Trojan.Win32.SHELLOAD.E

January 17, 2025
 Analysis by: Raighen Sanchez
 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: No

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Downloaded from the Internet, Dropped by other malware

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.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

179,200 bytes

File Type:

DLL

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

16 Dec 2023

Payload:

Connects to URLs/IPs, Drops files, Steals information

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 adds the following folders:

  • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\update

(Note: %AppDataLocal% is the Local Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

It drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\update\goopdate.dll

(Note: %AppDataLocal% is the Local Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

It drops the following files:

  • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\update\GoogleUpdate.exe → legitimate chrome update
  • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\update\desktop.ini

(Note: %AppDataLocal% is the Local Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

Download Routine

This Trojan connects to the following URL(s) to download its component file(s):

  • https://l{BLOCKED}piritismireland.com:8443/jquery-3.3.1.min.js

Information Theft

This Trojan gathers the following data:

  • Username

Other Details

This Trojan does the following:

  • It is being sideloaded by a legitimate google chrome update.
  • It looks for the following files in order to proceed with its intended routine:
    • {malware filepath}\GoogleUpdate.exe
    • {malware filepath}\desktop.ini

It checks if its file name contains any of the following string(s):

  • goopdate.dll

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.800

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

19.398.03

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

11 Jun 2024

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

19.399.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

12 Jun 2024

Step 1

Trend Micro Predictive Machine Learning detects and blocks malware at the first sign of its existence, before it executes on your system. When enabled, your Trend Micro product detects this malware under the following machine learning name:

    •  TSPY.Win32.TRX.XXPE50FFF089

Step 2

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 3

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 4

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.
  • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\update

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.
  • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\update\GoogleUpdate.exe
  • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\update\desktop.ini
  • %AppDataLocal%\Google\Chrome\update\goopdate.dll

Step 6

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as Trojan.Win32.SHELLOAD.E. 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 the following Trend Micro Support pages for more information:


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