PE_EXPIRO.AR

This file infector arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

It modifies registry entries to disable various system services. This action prevents most of the system functions to be used.

It does not have any propagation routine.

It connects to a website to send and receive information.

It modifies Internet Explorer security settings. This puts the affected computer at greater risk, as it allows malicious URLs to be accessed by the computer.

It does not have any downloading capability.

It steals certain information from the system and/or the user.

Arrival Details

This file infector 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 file infector drops the following file(s)/component(s):

• %Application Data%\{Volume serial of system folder}{number}.nls - non-malicious

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

It adds the following mutexes to ensure that only one of its copies runs at any one time:

• kkq-vx-mtx{number}

Other System Modifications

This file infector adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\
Microsoft\Windows\System
EnableSmartScreen = "0"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\
Explorer
HideSCAHealth = "1"

It modifies registry entries to disable the following system services:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\wscsvc
Start = "4"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 2.)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\wuauserv
Start = "4"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 2.)

File Infection

This file infector infects the following file types:

• EXE

Propagation

This file infector does not have any propagation routine.

Backdoor Routine

This file infector connects to the following websites to send and receive information:

• hxxp://www1.{BLOCKED}c.ca
• http://{BLOCKED}seevers.net
• http://{BLOCKED}promarenda.ru
• http://{BLOCKED}vostok.ws
• http://www.{BLOCKED}usb33bit.com
• http://{BLOCKED}nuran237.com
• http://{BLOCKED}beavis.ru
• http://{BLOCKED}estores.cc
• http://{BLOCKED}plutonium.com
• http://{BLOCKED}policy2011.ru
• http://{BLOCKED}jopa2018.org
• http://{BLOCKED}-testlist.biz
• http://{BLOCKED}-casting.ru
• http://{BLOCKED}ed.ru
• http://{BLOCKED}blardoegp.com
• http://{BLOCKED}bank.ru
• http://{BLOCKED}isnotlexus.com
• http://{BLOCKED}micfailz.com
• http://{BLOCKED}ka-ww2.ru
• http://{BLOCKED}latker.ru
• http://{BLOCKED}axxlub.ru
• http://{BLOCKED}gay-formula.in

Web Browser Home Page and Search Page Modification

This file infector modifies Internet Explorer zone settings.

Download Routine

This file infector does not have any downloading capability.

Information Theft

This file infector steals the following information:

• Certificates
• User credentials
• Information from Filezilla
• Windows Product ID
• Drive Volume Serial Number
• OS Version

Stolen Information

This file infector saves the stolen information in the following file:

• %Application Data%\kf{random number}z32.dl
• %Application Data%\dfl{random number}z32.dll
• %Application Data%\wsr{number}zt32.dll

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

NOTES:

This malware infects files of shortcuts in the following locations:

• %Desktop%
• %Start Menu%\Programs

Since it infects startup programs, it also serves as the auto-start mechanism of PE_EXPIRO.AR

It also monitors the presence of removable drives. If found, it infects .EXE files in the present removable drive. This serves as its propagation method.

It also searches drives from C to Z which it also infects if it finds .EXE files in these locations. In this way, the drives shared through network are infected. This also serves as its propagation method.

It also looks for .EXE files in registered services and infects the target files related to the services.

It also modifies the infected services' Start and Type registry values.

It terminates the following security programs:

• Avast
• avg_i
• COMODO
• bitdefender
• avira
• Titanium_
• eav_
• ess_
• Outpost
• Emisoft
• _FUL_
• _sfx.exe
• SetupWeb_
• MSASCui.exe
• msseces.exe
• mseinstall.exe
• Tcpview.exe
• cav_installer.exe
• cfw_installer.exe
• cispremium_installer.exe
• PandaCloudAntivirus.exe
• 60Second.exe
• Antivirus_Free_Edition.exe
• OnlineArmorSetup.exe
• McAfeeSetup.exe
• Vba32.NT.T.exe
• Vba32.P.exe
• Vba32.S.exe
• Vba.Vista.exe
• Vba.W.exe
• Vba32Check.exe
• Vba32RCSInstallTuner.exe
• avgmfapx.exe

It disables the following services:

• wscsvc
• WinDefend
• MsMpSvc
• NisServ
• gupdate
• gupdatem
• wuauserv

It installs Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome add-ons/extensions to monitor browser activity and redirect users to the following URLs:

• {BLOCKED}c-sunholder.net
• {BLOCKED}portal-2013.ru
• {BLOCKED}jhop-ultraz.org
• {BLOCKED}lan-dagestan.net
• {BLOCKED}sia-gvtsvc.ru
• {BLOCKED}h-gunfactory.ru
• {BLOCKED}ver-syria.biz
• {BLOCKED}v-jop.ru
• {BLOCKED}-mers60.ru
• {BLOCKED}etails666.biz
• {BLOCKED}snor.ru
• {BLOCKED}-na-rukave.biz
• {BLOCKED}-anal-zonds.com

It does not have rootkit capabilities.

It does not exploit any vulnerability.