arrow_back
search
close

TrojanSpy.Win32.RACEALER.Q

April 28, 2020
 PLATFORM:

Windows

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 DAMAGE POTENTIAL:
 DISTRIBUTION POTENTIAL:
 REPORTED INFECTION:
 SYSTEM IMPACT RATING:
 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.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

3,509,960 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

28 Apr 2020

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 adds the following processes:

  • "%System%\cmd.exe" /c timeout -t 15& powershell -ep bypass -f %User Temp%\evil.ps1
  • timeout -t 15
  • "%System%\takeown.exe" /A /F rfxvmt.dll
  • "%System%\icacls.exe" rfxvmt.dll /inheritance:d
  • "%System%\icacls.exe" rfxvmt.dll /setowner "NT SERVICE\TrustedInstaller"
  • "%System%\icacls.exe" rfxvmt.dll /grant "NT SERVICE\TrustedInstaller:F"
  • "%System%\icacls.exe" rfxvmt.dll /remove "NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM"
  • "%System%\icacls.exe" rfxvmt.dll /grant "NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM:RX"
  • "%System%\icacls.exe" rfxvmt.dll /remove BUILTIN\{username}s
  • "%System%\icacls.exe" rfxvmt.dll /grant BUILTIN\{username}s:RX
  • "%System%\reg.exe" ADD "HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Terminal Server\WinStations\RDP-Tcp" /v PortNumber /t REG_DWORD /d 0x1C21 /f
  • "%System%\reg.exe" add HKLM\system\currentcontrolset\services\TermService\parameters /v ServiceDLL /t REG_EXPAND_SZ /d %Windows%\branding\brandlogo.jpg /f
  • "%System%\reg.exe" add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services" /v fEnableWddmDriver /t reg_dword /d 0 /f
  • "%System%\net.exe" localgroup "NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE" /add
  • "%System%\cmd.exe" /c cmd /c net start rdpdr
  • "%System%\cmd.exe" /c cmd /c net start TermService
  • "%System%\cmd.exe" /c del %temp%\*.ps1 /f
  • "%System%\cmd.exe" /c del %temp%\*.txt /f
  • %System%\net1 localgroup "NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE" /add
  • %System%\net1 start rdpdr
  • %System%\svchost.exe -k NetworkService
  • %System%\net1 start TermService

(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(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).. %Windows% is the Windows folder, where it usually is C:\Windows on all Windows operating system versions.)

Other System Modifications

This Trojan Spy deletes the following folders:

  • %User Temp%\nsnF2E6.tmp

(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(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 registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\
Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services
fEnableWddmDriver = "0"

It modifies the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Control\Terminal Server\WinStations\
RDP-Tcp
PortNumber = "7201"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is d3d.)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
services\TermService\Parameters
ServiceDLL = "%Windows%\branding\brandlogo.jpg"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is {random values}.)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
services\TermService
Type = "16"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 20.)

Dropping Routine

This Trojan Spy drops the following files:

  • %User Temp%\portal.zip
  • %Windows%\Temp\usrnm.txt
  • %Windows%\Branding\microsoftmail.png
  • %User Temp%\evil.ps1
  • %Windows%\Branding\ShellBrd
  • %Windows%\Branding\Basebrd
  • %Windows%\Branding\imagescache.xml
  • %Windows%\Branding\brandlogo.jpg

(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(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).. %Windows% is the Windows folder, where it usually is C:\Windows on all Windows operating system versions.)

Other Details

This Trojan Spy connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://www.{BLOCKED}oft.com/pki/certs/MicRooCerAut_2010-06-23.crt

This report is generated via an automated analysis system.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

Step 1

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 2

Identify and terminate files detected as TrojanSpy.Win32.RACEALER.Q

[ Learn More ]
  1. Windows Task Manager may not display all running processes. In this case, please use a third-party process viewer, preferably Process Explorer, to terminate the malware/grayware/spyware file. You may download the said tool here.
  2. If the detected file is displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer but you cannot delete it, restart your computer in safe mode. To do this, refer to this link for the complete steps.
  3. If the detected file is not displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer, continue doing the next steps.

Step 3

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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services
    • fEnableWddmDriver = "0"

Step 4

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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Terminal Server\WinStations\RDP-Tcp
    • From: PortNumber = "7201"
      To: PortNumber = ""d3d""
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\TermService\Parameters
    • From: ServiceDLL = "%Windows%\branding\brandlogo.jpg"
      To: ServiceDLL = ""{random values}""
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\TermService
    • From: Type = "16"
      To: Type = ""20""

Step 5

Search and delete these components

[ Learn More ]
There may be some components 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.
  • %User Temp%\portal.zip
  • %Windows%\Temp\usrnm.txt
  • %Windows%\Branding\microsoftmail.png
  • %User Temp%\evil.ps1
  • %Windows%\Branding\ShellBrd
  • %Windows%\Branding\Basebrd
  • %Windows%\Branding\imagescache.xml
  • %Windows%\Branding\brandlogo.jpg

Step 6

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as TrojanSpy.Win32.RACEALER.Q. 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.