TSPY_LIMITAIL.G

October 04, 2013
 ALIASES:

RDN/Spybot.bfr!h (McAfee); Infostealer.Limitail (Symantec); Trojan.Win32.Badur.ahud (Kaspersky); Trojan.Win32.Generic!BT (Sunbelt); Trojan horse Generic35.AUY (AVG)

 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 REPORTED INFECTION:
 SYSTEM IMPACT RATING:
 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.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

744,448 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

04 Oct 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 copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %User Profile%\application data\{malware file name}

(Note: %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.)

It creates the following folders:

  • %User Profile%\Microsoft\Backups

(Note: %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.)

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\RunOnce
Shell = "%User Profile%\application data\{malware file name}"

Other System Modifications

This spyware modifies the following file(s):

  • %User Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft

(Note: %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.)

It deletes the following files:

  • :Zone.Identifier
  • %User Profile%\application data\{malware file name}:zone.identifier
  • %Windows%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\config\security.config.cch.1724.24139046
  • %Windows%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\config\enterprisesec.config.cch.1724.24139046
  • %User Profile%\v2.0.50727.42\security.config.cch.1724.24139140

(Note: %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.. %Windows% is the Windows folder, which is usually C:\Windows.)

It adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows Script Host\Settings
Enabled = "1"

Dropping Routine

This spyware drops the following files:

  • %User Temp%\1.vbs
  • %User Profile%\Microsoft\Crypto
  • %User Profile%\Crypto\RSA
  • %User Profile%\RSA\S-1-5-21-1645522239-1292428093-682003330-1003
  • %User Temp%\logff.txt

(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.. %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.)

This report is generated via an automated analysis system.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.300

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

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 3

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_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
    • RunOnce

Step 4

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\RunOnce
    • Shell = "%User Profile%\application data\{malware file name}"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows Script Host\Settings
    • Enabled = "1"

Step 5

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%\1.vbs
  • %User Profile%\Microsoft\Crypto
  • %User Profile%\Crypto\RSA
  • %User Profile%\RSA\S-1-5-21-1645522239-1292428093-682003330-1003
  • %User Temp%\logff.txt

Step 6

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.
  • %User Profile%\Microsoft\Backups

Step 7

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TSPY_LIMITAIL.G. 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 8

Restore deleted/modified files and/or registry entries from backup

*Note: Only Microsoft-related files/keys/values will be restored. If this malware/grayware also deleted registry keys/values related to programs that are not from Microsoft, please reinstall those programs on your computer.

    • %User Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft

Step 9

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.

  • :Zone.Identifier
  • %User Profile%\application data\{malware file name}:zone.identifier
  • %Windows%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\config\security.config.cch.1724.24139046
  • %Windows%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\config\enterprisesec.config.cch.1724.24139046
  • %User Profile%\v2.0.50727.42\security.config.cch.1724.24139140


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