Coinminer.Win32.LORDIX.THAABFAH


 PLATFORM:

Windows

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 DAMAGE POTENTIAL:
 REPORTED INFECTION:

  • Threat Type: Coinminer

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW


This Coinminer 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 itself after execution.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

139,264 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

10 May 2019

Arrival Details

This Coinminer 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 Coinminer drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

  • D:\Windows Component\defender.exe
  • %Application Data%\Microsoft\Network\srcc.exe
  • %Application Data%\Microsoft\Windows\audiohq.exe

(Note: %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 adds the following processes:

  • cmd.exe /C schtasks /create /tn System\smartscreen /tr %Application Data%\Microsoft\Network\srcc.exe /st 00:00 /du 9999:59 /sc daily /ri 5 /f
  • cmd.exe /C schtasks /create /tn System\Security\upjf /tr %Application Data%\Microsoft\Windows\audiohq.exe /st 00:00 /du 9999:59 /sc daily /ri 5 /f
  • cmd.exe /C schtasks /create /tn Windows\lpij /tr D:\Windows Component\defender.exe /st 00:00 /du 9999:59 /sc daily /ri 5 /f
  • cmd.exe /C schtasks /create /tn ApplicationUpdateCallback /tr %All Users Profile%\syscall.exe /st 00:00 /du 9999:59 /sc daily /ri 5 /f
  • schtasks /create /tn System\smartscreen /tr %Application Data%\Microsoft\Network\srcc.exe /st 00:00 /du 9999:59 /sc daily /ri 5 /f
  • schtasks /create /tn System\Security\upjf /tr %Application Data%\Microsoft\Windows\audiohq.exe /st 00:00 /du 9999:59 /sc daily /ri 5 /f
  • schtasks /create /tn Windows\lpij /tr D:\Windows Component\defender.exe /st 00:00 /du 9999:59 /sc daily /ri 5 /f
  • schtasks /create /tn ApplicationUpdateCallback /tr %All Users Profile%\syscall.exe /st 00:00 /du 9999:59 /sc daily /ri 5 /f

(Note: %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.. %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. )

It creates the following folders:

  • D:\Windows Component

Autostart Technique

This Coinminer registers as a system service to ensure its automatic execution at every system startup by adding the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
services\ASP.NET_4.0.30319\Names\
{random key}

Other System Modifications

This Coinminer deletes the following files:

  • %Windows%\Tasks\ApplicationUpdateCallback.job

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

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
services\ASP.NET_4.0.30319\Names
{random string} = "2652"

Dropping Routine

This Coinminer drops the following files:

  • %System%\Tasks\ApplicationUpdateCallback
  • %All Users Profile%\syscall.exe
  • %System%\Tasks\System\smartscreen

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.. %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. )

Other Details

This Coinminer connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://host007.{BLOCKED}o.ru/connect.php?{random characters}

It deletes itself after execution.

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

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 3

Identify and terminate files detected as Coinminer.Win32.LORDIX.THAABFAH

[ 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 4

Delete this registry key

[ 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\ASP.NET_4.0.30319\Names
    • {random key}

Step 5

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\ControlSet001\services\ASP.NET_4.0.30319\Names
    • {random string} = "2652"

Step 6

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.
  • %System%\Tasks\ApplicationUpdateCallback
  • %All Users Profile%\syscall.exe
  • %System%\Tasks\System\smartscreen

Step 7

Search and delete this folder

[ 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.
  • D:\Windows Component

Step 8

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as Coinminer.Win32.LORDIX.THAABFAH. 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.

Step 9

Restore this file from backup only Microsoft-related files will be restored. If this malware/grayware also deleted files related to programs that are not from Microsoft, please reinstall those programs on you computer again.

  • %Windows%\Tasks\ApplicationUpdateCallback.job


Did this description help? Tell us how we did.