TROJ_FAKEAV.OTJ
Troj/FakeAV-HAT (Sophos) ,Trojan horse FakeAV.ASSS (AVG) ,W32/FakeAlert_FTD.9E5825454139!tr (Fortinet) ,Trojan.Win32.FakeAV (Ikarus) ,Rogue:Win32/FakePAV (Microsoft) ,FakeAlert-FTD!9E5825454139 (McAfee) ,a variant of Win32/AdWare.WindowsExpertConsole.AK application (Eset) ,Trojan.Win32.Generic!BT (Sunbelt)
Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows Vista (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows 7 (32-bit, 64-bit)
Threat Type: Trojan
Destructiveness: No
Encrypted: Yes
In the wild: Yes
OVERVIEW
Dropped by other malware, Downloaded from the Internet
This Trojan arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.
It connects to certain websites to send and receive information.
It displays a window where users can purchase this fake antivirus program.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
1,298,432 bytes
EXE
Yes
28 Jan 2014
Connects to URLs/IPs, Displays message/message boxes
Arrival Details
This Trojan 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 Trojan drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:
- %Application Data%\guard-{4 letters}.exe
(Note: %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista and 7.)
Autostart Technique
This Trojan adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
GuardSoftware = "%Application Data%\guard-{4 letters}"
Other System Modifications
This Trojan adds the following registry keys:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
Associations
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
Attachments
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SPP
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\
MpCmdRun.exe
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\
MpUXSrv.exe
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\
MSASCui.exe
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\
msconfig.exe
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\
msmpeng.exe
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\
msseces.exe
It adds the following registry entries:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Settings
UID = "hetuxksquf"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Settings
net = "{yyyy-mm-dd}_1"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Settings
Config = "{Hex Values}"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Settings
ip = "{User's Ip Address}"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\
system
EnableLUA = "0"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\
system
ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin = "0"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\
system
ConsentPromptBehaviorUser = "0"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\
system
EnableVirtualization = "0"
Process Termination
This Trojan terminates processes or services that contain any of the following strings if found running in the affected system's memory:
- Full Image Path without 'windows'
- avgnt
- defender
- cmd.exe
- regedit
- msconfig
- procexp
- avcenter
- msascui
- egui
- msseces
- mbab
- taskmgr
- avguard
- avastsvc
Other Details
This Trojan connects to the following URL(s) to get the affected system's IP address:
- http://checkip.dyndns.org
It connects to the following website to send and receive information:
- http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.82.249/{values}
It connects to the following time servers to determine the current date:
- time.windows.com
Mobile Malware Routine
This Trojan sends the gathered information via HTTP POST to the following URL(s):
- http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.80.155/customgate/process/?callback=jQuery{number}&name={name}&email={email address}&num={card number}&cvv={code}&year={expiration yr}&month={month}&phone={phone number}&address={Address}&country={country}&state={state}&zip={zip code}&option=0&support=true&id={number}&sub_id={number}&install_id={install name}&project_id={number}&serial={serial}
Rogue Antivirus Routine
This Trojan displays the following fake alerts:
The following window is displayed for users to purchase the fake antivirus program:
It displays the following window and pretends to scan the system:
SOLUTION
9.700
10.568.02
28 Jan 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
Step 3
Delete this registry key
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\Policies
- Associations
- Associations
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies
- Attachments
- Attachments
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
- SPP
- SPP
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options
- MpCmdRun.exe
- MpCmdRun.exe
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options
- MpUXSrv.exe
- MpUXSrv.exe
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options
- MSASCui.exe
- MSASCui.exe
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options
- msconfig.exe
- msconfig.exe
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options
- msmpeng.exe
- msmpeng.exe
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options
- msseces.exe
- msseces.exe
Step 4
Delete this registry value
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
- GuardSoftware = "%Application Data%\guard-{4 letters}"
- GuardSoftware = "%Application Data%\guard-{4 letters}"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Settings
- UID = "hetuxksquf"
- UID = "hetuxksquf"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Settings
- net = "{yyyy-mm-dd}_1"
- net = "{yyyy-mm-dd}_1"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Settings
- Config = "{Hex Values}"
- Config = "{Hex Values}"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Settings
- ip = "{User's Ip Address}"
- ip = "{User's Ip Address}"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system
- EnableLUA = "0"
- EnableLUA = "0"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system
- ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin = "0"
- ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin = "0"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system
- ConsentPromptBehaviorUser = "0"
- ConsentPromptBehaviorUser = "0"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system
- EnableVirtualization = "0"
- EnableVirtualization = "0"
Step 5
Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TROJ_FAKEAV.OTJ. 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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