TROJ_QHOST.APS

June 19, 2014
 ALIASES:

[1.exe]:New Win32 !! (McAfee); Trojan Horse (Symantec); Trojan.Win32.Pasta.aagj (Kaspersky); Mal/Behav-160 (Sophos); Trojan.Win32.Generic.pak!cobra (Sunbelt); Trojan horse BackDoor.Hupigon5.BEST (AVG)

 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:

  • 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:

118,188 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

19 Jun 2014

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 creates the following folders:

  • %Program Files%\c
  • %User Temp%\16618421
  • %User Temp%\16618421\....
  • %User Temp%\16622109
  • %User Temp%\16622109\....

(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).. %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.)

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
koreaautoup = "%Program Files%\Common Files\1.exe"

Other System Modifications

This Trojan modifies the following file(s):

  • %System%\drivers\etc\hosts

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, which is usually C:\Windows\System32.)

It deletes the following files:

  • %User Temp%\16618421\TemporaryFile\TemporaryFile
  • %User Temp%\16622109\TemporaryFile\TemporaryFile

(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.)

It deletes the following folders:

  • %User Temp%\16622109\TemporaryFile

(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.)

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
autoup = "1.exe"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
DnsCacheEnabled = "0"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
DnsCacheTimeout = "0"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
ServerInfoTimeOut = "0"

It modifies the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Main
Start Page = "http://www.{BLOCKED}r.com"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir.dll?prd=ie&pver=6&ar=msnhome.)

Dropping Routine

This Trojan drops the following files:

  • __tmp_rar_sfx_access_check_16613421
  • 1.exe
  • 2.jpg
  • %System Root%\koreaautoup.bmp
  • %System%\drivers\etc\hosts.ics
  • %Program Files%\Common Files\1.exe

(Note: %System Root% is the root folder, which is usually C:\. It is also where the operating system is located.. %System% is the Windows system folder, which is usually C:\Windows\System32.. %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 Details

This Trojan connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://user.{BLOCKED}e.qq.com/2331297932
  • http://user.{BLOCKED}e.qq.com/cityjson?ie=gb2312
  • {BLOCKED}5.118.16
  • {BLOCKED}1.11.98
  • {BLOCKED}6.253.174

This report is generated via an automated analysis system.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.700

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 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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • koreaautoup = "%Program Files%\Common Files\1.exe"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
    • autoup = "1.exe"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
    • DnsCacheEnabled = "0"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
    • DnsCacheTimeout = "0"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings
    • ServerInfoTimeOut = "0"

Step 4

Restore these modified registry values

[ Learn More ]

Important:Editing the Windows Registry incorrectly can lead to irreversible system malfunction. Please do this only if you know how to or you can seek your system administrator's help. You may also check out this Microsoft article first before modifying your computer's registry.

  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
    • From: Start Page = "http://www.{BLOCKED}r.com"
      To: Start Page = ""http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir.dll?prd=ie&pver=6&ar=msnhome""

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.
  • __tmp_rar_sfx_access_check_16613421
  • 1.exe
  • 2.jpg
  • %System Root%\koreaautoup.bmp
  • %System%\drivers\etc\hosts.ics
  • %Program Files%\Common Files\1.exe

Step 6

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%\c
  • %User Temp%\16618421
  • %User Temp%\16618421\....
  • %User Temp%\16622109
  • %User Temp%\16622109\....

Step 7

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TROJ_QHOST.APS. 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.

    • %System%\drivers\etc\hosts

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.

  • %User Temp%\16618421\TemporaryFile\TemporaryFile
  • %User Temp%\16622109\TemporaryFile\TemporaryFile


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