TROJ_PAWXNIC.K

February 29, 2016
 Analysis by: Janus Agcaoili
 ALIASES:

Troj/Pawxnic-D (Sophos), Downloader.Ponik (Symantec), Trojan:Win32/Tepoyx.K (Microsoft)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 DAMAGE POTENTIAL:
 DISTRIBUTION POTENTIAL:
 REPORTED INFECTION:
 INFORMATION EXPOSURE:

  • Threat Type: Trojan

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Via email, Downloaded from the Internet

This Trojan arrives as an attachment to email messages spammed by other malware/grayware or malicious users. It arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

It executes the downloaded files. As a result, malicious routines of the downloaded files are exhibited on the affected system.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

247,986 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

25 Feb 2016

Payload:

Connects to URLs/IPs

Arrival Details

This Trojan arrives as an attachment to email messages spammed by other malware/grayware or malicious users.

It 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 and executes the following files:

  • %User Temp%\label_ems.gif
  • %User Temp%\jap_zero_2422016.exe

(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.)

Other System Modifications

This Trojan adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\{random key}

Download Routine

This Trojan saves the files it downloads using the following names:

  • %User Temp%\{random filename}.exe

(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 then executes the downloaded files. As a result, malicious routines of the downloaded files are exhibited on the affected system.

Other Details

This Trojan connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • https://{BLOCKED}eck.com/se/SoftGetJP.php
  • https://{BLOCKED}eck.com/se/SoftCheck.php?id={Product ID}&ver=0000020&name=jap_zero_2422015.exe&ilvl=4

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.800

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

12.372.04

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

29 Feb 2016

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

12.373.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

01 Mar 2016

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

Note that not all files, folders, and registry keys and entries are installed on your computer during this malware's/spyware's/grayware's execution. This may be due to incomplete installation or other operating system conditions. If you do not find the same files/folders/registry information, please proceed to the next step.

Step 3

Delete this registry key

[ 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
    • {random key}

Step 4

Search and delete these files

[ 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 Temp%\label_ems.gif
  • %User Temp%\jap_zero_2422016.exe
  • %User Temp%\{random filename}.exe

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as TROJ_PAWXNIC.K. 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.


Did this description help? Tell us how we did.