HKTL_BITMINE.SML

 Analysis by: Nikko Tamana
 Modified by: RonJay Kristoffer Caragay

 ALIASES:

HackTool/BitCoinMiner.A(Panda), Bitcoin Miner(Sophos), not-a-virus:RiskTool.Win64.BitCoinMiner.a(Kaspersky), CoinMiner.AOK(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:
 DAMAGE POTENTIAL:
 DISTRIBUTION POTENTIAL:
 REPORTED INFECTION:
 INFORMATION EXPOSURE:

  • Threat Type: Hacking Tool

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

This hacking tool 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.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

516,628 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

31 Dec 2013

Arrival Details

This hacking tool 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 hacking tool adds the following folders:

  • %AppDataLocal%\Math Problem Solver\cpu
  • %User Temp%\ns{random characters 1}.tmp

(Note: %AppDataLocal% is the Local Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista and 7.. %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:

  • %AppDataLocal%\Math Problem Solver\cpu\libcurl-4.dll
  • %AppDataLocal%\Math Problem Solver\cpu\pthreadGC2.dll
  • %AppDataLocal%\Math Problem Solver\cpu\Solve.exe
  • %AppDataLocal%\Math Problem Solver\cpu\zlib1.dll
  • %AppDataLocal%\Math Problem Solver\Uninstall.exe
  • %Windows%\Tasks\Math Problem Solver CPU.job

(Note: %AppDataLocal% is the Local Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista and 7.. %Windows% is the Windows folder, which is usually C:\Windows.)

It drops the following component file(s):

  • %User Temp%\ns{random characters 1}.tmp\CPUFeatures.dll - deleted afterwards
  • %User Temp%\ns{random characters 1}.tmp\ns{random characters}.tmp - deleted afterwards
  • %User Temp%\ns{random characters 1}.tmp\nsExec.dll - deleted afterwards
  • %User Temp%\ns{random characters 1}.tmp\TaskHelper.dll
  • %User Temp%\ns{random characters 1}.tmp\System.dll - deleted afterwards

(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:

  • %User Temp%\ns{random characters 1}.tmp\power.bat - deleted afterwards

(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.)

Autostart Technique

The scheduled task executes the malware every:

  • %Windows%\Tasks\Math Problem Solver CPU.job - Runs when idle

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

Other System Modifications

This hacking tool adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\PowerCfg\
PowerPolicies\{next ID}
Description = "Optimized"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\PowerCfg\
PowerPolicies\{next ID}
Name = "Optimized"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\PowerCfg\
PowerPolicies\{next ID}
Policies = "{hex values}"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Controls Folder\
PowerCfg\PowerPolicies\{next ID}
Policies = "{hex value}"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Controls Folder\
PowerCfg\ProcessorPolicies\{next ID}
Policies = "{hex value}"

It adds the following registry entries as part of its installation routine:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Math Problem Solver
DisplayName = "Math Problem Solver"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Math Problem Solver
DisplayIcon = "%AppDataLocal%\Math Problem Solver\Uninstall.ico"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Math Problem Solver
UninstallString = "%AppDataLocal%\Math Problem Solver\Uninstall.exe"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Math Problem Solver
NoModify = 1

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Math Problem Solver
NoRepair = 1

Stolen Information

This hacking tool sends the gathered information via HTTP POST to the following URL:

  • http://p2pltc.{BLOCKED}ine.org:9327/

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.300

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

9.894.07

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

03 May 2013

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

9.895.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

04 May 2013

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

Search and delete this file

[ 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.
  • %AppDataLocal%\Math Problem Solver\cpu\libcurl-4.dll
  • %AppDataLocal%\Math Problem Solver\cpu\pthreadGC2.dll
  • %AppDataLocal%\Math Problem Solver\cpu\Solve.exe
  • %AppDataLocal%\Math Problem Solver\cpu\zlib1.dll
  • %AppDataLocal%\Math Problem Solver\Uninstall.exe
  • %Windows%\Tasks\Math Problem Solver CPU.job
  • %User Temp%\ns{random characters 1}.tmp\TaskHelper.dll

Step 3

Search and delete this folder

[ 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.
  • %AppDataLocal%\Math Problem Solver\cpu
  • %User Temp%\ns{random characters 1}.tmp

Step 4

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\Control Panel\PowerCfg\PowerPolicies\{next ID}
    • Description = "Optimized"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\PowerCfg\PowerPolicies\{next ID}
    • Name = "Optimized"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\PowerCfg\PowerPolicies\{next ID}
    • Policies = "{hex values}"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Controls Folder\PowerCfg\PowerPolicies\{next ID}
    • Policies = "{hex value}"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Controls Folder\PowerCfg\ProcessorPolicies\{next ID}
    • Policies = "{hex value}"

Step 5

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\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
    • Math Problem Solver

Step 6

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