BKDR_WINNTI.OWMT

 Analysis by: Anthony Joe Melgarejo

 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: Backdoor

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: Yes

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Downloaded from the Internet, Dropped by other malware

This backdoor may arrive bundled with malware packages as a malware component. It arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

It does not have any propagation routine.

It runs certain commands that it receives remotely from a malicious user. Doing this puts the affected computer and information found on the computer at greater risk.

It deletes the initially executed copy of itself.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

207,872 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

20 May 2014

Payload:

Compromises system security, Connects to URLs/IPs

Arrival Details

This backdoor may arrive bundled with malware packages as a malware component.

It 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 backdoor drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %User Temp%\KJIEJUI7A.AX

(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, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista and 7.)

It drops the following files:

  • %User Temp%\_guid.dat - contains created GUID for the infected system

(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, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista and 7.)

It drops and executes the following files:

  • %System%\metro.dll - also detected as BKDR_WINNTI.OWMT
  • {variable path}\libglesv32.dll - also detected as BKDR_WINNTI.OWMT

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, which is usually C:\Windows\System32.)

It drops the following non-malicious file:

  • {variable path}\wuauclt.exe - copy of legitimate rundll32.exe

Autostart Technique

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

{KEY}\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
vmCheck = ""{variable path}\wuauclt.exe" "{variable path}\libglesv32.dll",vmCheck"

It modifies the following registry entries to ensure it automatic execution at every system startup:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\{service name}
Start = "2"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 3.)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\{service name}\Parameters
ServiceDll = "%System%\metro.dll"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is {service path and file name}.)

Other System Modifications

This backdoor adds the following registry entries:

{KEY}\Software\Classes
CDrivce = "{encrypted binary data}"

{KEY}\Software\Classes
Drivce = "{SOFTRES Resource of the malware}"

Propagation

This backdoor does not have any propagation routine.

Backdoor Routine

This backdoor executes the following command(s) from a remote malicious user:

  • Download and load plugins - saved as %User Temp%\{random}_p.dat or %User Temp%\{username}.dat

(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, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista and 7.)

It connects to the following URL(s) to send and receive commands from a remote malicious user:

  • {BLOCKED}w.{BLOCKED}gle.com:8080

Other Details

This backdoor deletes the initially executed copy of itself

NOTES:

Where:

  • {variable path} is:
    • %Application Data%\Microsoft (no admin rights)
    • %Program Files%\Common Files\System (with admin rights)
  • {KEY} is:
    • HKEY_CURRENT_USER (no admin rights)
    • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (with admin rights)
  • {service name} is:
    • WmdmPmSN (for Windows version 5.1+*)
    • AppMgmt (for Windows 7)
  • {service path and file name}:
    • %System%\mspmsnsv.dll (for Windows version 5.1+*)
    • %System%\appmgmts.dll (for Windows 7)

*Windows version 5.1+ are the following:

  • Windows XP
  • Windows XP Professional x64 Edition
  • Windows Server 2003
  • Windows Home Server
  • Windows Server 2003 R2

Certain files and registry entries are only created when one of the following conditions occur:

  1. The current user has no admin rights.
  2. It failed to create the file %System%\metro.dll.
  3. It is running under an OS not mentioned above.

The files and registry entries created are the following:

  • Files:
    • {variable path}\libglesv32.dll
    • {variable path}\wuauclt.exe
  • Registry:
    {KEY}\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    vmCheck = ""{variable path}\wuauclt.exe" "{variable path}\libglesv32.dll",vmCheck"

It does not have rootkit capabilities.

It does not exploit any vulnerability.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.700

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

10.816.07

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

24 May 2014

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

10.817.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

24 May 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

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_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run (with admin rights)
    • vmCheck = ""{variable path}\wuauclt.exe" "{variable path}\libglesv32.dll",vmCheck"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes (with admin rights)
    • CDrivce = "{encrypted binary data}"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes (with admin rights)
    • Drivce = "{SOFTRES Resource of the malware}"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run (no admin rights)
    • vmCheck = ""{variable path}\wuauclt.exe" "{variable path}\libglesv32.dll",vmCheck"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes (no admin rights)
    • CDrivce = "{encrypted binary data}"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes (no admin rights)
    • Drivce = "{SOFTRES Resource of the malware}"

Step 4

Restore this modified 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\CurrentControlSet\Services\{service name}
    • From: Start = "2"
      To: Start = 3
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\{service name}\Parameters
    • From: ServiceDll = "%System%\metro.dll"
      To: ServiceDll = {service path and file name}

Step 5

Search and delete these files

[ Learn More ]
There may be some component 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%\_guid.dat
  • %User Temp%\{random}_p.dat
  • %User Temp%\{username}.dat

Step 6

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