TSPY_LIMITAIL.S
Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003
Threat Type: Spyware
Destructiveness: No
Encrypted:
In the wild: Yes
OVERVIEW
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.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
454,656 bytes
EXE
Yes
06 Dec 2013
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:
- %User Profile%\Microsoft\esere.exe
(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista and 7.)
It creates the following folders:
- %User Profile%\Microsoft\Backups
(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista and 7.)
Autostart Technique
This spyware adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
esere = "%User Profile%\Microsoft\esere.exe"
Other System Modifications
This spyware modifies the following file(s):
- %User Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft
(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista and 7.)
It deletes the following files:
- %User Startup%\{malware file name}:zone.identifier
- %Windows%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\config\security.config.cch.252.65828
- %Windows%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\config\enterprisesec.config.cch.252.65890
- %User Profile%\v2.0.50727.42\security.config.cch.252.66234
- %User Startup%\Temp.exe:Zone.Identifier
(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, and C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup.. %Windows% is the Windows folder, which is usually C:\Windows.. %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista and 7.)
Dropping Routine
This spyware drops the following files:
- %User Profile%\Microsoft\Crypto
- %User Profile%\Crypto\RSA
- %User Profile%\RSA\S-1-5-21-1645522239-1292428093-682003330-1003
- %User Temp%\logff.txt
- %User Profile%\Microsoft\esere.exe
- %User Startup%\Temp.exe
(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista and 7.. %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista and 7.. %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, and C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup.)
This report is generated via an automated analysis system.
SOLUTION
9.300
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
Restart in Safe Mode
Step 3
Delete this registry value
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\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- esere = "%User Profile%\Microsoft\esere.exe"
Step 4
Search and delete these components
- %User Profile%\Microsoft\Crypto
- %User Profile%\Crypto\RSA
- %User Profile%\RSA\S-1-5-21-1645522239-1292428093-682003330-1003
- %User Temp%\logff.txt
- %User Profile%\Microsoft\esere.exe
- %User Startup%\Temp.exe
Step 5
Search and delete this folder
- %User Profile%\Microsoft\Backups
Step 6
Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TSPY_LIMITAIL.S. 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 deleted/modified files and/or registry entries from backup
*Note: Only Microsoft-related files/keys/values will be restored. If this malware/grayware also deleted registry keys/values related to programs that are not from Microsoft, please reinstall those programs on your computer.
- %User Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft
Step 8
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.
- %User Startup%\{malware file name}:zone.identifier
- %Windows%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\config\security.config.cch.252.65828
- %Windows%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\config\enterprisesec.config.cch.252.65890
- %User Profile%\v2.0.50727.42\security.config.cch.252.66234
- %User Startup%\Temp.exe:Zone.Identifier
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