JAVA_ADWIND.PDB

 Analysis by: Augusto II Remillano

 ALIASES:

HEUR:Backdoor.Java.QRat.gen (Kaspersky), JAVA.Adwind.SEN.Gen (Antivir)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Backdoor

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: Yes

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Dropped by other malware, Downloaded from the Internet


This Backdoor arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

It executes commands from a remote malicious user, effectively compromising the affected system. It connects to a website to send and receive information.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

528,632 bytes

File Type:

JAR

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

18 Sep 2018

Payload:

Connects to URLs/IPs, Steals information

Arrival Details

This Backdoor 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 Backdoor adds the following folders:

  • %User Profile%\mtPdopVboWp
  • %User Temp%\hsperfdata_{username}
  • %Application Data%\Oracle
  • %User Profile%\mtPdopVboWp
  • %User Profile%\fUTkALeaTxM

(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista, 7, and 8.. %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, 7, and 8.. %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, 7, and 8.)

It drops the following files:

  • %User Temp%\hsperfdata_{username\{process ID} - contains details on the malware
  • %User Profile%\mtPdopVboWp\ID.txt - contains UUID
  • %User Temp%\Retrive{random}.vbs - script detecting installed AV and Firewall products
  • %User Profile%\fUTkALeaTxM\ID.txt - contains UUID
  • %All Users Profile%\Oracle\Java\.oracle_jre_usage\{random}.timestamp - time usage of oracle
  • %System%\test.txt - used to check for admin rights

(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, 7, and 8.. %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista, 7, and 8.. %All Users Profile% is the common user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\All Users on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\ProgramData on Windows Vista, 7, and 8. . %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.)

It drops and executes the following files:

It drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %User Profile%\mtPdopVboWp\hqmOvFofxxM.fKcMMs

(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista, 7, and 8.)

It adds the following processes:

  • attrib +h "%User Profile%\mtPdopVboWp" - hide folder
  • attrib +h "%User Profile%\mtPdopVboWp\*.*" - sets the contents of the folder as hidden
  • xcopy "%Program Files%\Java\jre{version}" "%Application Data%\Oracle\" /e - copy Java installation folder to %Application Data%\Oracle

(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista, 7, and 8.. %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, 7, and 8.)

Autostart Technique

This Backdoor adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
guLztiuEKvg = "%Application Data%\Oracle\bin\javaw.exe" -jar "%User Profile%\mtPdopVboWp\hqmOvFofxxM.fKcMMs"

Backdoor Routine

This Backdoor executes the following commands from a remote malicious user:

  • Download Plug-ins
  • Download and Execute Files
  • Update itself
  • Uninstall itself
  • Reset Connection
  • Terminate Process
  • Screen Capture
  • Access Webcam
  • Log Keystrokes

It connects to the following websites to send and receive information:

  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.241.40:9000

Information Theft

This Backdoor gathers the following data:

  • Local IP
  • Mac Address
  • Size of RAM
  • Country
  • User Name
  • OS Name
  • OS Version
  • If User is Admin
  • Java Version

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

14.512.03

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

18 Sep 2018

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

14.513.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

19 Sep 2018

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

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 3

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 4

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_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • guLztiuEKvg = "%Application Data%\Oracle\bin\javaw.exe" -jar "%User Profile%\mtPdopVboWp\hqmOvFofxxM.fKcMMs"

Step 5

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.
  • %User Profile%\mtPdopVboWp
  • %User Temp%\hsperfdata_{username}
  • %Application Data%\Oracle
  • %User Profile%\mtPdopVboWp
  • %User Profile%\fUTkALeaTxM

Step 6

Search and delete these files

[ 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.
  • User Temp%\Retrive{random}.vbs
  • %System%\test.txt
  • %User Temp%\_0.{random numbers}.class
  • %User Profile%\mtPdopVboWp\hqmOvFofxxM.fKcMMs

Step 7

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as JAVA_ADWIND.PDB. 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.


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