Analysis by: Jennifer Gumban
ALIASES:

Exploit:Win32/CVE-2012-0158 (Microsoft), Exploit-CVE2012-0158!rtf (McAfee), Bloodhound.Exploit.457 (Symantec)

 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows Vista (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows 7 (32-bit, 64-bit)

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

This Trojan arrives as an attachment to email messages spammed by other malware/grayware or malicious users. It may be unknowingly downloaded by a user while visiting malicious websites.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 226,010 bytes
File Type: DOC
Memory Resident: No
Initial Samples Received Date: 31 Oct 2013

Arrival Details

This Trojan arrives as an attachment to email messages spammed by other malware/grayware or malicious users.

It may be unknowingly downloaded by a user while visiting malicious websites.

Installation

This Trojan drops the following files:

  • MSI7188L.dll

Autostart Technique

This Trojan registers its dropped component as a system service to ensure its automatic execution at every system startup. It does this by creating the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\AudioClr\Parameters
ServiceDll = "MSI7188L.dll"

Other System Modifications

This Trojan adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\Audioclr

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\Audioclr\Parameters

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\Audioclr\Security

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\Audioclr\Enum

Other Details

This Trojan connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • followsecurity.{BLOCKED}d.com
  • webmail.{BLOCKED}b.net

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.300
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 10.376.02
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 31 Oct 2013
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 10.377.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 01 Nov 2013

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

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\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\AudioClr\Parameters
    • ServiceDll = "MSI7188L.dll"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services
    • Audioclr = ""
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Audioclr
    • Parameters = ""
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Audioclr
    • Security = ""
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Audioclr
    • Enum = ""

Step 3

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.  
  • MSI7188L.dll

Step 4

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to clean files detected as TROJ_ARTIEF.ZTAJ-DAM. 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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