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TrojanSpy.MSIL.WHITESNAKE.AA

June 13, 2023
 Analysis by: Carlos Villegas Madrid
 ALIASES:

Trojan-Spy.MSIL.Whitesnake (IKARUS)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan Spy

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW


This Trojan Spy 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 the initially executed copy of itself.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

155,224 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

09 Jun 2023

Arrival Details

This Trojan Spy 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 Spy drops the following files:

  • %AppDataLocal%\esetSecurity\{Malware File Name}.exe
  • %AppDataLocal%\29q07grdxg\port.dat
  • %User Temp%\tmp{Random}.tmp
  • %User Temp%\installUtilLog.txt

(Note: %AppDataLocal% is the Local Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(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(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

It adds the following processes:

  • %System%\cmd.exe" /C chcp 65001 && ping 127.0.0.1 && schtasks /create /tn "{Malware File Name}" /sc MINUTe /tr "%AppDataLocal%\esetSecurity\{Malware File Name}.exe" /rl HIGHeST /f && DeL /F /S /Q /A "{Malware Path}{Malware File Name}.exe" &&START "" "%AppDataLocal%\esetSecurity\{Malware File Name}.exe"
  • chcp 65001
  • ping 127.0.0.1
  • schtasks /create /tn "{Malware File Name}" /sc MINUTe /tr "%AppDataLocal%\esetSecurity\{Malware File Name}.exe" /rl HIGHeST /f
  • "%AppDataLocal%\esetSecurity\{Malware File Name}.exe"

(Note: %AppDataLocal% is the Local Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

It creates the following folders:

  • %AppDataLocal%\esetSecurity
  • %AppDataLocal%\29q07grdxg

(Note: %AppDataLocal% is the Local Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

Other Details

This Trojan Spy connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.210.129:8082/{Random}_{Username}%40{Computer Name}_report.wsr
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.197.74:8080/{Random}_{Username}%40{Computer Name}_report.wsr
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.115.218:9090/{Random}_{Username}%40{Computer Name}_report.wsr
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.159.121:8001/{Random}_{Username}%40{Computer Name}_report.wsr
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.12.94/{Random}_{Username}%40{Computer Name}_report.wsr
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.49.163:8080/{Random}_{Username}%40{Computer Name}_report.wsr
  • https://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.80.136/{Random}_{Username}%40{Computer Name}_report.wsr
  • https://{BLOCKED}e.torproject.org/tor-package-archive/torbrowser/12.0.4/tor-expert-bundle-12.0.4-windows-x86_64.tar.gz
  • http://{BLOCKED}.com/line?fields=query,country

It deletes the initially executed copy of itself.

It adds the following scheduled tasks:

  • Name: {Malware File Name}
    Trigger: After triggered, repeat every 00:01:00 indefinitely
    Action: %AppDataLocal%\esetSecurity\{Malware File Name}.exe

(Note: %AppDataLocal% is the Local Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.800

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

18.498.06

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

09 Jun 2023

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

18.499.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

10 Jun 2023

Step 1

Trend Micro Predictive Machine Learning detects and blocks malware at the first sign of its existence, before it executes on your system. When enabled, your Trend Micro product detects this malware under the following machine learning name:

     
    • TROJ.Win32.TRX.XXPE50FFF069

Step 2

Before doing any scans, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 users must disable System Restore to allow full scanning of their computers.

Step 3

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 4

Deleting Scheduled Tasks

The following {Task Name} - {Task to be run} listed should be used in the steps identified below:

  • {Malware File Name} - %AppDataLocal%\esetSecurity\{Malware File Name}.exe

For Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003:

  1. Open the Windows Scheduled Tasks. Click Start>Programs>Accessories>
    System Tools>Scheduled Tasks.
  2. Locate each {Task Name} values listed above in the Name column.
  3. Right-click on the said file(s) with the aforementioned value.
  4. Click on Properties. In the Run field, check for the listed {Task to be run}.
  5. If the strings match the list above, delete the task.

For Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012:

  1. Open the Windows Task Scheduler. To do this:
    • On Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008, click Start, type taskschd.msc in the Search input field, then press Enter.
    • On Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012, right-click on the lower left corner of the screen, click Run, type taskschd.msc, then press Enter.
  2. In the left panel, click Task Scheduler Library.
  3. In the upper-middle panel, locate each {Task Name} values listed above in the Name column.
  4. In the lower-middle panel, click the Actions tab. In the Details column, check for the {Task to be run} string.
  5. If the said string is found, delete the task.

Step 5

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.
  • %AppDataLocal%\esetSecurity\{Malware File Name}.exe
  • %AppDataLocal%\29q07grdxg\port.dat
  • %User Temp%\tmp{Random}.tmp
  • %User Temp%\installUtilLog.txt

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.
  • %AppDataLocal%\esetSecurity
  • %AppDataLocal%\29q07grdxg

Step 7

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as TrojanSpy.MSIL.WHITESNAKE.AA. 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 the following Trend Micro Support pages for more information:


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