Coinminer.Win32.MALXMR.TIAOODDG

January 23, 2020
 ALIASES:

Trojan:Win32/CoinMiner.BW!bit (Microsoft); HEUR:Trojan.Win32.Generic (Kaspersky); Trojan.Win32.Generic!BT (Sunbelt)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 DAMAGE POTENTIAL:
 REPORTED INFECTION:

  • Threat Type: Coinminer

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

This Coinminer 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:

1,565,696 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

23 Jan 2020

Arrival Details

This Coinminer 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 Coinminer adds the following processes:

  • cmd.exe /C WScript "%All Users Profile%\UvNHnTPzqv\r.vbs"
  • "%Windows%\notepad.exe" -c "%All Users Profile%\UvNHnTPzqv\cfgi"
  • %System%\wscript.exe WScript "%All Users Profile%\UvNHnTPzqv\r.vbs"

(Note: %All Users Profile% is the common user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\All Users on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\ProgramData on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit). . %Windows% is the Windows folder, where it usually is C:\Windows on all Windows operating system versions.. %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.)

It creates the following folders:

  • %All Users Profile%\UvNHnTPzqv

(Note: %All Users Profile% is the common user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\All Users on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\ProgramData on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit). )

Autostart Technique

This Coinminer drops the following file(s) in the Windows User Startup folder to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

  • %User Startup%\mPNgcnlpbv.url

(Note: %User Startup% is the current user's Startup folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Profiles\{user name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\Profiles\{user name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows NT, C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows 2003(32-bit), XP and 2000(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit), 10(64-bit).)

Other System Modifications

This Coinminer deletes the following files:

  • %All Users Profile%\UvNHnTPzqv\kmkww
  • %All Users Profile%\UvNHnTPzqv\r.vbs

(Note: %All Users Profile% is the common user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\All Users on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\ProgramData on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit). )

Dropping Routine

This Coinminer drops the following files:

  • %All Users Profile%\UvNHnTPzqv\kmkww.exe

(Note: %All Users Profile% is the common user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\All Users on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\ProgramData on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit). )

Other Details

This Coinminer connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://{BLOCKED}24.12/kmkww.txt

This report is generated via an automated analysis system.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

Step 1

Before doing any scans, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 users must disable System Restore to allow full scanning of their computers.

Step 2

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 3

Identify and terminate files detected as Coinminer.Win32.MALXMR.TIAOODDG

[ Learn More ]
  1. Windows Task Manager may not display all running processes. In this case, please use a third-party process viewer, preferably Process Explorer, to terminate the malware/grayware/spyware file. You may download the said tool here.
  2. If the detected file is displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer but you cannot delete it, restart your computer in safe mode. To do this, refer to this link for the complete steps.
  3. If the detected file is not displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer, continue doing the next steps.

Step 4

Search and delete these components

[ Learn More ]
There may be some components 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.
  • %All Users Profile%\UvNHnTPzqv\kmkww.exe

Step 5

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.
  • %All Users Profile%\UvNHnTPzqv

Step 6

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as Coinminer.Win32.MALXMR.TIAOODDG. 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 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.

  • %All Users Profile%\UvNHnTPzqv\kmkww
  • %All Users Profile%\UvNHnTPzqv\r.vbs


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