BKDR_BLADABINDI.BL

October 21, 2016
 Analysis by: Cris Nowell Pantanilla
 ALIASES:

Backdoor:MSIL/Bladabindi (Microsoft), MSIL/Bladabindi.FM!tr (Fortinet)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 REPORTED INFECTION:

  • Threat Type: Backdoor

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: Yes

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Dropped by other malware, Downloaded from the Internet

This backdoor arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

It executes commands from a remote malicious user, effectively compromising the affected system.

It logs a user's keystrokes to steal information.

It connects to certain websites to send and receive information.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

93,184 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

18 Oct 2016

Payload:

Steals information, Logs keystrokes

Arrival Details

This backdoor 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 backdoor drops the following copies of itself into the affected system and executes them:

  • %Application Data%\google.exe

(Note: %Application Data% is the Application Data folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming 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.)

Autostart Technique

This backdoor adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
fc09410d5e69e26aeb0ebaffca159a53 = ""%Application Data%\google.exe" .."

Other System Modifications

This backdoor adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER
di = "!"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Environment
SEE_MASK_NOZONECHECKS = "1"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\fc09410d5e69e26aeb0ebaffca159a53
[kl] = "{keylogging info such as process name, YY/mm/dd, window title, & keyboard input}"

It creates the following registry entry(ies) to bypass Windows Firewall:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\
List
%Application Data%\google.exe = "%Application Data%\google.exe:*:Enabled:google.exe"

Backdoor Routine

This backdoor executes the following commands from a remote malicious user:

  • Download and execute files
  • Compress files for uploading
  • Load plugins
  • Ping
  • Registry management
  • Remote shell execution
  • Restart
  • Screenshot
  • Unistall itself
  • Update itself
  • Terminate itself

Information Theft

This backdoor logs a user's keystrokes to steal information.

Other Details

This backdoor connects to the following website to send and receive information:

  • {BLOCKED}akl.ddns.net on port 5552

It does the following:

  • It only executes when the system date is earlier than October 8, 2015.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.800

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

12.842.03

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

17 Oct 2016

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

12.843.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

18 Oct 2016

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

Identify and terminate files detected as BKDR_BLADABINDI.BL

[ 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 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_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • fc09410d5e69e26aeb0ebaffca159a53 = ""%Application Data%\google.exe" .."
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER
    • di = "!"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Environment
    • SEE_MASK_NOZONECHECKS = "1"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\fc09410d5e69e26aeb0ebaffca159a53
    • [kl] = "{keylogging info such as process name, YY/mm/dd, window title, & keyboard input}"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\List
    • %Application Data%\google.exe = "%Application Data%\google.exe:*:Enabled:google.exe"

Step 4

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as BKDR_BLADABINDI.BL. 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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