arrow_back
search
close

Trojan.X97M.EMOTET.SMYCRC

May 17, 2023
 Analysis by: Khristian Joseph Morales
 Modified by: Francesca Villasanta
 ALIASES:

TrojanDownloader:O97M/Emotet.AM!MTB (MICROSOFT)

 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:

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.

As of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

132,608 bytes

File Type:

XLS

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

09 Apr 2022

Payload:

Drops files, Connects to URLs/IPs, 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:

  • %ProgramData%\yhjlswle.vbs → used to execute ughldskbhn.bat and bneuihlows.dll
  • %ProgramData%\ughldskbhn.bat → used to download bneuihlows.dll from a specified list of URLs

(Note: %ProgramData% is a version of the Program Files folder where any user on a multi-user computer can make changes to programs. This contains application data for all users. This is usually C:\ProgramData on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit), or C:\Documents and Settings\All Users on Windows Server 2003(32-bit), 2000(32-bit) and XP.)

It adds the following processes:

  • wscript %ProgramData%\yhjlswle.vbs
  • cmd /c ""%ProgramData%\ughldskbhn.bat" "
  • powershell -enc {base 64 encoded command}
  • "%System%\cmd.exe" /c start /B %Windows%\syswow64\rundll32.exe %ProgramData%\bneuihlows.dll,hjyldksfkw3

(Note: %ProgramData% is a version of the Program Files folder where any user on a multi-user computer can make changes to programs. This contains application data for all users. This is usually C:\ProgramData on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit), or C:\Documents and Settings\All Users on Windows Server 2003(32-bit), 2000(32-bit) and XP.. %Windows% is the Windows folder, where it usually is C:\Windows on all Windows operating system versions.)

Download Routine

This Trojan connects to the following website(s) to download and execute a malicious file:

  • http://{BLOCKED}etortilla.com/_baks/tUx9/
  • http://{BLOCKED}am.com/Home_files/YS0PAZPXcYeraes/
  • http://{BLOCKED}rt-studios.com/eln-images/Vghg1n/
  • http://{BLOCKED}e.com/3Dtech/jLu8IAnnj3gK9Wc/
  • http://{BLOCKED}ra.net/plath/9Q0DBlE/
  • http://{BLOCKED}chultz.com/eln-images/u0vT/
  • http://{BLOCKED}orp.net/PhotoGallery/UwmRHceSGbaCeGF/
  • http://{BLOCKED}am.com/eln-images/fSwbQjUMAfGxgdw/
  • http://{BLOCKED}ecor.com/MarezGallery/sEQxWTpMJ7A8rAtY0D/
  • http://{BLOCKED}oodvisual.com/eln-images/HIWl5z/
  • http://{BLOCKED}ine.com/Images/SLlwnvS7Uxnymm/
  • http://{BLOCKED}sco.com/Gallery/wPY7j2SE5MIv/
  • http://{BLOCKED}iete.com/cgi/qtAP/
  • http://{BLOCKED}ph.com/cgi/hTa5ip96VSdNjX/
  • http://{BLOCKED}ont.com/eln-images/gANlH/

It saves the files it downloads using the following names:

  • %ProgramData%\bneuihlows.dll

(Note: %ProgramData% is a version of the Program Files folder where any user on a multi-user computer can make changes to programs. This contains application data for all users. This is usually C:\ProgramData on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit), or C:\Documents and Settings\All Users on Windows Server 2003(32-bit), 2000(32-bit) and XP.)

As of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.

NOTES:

This Trojan does the following:

  • It contains the following image to lure users in enabling macro content:

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.800

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

17.478.08

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

01 Apr 2022

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

17.479.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

02 Apr 2022

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:

     Downloader.VBA.TRX.XXVBAF01FF039

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

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.  
  • %ProgramData%\yhjlswle.vbs
  • %ProgramData%\ughldskbhn.bat
  • %ProgramData%\bneuihlows.dll

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as Trojan.X97M.EMOTET.SMYCRC. 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:


Did this description help? Tell us how we did.