HKTL64_PATCHER.GB

July 02, 2018
 Analysis by: Wilbert Vidal
 Modified by: John Anthony Banes
 PLATFORM:

Windows (64-bit)

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

  • Threat Type: Hacking Tool

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: No

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Downloaded from the Internet, Dropped by other malware

This Hacking Tool 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:

1,747,456 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

26 Jun 2018

Payload:

Drops files, Connects to URLs/IPs, Downloads files

Arrival Details

This Hacking Tool 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 Hacking Tool drops the following files:

  • %User Temp%\ntkrnlmp.exe
  • %User Temp%\osloader.exe
  • %User Temp%\symsrv.dll
  • %User Temp%\Symbols\pingme.txt
  • %User Temp%\dbghelp.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.)

Download Routine

This Hacking Tool accesses the following websites to download files:

  • https://{BLOCKED}prodscussu5shard58.{BLOCKED}b.core.windows.net/b-4712e0edc5a240eabf23330d7df68e77/98A14A45856422D571CDEA18737E156B89D4C85FE7A2C03E353274FC83996DE200.blob?sv=2017-04-17&sr=b&si=1&sig=5QJ7C5Z30ygkQqzurtb9qUpaRdjw04LbmIR4bppk5Xg%3D&spr=https&se=2018-06-30T08%3A35%3A45Z

It saves the files it downloads using the following names:

  • %User Temp%\Symbols\winload_prod.pdb\768283CA443847FB8822F9DB1F36ECC51\download.error
  • %User Temp%\Symbols\winload_prod.pdb\768283CA443847FB8822F9DB1F36ECC51\winload_prod.pdb

(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.)

Other Details

This Hacking Tool does the following:

  • It requires Administrative privilege to run properly.
  • This hacktool disables Driver Signing Enforcement and Patch Guard on Windows 7, 8 & 10 operating systems.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

SSAPI PATTERN File:

1.977.00

SSAPI PATTERN Date:

28 Jun 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

Identify and terminate files detected as HKTL64_PATCHER.GB

[ Learn More ]
  1. Windows Task Manager may not display all running processes. In this case, please use a third-party process viewer, preferably Process Explorer, to terminate the malware/grayware/spyware file. You may download the said tool here.
  2. If the detected file is displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer but you cannot delete it, restart your computer in safe mode. To do this, refer to this link for the complete steps.
  3. If the detected file is not displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer, continue doing the next steps.

Step 4

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.  
  • %User Temp%\ntkrnlmp.exe
  • %User Temp%\osloader.exe
  • %User Temp%\symsrv.dll
  • %User Temp%\dbghelp.dll
  • %User Temp%\Symbols\pingme.txt
  • %User Temp%\Symbols\winload_prod.pdb\768283CA443847FB8822F9DB1F36ECC51\download.error
  • %User Temp%\Symbols\winload_prod.pdb\768283CA443847FB8822F9DB1F36ECC51\winload_prod.pdb

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as HKTL64_PATCHER.GB. 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 the following Trend Micro Support pages for more information:


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