TSPY_ZBOT.IPM
Trojan-Spy.Win32.Zbot.dnvf (Kaspersky), Mal/Zbot-FG (Sophos)
Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003
Threat Type: Spyware
Destructiveness: No
Encrypted: Yes
In the wild: Yes
OVERVIEW
Downloaded from the Internet
This spyware may be unknowingly downloaded by a user while visiting malicious websites.
It modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.
It deletes the initially executed copy of itself.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
284,184 bytes
EXE
Yes
18 Mar 2012
Connects to URLs/IPs
Arrival Details
This spyware may be unknowingly downloaded by a user while visiting malicious websites.
Installation
This spyware drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:
- %Application Data%\{random folder 1}\{random file name 1}.exe
(Note: %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Profiles\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\Profiles\{user name}\Application Data on Windows NT, and C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003.)
It drops the following files:
- %Application Data%\{random folder 2}\{random file name 2}.{random extension name}
(Note: %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Profiles\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\Profiles\{user name}\Application Data on Windows NT, and C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003.)
It creates the following folders:
- %Application Data%\{random folder 1}
- %Application Data%\{random folder 2}
(Note: %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Profiles\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\Profiles\{user name}\Application Data on Windows NT, and C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003.)
It terminates the execution of the copy it initially executed and executes the copy it drops instead.
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
{random CLSID} = "%Application Data%\{random folder 1}\{random file name 1}.exe"
Other System Modifications
This spyware adds the following registry keys:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
{random key}
It adds the following registry entries:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Privacy
CleanCookies = "0"
It creates the following registry entry(ies) to bypass Windows Firewall:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile
DisableNotifications = "0"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\GloballyOpenPorts\
List
18458:UDP = "18458:UDP:*:Enabled:UDP 18458"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\GloballyOpenPorts\
List
27431:TCP = "27431:TCP:*:Enabled:TCP 27431"
Web Browser Home Page and Search Page Modification
This spyware modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.
Information Theft
This spyware accesses the following site to download its configuration file:
- http://{BLOCKED}8.{BLOCKED}6.28.24:14131/index.php
Other Details
This spyware deletes the initially executed copy of itself
SOLUTION
9.200
8.848.03
18 Mar 2012
8.849.00
19 Mar 2012
Step 1
For Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 users, before doing any scans, please make sure you disable System Restore to allow full scanning of your computer.
Step 2
Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product and note files detected as TSPY_ZBOT.IPM
Step 3
Restart in Safe Mode
Step 4
Search and delete these folders
- %Application Data%\{random folder 1}
- %Application Data%\{random folder 2}
Step 5
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
- {random CLSID} = "%Application Data%\{random folder 1}\{random file name 1}.exe"
- {random CLSID} = "%Application Data%\{random folder 1}\{random file name 1}.exe"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Privacy
- CleanCookies = "0"
- CleanCookies = "0"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile
- DisableNotifications = "0"
- DisableNotifications = "0"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\GloballyOpenPorts\List
- 17663:UDP = "18458:UDP:*:Enabled:UDP 18458"
- 17663:UDP = "18458:UDP:*:Enabled:UDP 18458"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\GloballyOpenPorts\List
- 18967:TCP = "27431:TCP:*:Enabled:TCP 27431"
- 18967:TCP = "27431:TCP:*:Enabled:TCP 27431"
Step 6
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
- {random key}
- {random key}
Step 7
Reset Internet security settings
Step 8
Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TSPY_ZBOT.IPM. 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.
NOTES:
The created registry key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\{random key} cannot be identified by the users since there are no reference values in the created key. The only way it can be identified is by comparing the present keys with a backup if the users have one. Note that the key, {random key} need not to be deleted since it won't cause the user system any harm.
In deleting the created folders, please take note of the malware path of the file(s) detected earlier.
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