TSPY_ZBOT.APSS
PWS:Win32/Zbot (Microsoft); Trojan-Spy.Win32.Zbot.tvej (Kaspersky); RDN/Spybot.bfr!n (McAfee); Trojan-Spy.Zbot (Ikarus); Trojan/Win32.ZBot (AhnLab-V3)
Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows Vista (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows 7 (32-bit, 64-bit)
![](/vinfo/imgFiles/legend.jpg)
Threat Type: Spyware
Destructiveness: No
Encrypted: No
In the wild: Yes
OVERVIEW
Downloaded from the Internet
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.
It is injected into all running processes to remain memory resident.
It modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.
It gathers certain information on the affected computer.
It deletes itself after execution.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
226,394 bytes
EXE
Yes
21 Aug 2014
Downloads files
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 and executes them:
- %Application Data%\{random folder 2}\{random file name}.exe
(Note: %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista and 7.)
It drops the following files:
- %User Temp%\ns{random 2}.tmp\{random filename 2}.dll <- detected also as TSPY_ZBOT.APSS
- %User Temp%\ns{random 1}.tmp\{random filename 2}.dll <- detected also as TSPY_ZBOT.APSS
(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 drops the following non-malicious files:
- %Application Data%\{random folder 1}\{random file name}.{random extension}
- %Application Data%\{random folder 1}\{random file name}.tmp
- %Application Data%\Microsoft\Address Book\{user name}.wab
- %Application Data%\Microsoft\Address Book\{user name}.wab~
- %User Temp%\ns{random 1}.tmp\{random filename 1}
- %User Temp%\ns{random 2}.tmp\{random filename 1}
- %User Temp%\tmp{random}.bat <- use to delete itself
(Note: %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista and 7.. %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 creates the following folders:
- %Application Data%\{random folder 1}
- %Application Data%\{random folder 2}
- %Application Data%\Microsoft\Address Book
- %User Temp%\ns{random 1}.tmp
- %User Temp%\ns{random 2}.tmp
(Note: %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista and 7.. %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 is injected into all running processes to remain memory resident.
It adds the following mutexes to ensure that only one of its copies runs at any one time:
- Global\{GUID}
- Local\{GUID}
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
{GUID} = "%Application Data%\{random folder 2}\{random file name}.exe"
Other System Modifications
This spyware adds the following registry keys:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
{random key}
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB\WAB4
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB\WAB4\Wab File Name
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Privacy
It adds the following registry entries:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
{random key 1}
{random 1} = "{hex values}"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB\WAB4
OlkContactRefresh = "0"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB\WAB4
OlkFolderRefresh = "0"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB\WAB4
FirstRun = "1"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB\WAB4\Wab File Name
(Default) = "%Application Data%\Microsoft\Address Book\{user name}.wab"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Privacy
CleanCookies = "0"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
{random key 1}
{random 2} = "{hex values}"
It creates the following registry entry(ies) to bypass Windows Firewall:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\
List
%windir%\explorer.exe = "%windir%\explorer.exe"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\DomainProfile\AuthorizedApplications\
List
%windir%\explorer.exe = "%windir%\explorer.exe"
Web Browser Home Page and Search Page Modification
This spyware modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.
Download Routine
This spyware connects to the following URL(s) to download its configuration file:
- http://www.{BLOCKED}diweb.com/images/config/index.php
- http://{BLOCKED}l.ru/sales2/30/config.bin
Information Theft
This spyware gathers the following information on the affected computer:
- Data on cookie files (URLs)
- Email-related information such as account names, email addresses, passwords, server data, and server port
- Email information stored in the user’s Windows Address Book (WAB) file
- Online banking credentials
- Personal digital certificates
Stolen Information
This spyware sends the gathered information via HTTP POST to the following URL:
- http://{BLOCKED}l.ru/sales2/30/secure.php
Other Details
This spyware connects to the following URL(s) to check for an Internet connection:
- http://www.google.com/webhp
- http://www.google.com.ph/webhp?gfe_rd=cr&ei={value}
It deletes itself after execution.
NOTES:
The configuration file may contain URLs where it downloads an updated copy of itself and where it sends its gathered information. It may also contain URLs of its target online banking and finance-related sites from where it steals the information.
It may also gather the following information from the affected system:
- Data on Cookie files (URLs)
- Email-related information such as account names, email addresses, passwords, server data, and server port
- Email information stored in the user’s Windows Address Book (WAB) file
SOLUTION
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
Step 3
Delete this registry key
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
- WAB
- WAB
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer
- Privacy
- Privacy
Step 4
Delete this registry value
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
- {GUID} = "%Application Data%\{random folder 2}\{random file name}.exe"
- {GUID} = "%Application Data%\{random folder 2}\{random file name}.exe"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\List
- %windir%\explorer.exe = "%windir%\explorer.exe"
- %windir%\explorer.exe = "%windir%\explorer.exe"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\DomainProfile\AuthorizedApplications\List
- %windir%\explorer.exe = "%windir%\explorer.exe"
- %windir%\explorer.exe = "%windir%\explorer.exe"
Step 5
Search and delete these folders
- %Application Data%\{random folder 1}
- %Application Data%\{random folder 2}
- %Application Data%\Microsoft\Address Book
- %User Temp%\ns{random 1}.tmp
- %User Temp%\ns{random 2}.tmp
Step 6
Reset Internet security settings
Step 7
Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TSPY_ZBOT.APSS. 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
The following created files/folders/registry keys/registry entries cannot be identified by the user since there are no reference values in the created key. The only way it can be identified is by comparing the present system information with a backup. Note that the said components do not have to be deleted since it won't be harmful to the system.
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\{random key}
Step 9
Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as TSPY_ZBOT.APSS. 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 10
Search and delete this file
• For Windows Vista and Windows 7 users:
- Click Start>Computer.
- In the Search input box, type the following:
DATA_GENERIC - Once located, select the file then press SHIFT+DELETE to delete it.
*Note: Read the following Microsoft page if these steps do not work on Windows 7.
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