TROJ_ROVNIX.YPPG

February 05, 2016
 Analysis by: Jennifer Gumban
 ALIASES:

TrojanDropper:Win32/Rovnix.P (Microsoft), Trojan.Rovnix (Malwarebytes), Trojan.Win32.Rovnix (Ikarus)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Downloaded from the Internet, Dropped by other malware

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.

It deletes itself after execution.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

536,064 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

19 Jan 2016

Payload:

Steals information, Downloads files

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:

  • %System%\BOOT.dat
  • %User Temp%\L{Volume ID}
  • %User Temp%\NTFS.sys
  • %User Temp%\tmp{random}.tmp

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.. %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.)

It drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %Application Data%\BackUp{Volume ID}.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.)

It adds the following mutexes to ensure that only one of its copies runs at any one time:

  • "Global\INSNTFS{Volume ID}"
  • "Global\UACNTFS{Volume ID}"
  • "Global\BDNTFS{Volume ID}"

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
BackUp{Volume ID} = "%Application Data%\BackUp{Volume ID}.exe"

It adds and runs the following services:

  • Service Name: BS{Volume ID}
    Display Name: BS{Volume ID}
    Start Type: SERVICE_DEMAND_START
    Binary Pathname: %User Temp%\NTFS.sys

(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 System Modifications

This Trojan adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Installer\Products\B{Volume ID}

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Sysinternals\
C

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Installer\Products\B{Volume ID}
LP = "%User Temp%\L{Volume ID}"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Sysinternals\
C
EulaAccepted = "1"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Installer\Products\B{Volume ID}
ID = "-- default --"

Download Routine

This Trojan accesses the following websites to download files:

  • http://{BLOCKED}nk2.com/76548290.zip

Trend Micro detects the dowloaded file as:

  • TROJ_ROVNIX.YPPG

Stolen Information

This Trojan sends the gathered information via HTTP POST to the following URL:

  • http://{BLOCKED}nk2.com/cgi-bin/161215/post.cgi
  • http://upmisterfliremsnk.net/cgi-bin/150915/post.cgi

Other Details

This Trojan checks for the presence of the following process(es):

  • explorer.exe

It deletes itself after execution.

NOTES:

It terminates itself if Hard Disk is protected and/or encrypted by any of the following:

  • BitLocker
  • VeraCrypt
  • TrueCrypt

It gathers the following information and reports it to its servers:

  • Malware ID
  • Filepath and Name of the log file
  • OS Version and Architecture
  • File System
  • Volume ID
  • System Date and Time
  • Child Process ID
  • Child Filepath and Filename
  • Parent Process ID
  • Parent Filepath and Filename
  • Current Malware Directory
  • Username
  • SID SubAuthority Level

It terminates itself if the malware name and/or path has the following substrings:

  • smpl
  • vir
  • malw
  • test
  • troj

It terminates itself if any of the following user name(s) are found in the affected system:

  • luser
  • perl
  • python
  • trace
  • dump

It searches for itself in the following autostart registry:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

If found, it periodically recreates its autostart entry.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.800

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

12.282.06

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

19 Jan 2016

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

12.283.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

20 Jan 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

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

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 4

Disable this malware service

[ Learn More ]
  •  BS{Volume ID}

Step 5

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\Installer\Products
    • B{Volume ID}
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Sysinternals
    • C

Step 6

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
    • BackUp{Volume ID} = "%Application Data%\BackUp{Volume ID}.exe"

Step 7

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.
  • %System%\BOOT.dat
  • %User Temp%\L{Volume ID}
  • %User Temp%\NTFS.sys
  • %User Temp%\tmp{random}.tmp

Step 8

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