TROJ_QHOST.AME

September 20, 2013
 Analysis by: Andrei Castillo
 ALIASES:

Riskware/Sim(Fortinet), Trojan.BAT.Qhost(Ikarus), Trojan:BAT/Qhost.AF(Microsoft), Trojan.BAT.Qhost.zz(Kaspersky), Win32/Bicololo.A trojan, Win32/Bicololo.A trojan, Win32/Bicololo.A trojan, Win32/Bicololo.A trojan, Win32/Bicololo.A trojan(NOD32), Trojan.Win32.Qhosts.af (v)(Sunbelt)

 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:
 INFORMATION EXPOSURE:

  • 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:

162,980 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

18 Sep 2013

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 drops the following files:

  • %Program Files%\Mi\Ya\Uninstall.exe
  • %Program Files%\Mi\Ya\Uninstall.ini
  • %Program Files%\Mi\Ya\bozenkapodast.vip
  • %Program Files%\Mi\Ya\otkudazvo.nili

(Note: %Program Files% is the default Program Files folder, usually C:\Program Files in Windows 2000, Server 2003, and XP (32-bit), Vista (32-bit), and 7 (32-bit), or C:\Program Files (x86) in Windows XP (64-bit), Vista (64-bit), and 7 (64-bit).)

It drops and executes the following files:

  • %Program Files%\Mi\Ya\pesnyaraspiznyai.vbs
  • %Program Files%\Mi\Ya\prozaytsev_ne_aktualno.vbs
  • %Program Files%\Mi\Ya\yomenponyatnoraspizdyai.bat

(Note: %Program Files% is the default Program Files folder, usually C:\Program Files in Windows 2000, Server 2003, and XP (32-bit), Vista (32-bit), and 7 (32-bit), or C:\Program Files (x86) in Windows XP (64-bit), Vista (64-bit), and 7 (64-bit).)

It creates the following folders:

  • %Program Files%\Mi
  • %Program Files%\Mi\Ya

(Note: %Program Files% is the default Program Files folder, usually C:\Program Files in Windows 2000, Server 2003, and XP (32-bit), Vista (32-bit), and 7 (32-bit), or C:\Program Files (x86) in Windows XP (64-bit), Vista (64-bit), and 7 (64-bit).)

Other System Modifications

This Trojan adds the following registry entries as part of its installation routine:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Ya 1.43
DisplayName = "Ya 1.43"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Ya 1.43
DisplayIcon = "%Program Files%\Mi\Ya\Uninstall.exe"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Ya 1.43
UninstallString = "%Program Files%\Mi\Ya\Uninstall.exe"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Ya 1.43
NoModify = "1"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Ya 1.43
NoRepair = "1"

HOSTS File Modification

This Trojan modifies the system's HOSTS files to redirect users once the following Web site(s) are accessed:

  • my.mail.ru
  • m.my.mail.ru
  • vk.com
  • ok.ru
  • m.vk.com
  • odnoklassniki.ru
  • www.odnoklassniki.ru
  • m.odnoklassniki.ru
  • m.ok.ru

Other Details

This Trojan connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://{BLOCKED}ver-new.ru/parlam/pollipuh/636

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.300

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

10.286.01

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

18 Sep 2013

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

10.287.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

18 Sep 2013

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

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.
  • %Program Files%\Mi\Ya\bozenkapodast.vip
  • %Program Files%\Mi\Ya\otkudazvo.nili
  • %Program Files%\Mi\Ya\pesnyaraspiznyai.vbs
  • %Program Files%\Mi\Ya\prozaytsev_ne_aktualno.vbs
  • %Program Files%\Mi\Ya\Uninstall.exe
  • %Program Files%\Mi\Ya\Uninstall.ini
  • %Program Files%\Mi\Ya\yomenponyatnoraspizdyai.bat

Step 3

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.
  • %Program Files%\Mi
  • %Program Files%\Mi\Ya

Step 4

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\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
    • Ya 1.43

Step 5

Remove these strings added by the malware/grayware/spyware in the HOSTS file

[ Learn More ]
    • 209.141.49.44 my.mail.ru
    • 209.141.49.44 m.my.mail.ru
    • 209.141.49.44 vk.com
    • 209.141.49.44 ok.ru
    • 209.141.49.44 m.vk.com
    • 209.141.49.44 odnoklassniki.ru
    • 209.141.49.44 www.odnoklassniki.ri
    • 209.141.49.44 m.odnoklassniki.ru
    • 209.141.49.44 m.ok.ru
"

Step 6

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as TROJ_QHOST.AME. 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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