TSPY_LIMITAIL.TXK


 ALIASES:

Trojan:Win32/Skeeyah.A!bit (Microsoft); RDN/Generic PWS.y (McAfee); Backdoor.Win32.Androm.hsan (Kaspersky); Troj/MSIL-DVJ (Sophos); Trojan.Win32.Generic!BT (Sunbelt); Trojan horse MSIL8.BBNJ (AVG)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 REPORTED INFECTION:
 SYSTEM IMPACT RATING:
 INFORMATION EXPOSURE:

  • 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

File Size:

583,168 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

15 Aug 2015

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.

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
3a325f02c8917d8694c5c8a6ed3e97b6 = "%User Profile%\Application Data\Important.exe"

Other System Modifications

This spyware modifies the following file(s):

  • %Application Data%\GDIPFONTCACHEV1.DAT

(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 deletes the following files:

  • %User Temp%\1532.tmp
  • {malware path and file name}:zone.identifier

(Note: %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp 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 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.)

Dropping Routine

This spyware drops the following files:

  • %User Profile%\Application Data\Important.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.)

This report is generated via an automated analysis system.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.750

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_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • 3a325f02c8917d8694c5c8a6ed3e97b6 = "%User Profile%\Application Data\Important.exe"

Step 4

Restore these modified registry values

[ Learn More ]

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""

Step 5

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.
  • %User Profile%\Application Data\Important.exe

Step 6

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TSPY_LIMITAIL.TXK. 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 7

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 8

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.

  • %User Temp%\1532.tmp
  • {malware path and file name}:zone.identifier


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