}"
  • "%System%\schtasks.exe" /Create /TN "Updates\{Random characters}" /XML "%User Temp%\tmp{Random characters}.tmp";

(Note: %Windows% is the Windows folder, where it usually is C:\Windows on all Windows operating system versions.. %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

Other Details

This Trojan Spy adds the following scheduled tasks:

  • Name: Updates\{Random characters}
    Trigger: At log on
    Path: %Application Data%\{Random characters}.exe

(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(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

15.682.02

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

13 Feb 2020

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

15.683.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

14 Feb 2020

Step 1

Trend Micro Predictive Machine Learning detects and blocks malware at the first sign of its existence, before it executes on your system. When enabled, your Trend Micro product detects this malware under the following machine learning name:

     
    • Troj.Win32.TRX.XXPE50FFF033

Step 2

Before doing any scans, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 users must disable System Restore to allow full scanning of their computers.

Step 3

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 4

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 5

Deleting Scheduled Tasks

The following {Task Name} - {Task to be run} listed should be used in the steps identified below:

  • Task name: Updates\{Random characters}
    Task to be run: %Application Data%\{Random characters}.exe

For Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003:

  1. Open the Windows Scheduled Tasks. Click Start>Programs>Accessories>
    System Tools>Scheduled Tasks.
  2. Locate each {Task Name} values listed above in the Name column.
  3. Right-click on the said file(s) with the aforementioned value.
  4. Click on Properties. In the Run field, check for the listed {Task to be run}.
  5. If the strings match the list above, delete the task.

For Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012:

  1. Open the Windows Task Scheduler. To do this:
    • On Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008, click Start, type taskschd.msc in the Search input field, then press Enter.
    • On Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012, right-click on the lower left corner of the screen, click Run, type taskschd.msc, then press Enter.
  2. In the left panel, click Task Scheduler Library.
  3. In the upper-middle panel, locate each {Task Name} values listed above in the Name column.
  4. In the lower-middle panel, click the Actions tab. In the Details column, check for the {Task to be run} string.
  5. If the said string is found, delete the task.

Step 6

Search and delete this file

[ Learn More ]
There may be some files 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.
  • %Application Data%\{Random characters}.exe
  • %Application Data%\{Random characters}.{Random characters}.zip
  • %Application Data%\{Random characters}.{Random characters}\Firefox\Profiles\{Random characters}.default\cookies.sqlite
  • %Application Data%\{Random characters}.{Random characters}\Chrome\Default\Cookies
  • %Application Data%\{Random characters}.jpeg

Step 7

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%\{Random characters}.{Random characters}
  • %Application Data%\{Random characters}.{Random characters}\Chrome
  • %Application Data%\{Random characters}.{Random characters}\Chrome\Default
  • %Application Data%\{Random characters}.{Random characters}\Firefox
  • %Application Data%\{Random characters}.{Random characters}\Firefox\Profiles
  • %Application Data%\{Random characters}.{Random characters}\Firefox\Profiles\{Random characters}.default

Step 8

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TrojanSpy.MSIL.NEGASTEAL.KDO. 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.


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