TSPY_KOVTER.SMA

 Analysis by: Rika Joi Gregorio

 ALIASES:

Trojan:Win32/Kovter.E(Microsoft), a variant of Win32/Injector.BSVC trojan(Eset)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Spyware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: Yes

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Downloaded from the Internet, Dropped by other malware

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.

It modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.

It connects to certain websites to send and receive information. It deletes itself after execution.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

428,461 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

15 Jan 2015

Payload:

Connects to URLs/IPs

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:

  • %All Users Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft\{GUID}\{GUID}.exe

(Note: %All Users Profile% is the All Users folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\ProgramData 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 adds the following processes:

  • svchost.exe

It creates the following folders:

  • %All Users Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft\{GUID}

(Note: %All Users Profile% is the All Users folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\ProgramData 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 injects codes into the following process(es):

  • created svchost.exe
  • explorer.exe

Autostart Technique

This spyware adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\
Explorer\Run
{GUID} = "%All Users Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft\{GUID}\{GUID}.exe"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
{GUID} = "%All Users Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft\{GUID}\{GUID}.exe"

Other System Modifications

This spyware adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{random}

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Main\FeatureControl

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Main\FeatureControl\
FEATURE_BROWSER_EMULATION

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Main\FeatureControl\
FEATURE_AJAX_CONNECTIONEVENTS

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{random}
1 = "%All Users Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft\{GUID}\{GUID}.exe"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{random}
2 = "{digit}"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{random}
3 = "{value}"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{random}
4 = "{value}"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Main\FeatureControl\
FEATURE_BROWSER_EMULATION
svchost.exe = "0"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Main\FeatureControl\
FEATURE_BROWSER_EMULATION
explorer.exe = "0"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Main\FeatureControl\
FEATURE_AJAX_CONNECTIONEVENTS
svchost.exe = "1"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\
Ratings
(Default) = "1"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\
Ratings
(Default) = "1"

Web Browser Home Page and Search Page Modification

This spyware modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.

Information Theft

This spyware gathers the following data:

  • Operating system
  • Product key
  • Installed antivirus, firewall, and anti-spyware product
  • GUID

Other Details

This spyware connects to the following website to send and receive information:

  • http://{BLOCKED}nks.ru/form2.php
  • http://{BLOCKED}rket.net/w1/form.php
  • http://{BLOCKED}ter1.su/w1/form.php
  • http://{BLOCKED}lc.biz/w1/form.php

It deletes itself after execution.

NOTES:

This malware is capable of performing click fraud by visiting sites without the user's consent. It is also capable of terminating certain antivirus software. It creates the following registry entries to force the antivirus installation to run under restricted user privileges:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\
Windows\Safer\CodeIdentifiers\0\Paths\{generated GUID for the antivirus software}
ItemData = "{antivirus software path}"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\
Windows\Safer\CodeIdentifiers\0\Paths\{generated GUID for the antivirus software}
SaferFlags = "0"

It does not perform its intended routine if any of the following is present:

  • Joebox
  • Qemu
  • Sandboxie
  • Sunbelt
  • VirtualBox
  • VirtualPC
  • VMWare
  • Wine
  • Wireshark

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.700

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

11.448.05

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

30 Jan 2015

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

11.449.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

31 Jan 2015

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

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 4

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\Software
    • {random}
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
    • FeatureControl

Step 5

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.

  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Safer\CodeIdentifiers\0\Paths\{generated GUID for the AV software}
  • ItemData = "{AV software path}"
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Safer\CodeIdentifiers\0\Paths\{generated GUID for the AV software}
  • SaferFlags = "0"
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\Explorer\Run
  • {GUID} = "%All Users Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft\{GUID}\{GUID}.exe"
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
  • {GUID} = "%All Users Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft\{GUID}\{GUID}.exe"
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\Ratings
  • (Default) = "1"

Step 6

Search and delete these folders

[ 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%\Application Data\Microsoft\{GUID}

Step 7

Reset Internet security settings

[ Learn More ]

Step 8

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TSPY_KOVTER.SMA. 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.


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