TSPY_FRIHOS.XTTT

September 08, 2014
 Analysis by: Rika Joi Gregorio
 ALIASES:

W32/Malit-A (Sophos)

 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: Spyware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: Yes

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Downloaded from the Internet, Dropped by other malware

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:

2,517,924 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

03 Sep 2014

Payload:

Steals information, Connects to URLs/IPs

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 files:

  • %All Users Profile%\Msn\Msn2\dj.vbs
  • %System Root%\Users\Public\Public Document\dj.vbs
  • %System Root%\Users\Public\Public Document\202.lmn
  • %All Users Profile%\Msn\Msn2\202.lmn
  • %All Users Profile%\Msn\Msn2\keeprun.ini
  • %System Root%\Users\Public\Public Document\keeprun.ini
  • %All Users Profile%\Msn\Msn2\cogj.reg
  • %System Root%\Users\Public\Public Document\cogj.reg
  • %All Users Profile%\Msn\Msn2\saj.vbs
  • %System Root%\Users\Public\Public Document\saj.vbs
  • %All Users Profile%\Msn\Msn2\docs.pdf
  • %System Root%\Users\Public\Public Document\docs.pdf
  • %All Users Profile%\Msn\Msn2\aagj.bat - used to run %All Users Profile%\Msn\Msn2\AcrobaP.exe (also detected as BAT_STARTU.A)
  • %All Users Profile%\Msn\Msn2\icj.bat
  • %All Users Profile%\Msn\Msn2\iej.bat
  • %All Users Profile%\Msn\Msn2\iewj.bat
  • %All Users Profile%\Msn\Msn2\tsbe.vbs
  • %All Users Profile%\o3IIr0iSb\PCGWIN32.LI5
  • %System Root%\Users\Public\Public Document\aagj.bat - used to run %All Users Profile%\Msn\Msn2\AcrobaP.exe (also detected as BAT_STARTU.A)
  • %System Root%\Users\Public\Public Document\adip.klc
  • %System Root%\Users\Public\Public Document\icj.bat
  • %System Root%\Users\Public\Public Document\iej.bat
  • %System Root%\Users\Public\Public Document\iewj.bat
  • %System Root%\Users\Public\Public Document\tsbe.vbs

(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.. %System Root% is the root folder, which is usually C:\. It is also where the operating system is located.)

It drops and executes the following files:

  • %All Users Profile%\Msn\Msn2\AdobeT.exe (HKTL_PWDUMP.GABR)
  • %System Root%\Users\Public\Public Document\AdobeT.pdf (HKTL_PWDUMP.GABR)
  • %All Users Profile%\Msn\Msn2\AcrobaP.exe (detected as TROJ_TRACKER.XTTT)
  • %System Root%\Users\Public\Public Document\AcrobatR.pdf (detected as HKTL_PWDUMP.GAIE)
  • %All Users Profile%\Msn\Msn2\AcrobatR.exe (detected as HKTL_PWDUMP.GAIE)
  • %System Root%\Users\Public\Public Document\AdobeR.pdf (detected as HKTL_PWDUMP.GAEM)
  • %All Users Profile%\Msn\Msn2\AdobeR.exe (detected as HKTL_PWDUMP.GAEM)
  • %System Root%\Users\Public\Public Document\AcrobaP.exe (detected as TROJ_TRACKER.HAY)

(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.. %System Root% is the root folder, which is usually C:\. It is also where the operating system is located.)

It creates the following folders:

  • %All Users Profile%\Msn
  • %All Users Profile%\Msn\Msn2
  • %All Users Profile%\o3IIr0iSb
  • %System Root%\Users\Public\Public Document
  • %System Root%\Users (for Windows XP and lower versions)
  • %System Root%\Users\public (for Windows XP and lower versions)

(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.. %System Root% is the root folder, which is usually C:\. It is also where the operating system is located.)

Autostart Technique

This spyware creates the following registry entries to enable automatic execution of dropped component at every system startup:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
stat = "%All Users Profile%\Msn\Msn2\aagj.bat"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
stat2 = "%All Users Profile%\Msn\Msn2\aagj.bat"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
stat7 = "%System Root%\Users\Public\Public Document\mdej.exe\"

Dropping Routine

This spyware drops the following files wherein it saves the information it gathers:

  • %System Root%\Users\Public\Public Document\001_201405Fr_135509.036
  • %System Root%\Users\Public\Public Document\001_201405Fr_135509.037
  • %System Root%\Users\Public\Public Document\001_201405Fr_135509.038
  • %System Root%\Users\Public\Public Document\amsn.klc

(Note: %System Root% is the root folder, which is usually C:\. It is also where the operating system is located.)

Information Theft

This spyware gathers the following data:

  • Host Name
  • MAC Address
  • IP Address

It attempts to steal stored email credentials from the following:

  • Gmail
  • Yahoo Mail
  • Hotmail
  • Windows Live Mail
  • Outlook
  • Thunderbird
  • IncrediMail
  • GTalk

It attempts to get stored information such as user names, passwords, and hostnames from the following browsers:

  • Firefox
  • Internet Explorer
  • Google Chrome
  • Safari
  • Opera
  • Sea Monkey
  • Comodo
  • Flock

Drop Points

This spyware uploads files to the following File Transfer Protocol (FTP) sites:

  • ftp.{BLOCKED}stia.com

  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

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 malware/grayware files dropped/downloaded by TSPY_FRIHOS.XTTT. (Note: Please skip this step if the threats listed below have already been removed.)

    • HKTL_PWDUMP.GABR
    • HKTL_PWDUMP.GAIE
    • HKTL_PWDUMP.GAEM
    • TROJ_TRACKER.XTTT
    • BAT_STARTU.A

Step 4

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

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\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • stat = "%All Users Profile%\Msn\Msn2\aagj.bat"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • stat2 = "%All Users Profile%\Msn\Msn2\aagj.bat"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • stat7 = "%System Root%\Users\Public\Public Document\mdej.exe\"

Step 6

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%\Msn
  • %All Users Profile%\o3IIr0iSb
  • %System Root%\Users\Public\Public Document
  • %System Root%\Users <i>(for Windows XP and lower versions)</i>

Step 7

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