TSPY_TRICKBOT.TIDACBI

August 21, 2018
 Analysis by: Carl Maverick Pascual
 ALIASES:

Trojan-Banker.Win32.Trickster.fw (Kaspersky) ; Trojan:Win32/MereTam.A (Microsoft)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan Spy

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

This Trojan Spy 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:

539,136 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

16 Aug 2018

Arrival Details

This Trojan Spy 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 Spy drops the following copies of itself into the affected system and executes them:

  • %Application Data%\ncssd\{malware name}.exe

(Note: %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista, 7, and 8.)

It drops the following files:

  • %Application Data%\ncssd\FAQ
  • %Application Data%\ncssd\info.dat
  • %Application Data%\ncssd\README.md
  • %Application Data%\ncssd\Modules\injectDll32
  • %Application Data%\ncssd\Modules\networkDll32
  • %Application Data%\ncssd\Modules\systeminfo32

(Note: %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista, 7, and 8.)

It adds the following processes:

  • svchost.exe

It creates the following folders:

  • %Application Data%\ncssd
  • %Application Data%\ncssd\Modules

(Note: %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista, 7, and 8.)

Autostart Technique

The scheduled task executes the malware every:

  • Task Name: Msnetc
    Task Trigger: System startup & Every 10 minutes since first triggered.
    Task command: %Application Data%\ncssd\{malware file name}

(Note: %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista, 7, and 8.)

Other Details

This Trojan Spy connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.111.138:8082/tot291/{encrypted data}
  • {BLOCKED}vka.ru
  • https://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.194.172/tot291/{encrypted data}

It executes the following command to disable/stop/delete Windows components:

  • sc stop WinDefend
  • sc delete WinDefend
  • powershell Set-MpPreference -DisableRealtimeMonitoring $true

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

14.456.01

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

20 Aug 2018

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

14.457.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

21 Aug 2018

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

Deleting Scheduled Tasks

The following {Task Name} - {Task to be run} listed should be used in the steps identified below:  

  • Msnetc - "%Application Data%\ncssd\{malware file name}"

For Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003:

  1. Open the Windows Scheduled Tasks. Click Start>Programs>Accessories>
    System Tools>Scheduled Tasks.
  2. Locate each {Task Name} values listed above in the Name column.
  3. Right-click on the said file(s) with the aforementioned value.
  4. Click on Properties. In the Run field, check for the listed {Task to be run}.
  5. If the strings match the list above, delete the task.

For Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012:

  1. Open the Windows Task Scheduler. To do this:
    • On Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008, click Start, type taskschd.msc in the Search input field, then press Enter.
    • On Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012, right-click on the lower left corner of the screen, click Run, type taskschd.msc, then press Enter.
  2. In the left panel, click Task Scheduler Library.
  3. In the upper-middle panel, locate each {Task Name} values listed above in the Name column.
  4. In the lower-middle panel, click the Actions tab. In the Details column, check for the {Task to be run} string.
  5. If the said string is found, delete the task.

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.
  • %Application Data%\ncssd

Step 6

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

NOTES:

Regarding Windows Defender

:

This malware disables Microsoft Windows Defender by deleting the registry related to Windows Defender Service. Running it after the machine has been infected will cause an error. If you wish to repair the error, you may install another version of Microsoft Windows Defender from a legitimate and proper channel.


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