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TSPY_ZBOT.SMUL

August 22, 2014
 ALIASES:

PWS-Zbot.gen.oj (McAfee); Trojan.Zbot (Symantec); Trojan-PSW.Win32.Fareit.amqr (Kaspersky); Troj/Agent-ADBJ (Sophos); VirTool.Win32.VbInject.ld (v) (Sunbelt); Trojan horse PSW.Generic12.PFZ (AVG)

 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:
 REPORTED INFECTION:
 SYSTEM IMPACT RATING:
 INFORMATION EXPOSURE:

  • Threat Type: Spyware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW


This spyware 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:

131,698 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

22 Aug 2014

Arrival Details

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

  • %User Profile%\OpenMin\reader.exe

(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 and 7.)

It creates the following folders:

  • %User Profile%\Local Settings\OpenMin
  • %User Profile%\OpenMin\miner

(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 and 7.)

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
OpenMin = "%User Profile%\OpenMin\wincheck.vbs"

Dropping Routine

This spyware drops the following files:

  • %User Profile%\OpenMin\wincheck.vbs
  • %User Profile%\OpenMin\mn.zip
  • %User Profile%\OpenMin\miner
  • %User Profile%\miner\libcurl-4.dll
  • %User Profile%\miner\pthreadGC2.dll
  • %User Profile%\miner\service.exe
  • %User Profile%\miner\start.bat
  • %User Profile%\miner\zlib1.dll

(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 and 7.)

Other Details

This spyware connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://{BLOCKED}0.202/mininn/cpu.zip

This report is generated via an automated analysis system.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.700

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

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 3

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
    • OpenMin = "%User Profile%\OpenMin\wincheck.vbs"

Step 4

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.
  • %User Profile%\OpenMin\wincheck.vbs
  • %User Profile%\OpenMin\mn.zip
  • %User Profile%\OpenMin\miner
  • %User Profile%\miner\libcurl-4.dll
  • %User Profile%\miner\pthreadGC2.dll
  • %User Profile%\miner\service.exe
  • %User Profile%\miner\start.bat
  • %User Profile%\miner\zlib1.dll

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%\Local Settings\OpenMin
  • %User Profile%\OpenMin\miner

Step 6

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