TSPY_GOLROTED.AAADC

January 06, 2016
 Analysis by: Pearl Charlaine Espejo
 ALIASES:

TrojanSpy:MSIL/Golroted.E (Microsoft)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Spyware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

This spyware 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:

348,160 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

06 Jan 2016

Arrival Details

This spyware 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 spyware drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %Application Data%\Microsoft\Blend\14.0\FeedCache\ScriptedSandbox.exe
  • %Application Data%\Windows Update.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 drops the following files:

  • %Application Data%\Microsoft\Blend\14.0\FeedCache\xpsrchw.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 spyware adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Windows Update = "%Application Data%\WindowsUpdate.exe"

Other System Modifications

This spyware adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
Load = "%Application Data%\Microsoft\Blend\14.0\FeedCache\xpsrchw.exe"

It modifies the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Advanced
Hidden = "1"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 2.)

Dropping Routine

This spyware drops the following files:

  • %Application Data%\pid.txt
  • %Application Data%\pidloc.txt
  • %User Temp%\holdermail.txt
  • %User Temp%\SysInfo.txt
  • %User Temp%\Login Data

(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.. %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 spyware connects to the following URL(s) to get the affected system's IP address:

  • whatismyipaddress.com

NOTES:

This spyware accesses the email address {BLOCKED}samplesd@dnservers.eu.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.8

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

12.184.05

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

01 Dec 2015

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

12.185.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

02 Dec 2015

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

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 NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
    • Load = "%Application Data%\Microsoft\Blend\14.0\FeedCache\xpsrchw.exe"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • Windows Update = "%Application Data%\WindowsUpdate.exe"

Step 5

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\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
    • From: Hidden = "1"
      To: Hidden = 2

Step 6

Search and delete these files

[ 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.
  • %Application Data%\Microsoft\Blend\14.0\FeedCache\xpsrchw.exe
  • %Application Data%\pid.txt
  • %Application Data%\pidloc.txt
  • %User Temp%\holdermail.txt
  • %User Temp%\SysInfo.txt
  • %User Temp%\Login Data

Step 7

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