TSPY_KEYLOG.GAA
Trojan:Win32/Malagent!gmb (Microsoft); Trojan-Spy.MSIL.KeyLogger.axsm (Kaspersky); Troj/MSILInj-CL (Sophos); Packed:MSIL/SmartIL.A (FSecure); Trojan horse Delf.APSF (AVG)
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: Spyware
Destructiveness: No
Encrypted:
In the wild: Yes
OVERVIEW
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
619,008 bytes
EXE
Yes
18 Aug 2014
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 copies of itself into the affected system:
- %User Profile%\Windows\aspnet_state.exe
(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista and 7.)
Autostart Technique
This spyware adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Network List Service = "%User Profile%\Windows\Dnscache.exe"
Other System Modifications
This spyware modifies the following file(s):
- %Application Data%\GDIPFONTCACHEV1.DAT
(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.)
It deletes the following files:
- {malware path and file name}:zone.identifier
- %User Profile%\Windows\Dnscache.exe:Zone.Identifier
(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista and 7.)
It adds the following registry keys:
hkey_local_machine\software\microsoft\
esent\process\{malware file name}
hkey_local_machine\software\microsoft\
esent\process\{malware file name}\
debug
It modifies the following registry entries:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
GDIPlus
FontCachePath = "%Application Data%"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is %User Profile%\Local Settings\Application Data.)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\Eventlog\Application\
ESENT
EventMessageFile = "%System%\ESENT.dll"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is {random values}.)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\Eventlog\Application\
ESENT
CategoryMessageFile = "%System%\ESENT.dll"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is {random values}.)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\Eventlog\Application\
ESENT
CategoryCount = "1"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 10.)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\Eventlog\Application\
ESENT
TypesSupported = "7"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 7.)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Advanced
Hidden = "1"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 2.)
Dropping Routine
This spyware drops the following files:
- %User Profile%\Windows\Dnscache.exe
- %User Profile%\Application Data\pid.txt
- %User Profile%\Application Data\pidloc.txt
(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista and 7.)
Other Details
This spyware connects to the following possibly malicious URL:
- {BLOCKED}.248.172
This report is generated via an automated analysis system.
SOLUTION
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
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_local_machine\software\microsoft\esent\process
- {malware file name}
- In hkey_local_machine\software\microsoft\esent\process\{malware file name}
- debug
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
- Network List Service = "%User Profile%\Windows\Dnscache.exe"
Step 5
Restore these modified registry values
Important:Editing the Windows Registry incorrectly can lead to irreversible system malfunction. Please do this only if you know how to or you can seek your system administrator's help. You may also check out this Microsoft article first before modifying your computer's registry.
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\GDIPlus
- From: FontCachePath = "%Application Data%"
To: FontCachePath = ""%User Profile%\Local Settings\Application Data""
- From: FontCachePath = "%Application Data%"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Eventlog\Application\ESENT
- From: EventMessageFile = "%System%\ESENT.dll"
To: EventMessageFile = ""{random values}""
- From: EventMessageFile = "%System%\ESENT.dll"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Eventlog\Application\ESENT
- From: CategoryMessageFile = "%System%\ESENT.dll"
To: CategoryMessageFile = ""{random values}""
- From: CategoryMessageFile = "%System%\ESENT.dll"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Eventlog\Application\ESENT
- From: CategoryCount = "1"
To: CategoryCount = ""10""
- From: CategoryCount = "1"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Eventlog\Application\ESENT
- From: TypesSupported = "7"
To: TypesSupported = ""7""
- From: TypesSupported = "7"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
- From: Hidden = "1"
To: Hidden = ""2""
- From: Hidden = "1"
Step 6
Search and delete these components
- %User Profile%\Windows\Dnscache.exe
- %User Profile%\Application Data\pid.txt
- %User Profile%\Application Data\pidloc.txt
Step 7
Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TSPY_KEYLOG.GAA. 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.
Step 8
Restore deleted/modified files and/or registry entries from backup
*Note: Only Microsoft-related files/keys/values will be restored. If this malware/grayware also deleted registry keys/values related to programs that are not from Microsoft, please reinstall those programs on your computer.
- %Application Data%\GDIPFONTCACHEV1.DAT
Step 9
Restore this file from backup only Microsoft-related files will be restored. If this malware/grayware also deleted files related to programs that are not from Microsoft, please reinstall those programs on you computer again.
- {malware path and file name}:zone.identifier
- %User Profile%\Windows\Dnscache.exe:Zone.Identifier
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