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HKTL_PASSREC

September 10, 2014
 Analysis by: Jimelle Monteser
 Modified by: Jaime Benigno Reyes
 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: Hacking Tool

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW


This hacking tool arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites. It may be manually installed by a user.

It comes with an uninstall package that completely removes the files it dropped and the registries it created.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

1,425,409 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

10 Sep 2014

Arrival Details

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

It may be manually installed by a user.

Installation

This hacking tool creates the following folders:

  • %All Users Profile%\Start Menu\Programs\Excel Password Recovery Master
  • %Program Files%\Excel Password Recovery Master
  • %Program Files%\Excel Password Recovery Master\Languages

(Note: %All Users Profile% is the All Users or Common profile folder, which is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users in Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, and C:\ProgramData in Windows Vista and 7.. %Program Files% is the default Program Files folder, usually C:\Program Files in Windows 2000, Server 2003, and XP (32-bit), Vista (32-bit), and 7 (32-bit), or C:\Program Files (x86) in Windows XP (64-bit), Vista (64-bit), and 7 (64-bit).)

Other System Modifications

This hacking tool adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Rixler Software

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Rixler Software\
Excel Password Recovery Master

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Excel Password Recovery Master_is1

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.key

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\
.key

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Rixler Software\
Excel Password Recovery Master
Guid = "{GUID}"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Rixler Software\
Excel Password Recovery Master
Language = "{Language}"

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.key
{Default} = "regfile"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\
.key
{Default} = "regfile"

Dropping Routine

This hacking tool drops the following files:

  • %All Users Profile%\Start Menu\Programs\Excel Password Recovery Master\Excel Password Recovery Master.lnk
  • %All Users Profile%\Start Menu\Programs\Excel Password Recovery Master\Uninstall .lnk
  • %Desktop%\Excel Password Recovery Master.lnk
  • %Program Files%\Excel Password Recovery Master\EPasRec.chm
  • %Program Files%\Excel Password Recovery Master\EPasRec.exe
  • %Program Files%\Excel Password Recovery Master\Languages\English.lng
  • %Program Files%\Excel Password Recovery Master\Languages\French.lng
  • %Program Files%\Excel Password Recovery Master\Languages\German.lng
  • %Program Files%\Excel Password Recovery Master\Languages\Russian.lng
  • %Program Files%\Excel Password Recovery Master\Languages\Spanish.lng
  • %Program Files%\Excel Password Recovery Master\License.txt
  • %Program Files%\Excel Password Recovery Master\unins000.dat
  • %Program Files%\Excel Password Recovery Master\unins000.exe

(Note: %All Users Profile% is the All Users or Common profile folder, which is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users in Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, and C:\ProgramData in Windows Vista and 7.. %Desktop% is the current user's desktop, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{User Name}\Desktop on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\Desktop on Windows Vista and 7.. %Program Files% is the default Program Files folder, usually C:\Program Files in Windows 2000, Server 2003, and XP (32-bit), Vista (32-bit), and 7 (32-bit), or C:\Program Files (x86) in Windows XP (64-bit), Vista (64-bit), and 7 (64-bit).)

Other Details

This hacking tool adds the following registry entries to add an uninstall option to the Control Panel:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Excel Password Recovery Master_is1
Inno Setup: Setup Version = "5.4.2 (a)"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Excel Password Recovery Master_is1
Inno Setup: App Path = %Program Files%\Excel Password Recovery Master"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Excel Password Recovery Master_is1
InstallLocation = %Program Files%\Excel Password Recovery Master\"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Excel Password Recovery Master_is1
Inno Setup: Icon Group = "Excel Password Recovery Master"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Excel Password Recovery Master_is1
Inno Setup: User = "{user name}"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Excel Password Recovery Master_is1
Inno Setup: Selected Tasks = "desktopicon"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Excel Password Recovery Master_is1
Inno Setup: Deselected Tasks = ""

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Excel Password Recovery Master_is1
"{language}" = "{language}"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Excel Password Recovery Master_is1
DisplayName = "Excel Password Recovery Master 4.0"

DisplayIcon
DisplayIcon = %Program Files%\Excel Password Recovery Master\EPasRec.exe"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Excel Password Recovery Master_is1
UninstallString = "%Program Files%\Excel Password Recovery Master\unins000.exe""

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Excel Password Recovery Master_is1
"%Program Files%\Excel Password Recovery Master\unins000.exe" /SILENT" = "%Program Files%\Excel Password Recovery Master\unins000.exe" /SILENT"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Excel Password Recovery Master_is1
NoModify = "1"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Excel Password Recovery Master_is1
NoRepair = "1"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Excel Password Recovery Master_is1
InstallDate = "{yyy}{mm}{dd}"

It comes with an uninstall package that completely removes the files it dropped and the registries it added.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.700

SSAPI PATTERN File:

1.525.00

SSAPI PATTERN Date:

10 Jul 2014

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

Remove HKTL_PASSREC by using its own Uninstall option

[ Learn More ]
To uninstall the grayware process

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_CURRENT_USER\Software
    • Rixler Software
  • In HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
    • .key
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes
    • .key

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.
  • %All Users Profile%\Start Menu\Programs\Excel Password Recovery Master
  • %Program Files%\Excel Password Recovery Master

Step 6

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as HKTL_PASSREC. 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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