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Trojan.Win64.GOBOT.THGAEAI

August 22, 2019
 Modified by: Patrick Angelo Roderno
 ALIASES:

Trojan-Dropper.Win32.Agent.bjwvrw (Kaspersky); Trojan.Win32.Generic!BT (Sunbelt)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Downloaded from the Internet


This Trojan 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:

15,803,904 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

21 Aug 2019

Payload:

Drops files

Arrival Details

This Trojan 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 drops the following files:

  • %User Temp%\{Malware name and extension}.lock
  • %Application Data%\wuausIt.exe -> copy of itself

(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).. %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

It terminates itself if it finds the following processes in the affected system's memory:

  • V3Lite
  • V3Clinic
  • ksde
  • kavsvc
  • avp
  • Avast
  • McUICnt
  • 360
  • kxe
  • Kwsprotect
  • BitDefender
  • Avira
  • MalwareDefender
  • procexp
  • dnSpy
  • ASDMon
  • PETools
  • x96dbg
  • Procmon
  • Tcpview
  • FileMonitor
  • gmer
  • MegaDumper

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
wuausIt = %Application Data%\wuausIt.exe

Other Details

This Trojan does the following:

  • adds the following registry key:
    • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{RegName}
  • adds the following registry entries:
    • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{RegName}
      • ID = {random characters}
    • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{RegName}
      • INSTALL = {Time of infection}
    • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{RegName}
      • NAME = {random characters}
    • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{RegName}
      • VERSION = "2.3"
    • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{RegName}
      • REMASTER = “nil”
    • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{RegName}
      • LAST = “”
    • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{RegName}
      • WATCHDOC = {random characters}
  • drops the following copies of itself:
    • %Windows%\{InstallName}.exe -> with admin rights
    • %Application Data%\{InstallName}.exe -> without admin rights
  • adds the following scheduled task (with admin rights):
    • Task Name: HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\{InstallName}
      Trigger: User Logon
      Action:%Windows%\{InstallName}.exe
  • uses multiple sleep instructions to delay execution, in an attempt to bypass AV detection
  • {RegName} and {InstallName} can be any of the following:
    • {RegName}
      • GoogleChrome
      • AppDatas
      • Intel System
      • Trion Softworks
      • Mystic Entertainment
      • Microsoft Partners
      • Client-Server Runtime Subsystem
      • Basic Softworks
      • Ahnlab Data
      • Microsoft Software
      • Kakao Corp
      • Networking Service
      • DaumCompany
      • RegisteredApp
      • AppDataLaw
      • DriverTool
      • GoogleCommon
      • GoogleUpdate
      • ODCB
      • Explorer
      • rundII32
      • rundIl32
      • rundlI32
      • dlIhost
      • dIlhost
      • dIIhost
    • {InstallName}
      • svchost
      • csrss
      • rundll32
      • winlogon
      • smss
      • taskhost
      • unsecapp
      • AdobeARM
      • winsys
      • jusched
      • BCU
      • wscntfy
      • conhost
      • dwm
      • sidebar
      • ADService
      • AppServices
      • acrotray
      • ctfmon
      • lsass
      • realsched
      • reaIsched
      • spoolsv
      • spooIsv
      • RTHDCPL
      • RTDCPL
      • MSASCui
      • reaIsched
      • spooIsv
      • rundIl32
      • rundlI32
      • rundII32

(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(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

15.236.04

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

15 Jul 2019

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

15.237.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

16 Jul 2019

Step 1

Trend Micro products with the XGen technology detect this malware as

[ Learn More ]
 
  • Troj.Win32.TRX.XXPE50FFF030

Step 2

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 3

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 4

Identify and terminate files detected as Trojan.Win64.GOBOT.THGAEAI

[ 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 5

Deleting Scheduled Tasks

The following {Task Name} - {Task to be run} listed should be used in the steps identified below:

  • Task Name: HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\{InstallName}
    Task to be run: %Windows%\{InstallName}.exe

For Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003:

  1. Open the Windows Scheduled Tasks. Click Start>Programs>Accessories>
    System Tools>Scheduled Tasks.
  2. Locate each {Task Name} values listed above in the Name column.
  3. Right-click on the said file(s) with the aforementioned value.
  4. Click on Properties. In the Run field, check for the listed {Task to be run}.
  5. If the strings match the list above, delete the task.

For Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012:

  1. Open the Windows Task Scheduler. To do this:
    • On Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008, click Start, type taskschd.msc in the Search input field, then press Enter.
    • On Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012, right-click on the lower left corner of the screen, click Run, type taskschd.msc, then press Enter.
  2. In the left panel, click Task Scheduler Library.
  3. In the upper-middle panel, locate each {Task Name} values listed above in the Name column.
  4. In the lower-middle panel, click the Actions tab. In the Details column, check for the {Task to be run} string.
  5. If the said string is found, delete the task.

Step 6

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
    • wuausIt = "%Application Data%\wuausIt.exe"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{string 1}
    • ID = {random characters}
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{string 1}
    • INSTALL = Time of infection
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{string 1}
    • NAME = {random characters}
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{string 1}
    • VERSION = "2.3"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{string 1}
    • REMASTER = “nil”
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{string 1}
    • LAST = “”
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{string 1}
    • WATCHDOC = {obfuscated watchdog name/random characters}

Step 7

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
    • {RegName}

Step 8

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%\{Malware name and extension}.lock
  • %Application Data%\{InstallName}.exe
  • %Application Data%\wuausIt.exe
  • %Windows%\{InstallName}.exe

Step 9

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to clean files detected as Trojan.Win64.GOBOT.THGAEAI. 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:


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