BKDR_QAKBOT.CM

This backdoor arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

It sends the information it gathers to remote sites.

It prevents users from visiting antivirus-related websites that contain specific strings.

Arrival Details

This backdoor 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 backdoor drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

• %System Root%\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Application Data\Microsoft\{random}\{random}.exe

(Note: %System Root% is the root folder, which is usually C:\. It is also where the operating system is located.)

It drops the following non-malicious file:

• %System Root%\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Application Data\Microsoft\{random}\{random}.dll

(Note: %System Root% is the root folder, which is usually C:\. It is also where the operating system is located.)

It creates the following folders:

• %System Root%\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Application Data\Microsoft\{random}

(Note: %System Root% is the root folder, which is usually C:\. It is also where the operating system is located.)

It adds the following mutexes to ensure that only one of its copies runs at any one time:

• nekxhv
• Global\{random}
• {malware name}a

It injects itself into the following processes as part of its memory residency routine:

• explorer.exe
• iexplore.exe

Process Termination

This backdoor terminates the following processes if found running in the affected system's memory:

• ctfmon.exe
• dbgview.exe
• mirc.exe
• msdev.exe
• ollydbg.exe

Information Theft

This backdoor monitors the Internet Explorer (IE) activities of the affected system, specifically the address bar or title bar. It recreates a legitimate website with a spoofed login page if a user visits banking sites with the following strings in the address bar or title bar:

• .citigroup.com
• .webcashmgmt.com
• /achupload
• /cashman/
• /cashplus/
• /clkccm/
• /cmserver/
• /corpach/
• /payments/ach
• /stbcorp/
• /wcmpr/
• /wcmpw/
• /wcmtr/
• /wires/
• /wiret
• abnamro.nl
• access.jpmorgan.com
• accessonline.abnamro.com
• achbatchlisting
• business-eb.ibanking-services.com
• businessaccess.citibank.citigroup.com
• businessbankingcenter.synovus.com
• businessinternetbanking.synovus.com
• businessonline.huntington.com
• businessonline.tdbank.com
• cashproonline.bankofamerica.com
• cbs.firstcitizensonline.com
• chsec.wellsfargo.com
• commercial.wachovia.com
• commercial2.wachovia.com
• commercial3.wachovia.com
• commercial4.wachovia.com
• corporatebanking
• cpw-achweb.bankofamerica.com
• directline4biz.com
• directpay.wellsfargo.com
• e-facts.org
• e-moneyger.com
• each.bremer.com
• ebanking-services.com
• express.53.com
• firstmeritib.com
• firstmeritib.com/defaultcorp.aspx
• goldleafach.com
• iachwellsprod.wellsfargo.com
• ibc.klikbca.com
• iris.sovereignbank.com
• itreasury.regions.com
• itreasurypr.regions.com
• ktt.key.com
• moneymanagergps.com
• netconnect.bokf.com
• ocm.suntrust.com
• onlineserv/CM
• otm.suntrust.com
• paylinks.cunet.org
• premierview.membersunited.org
• providentnjolb.com
• scotiaconnect.scotiabank.com
• securentrycorp.amegybank.com
• singlepoint.usbank.com
• svbconnect.com
• tmconnectweb
• treas-mgt.frostbank.com
• treasury.pncbank.com
• trz.tranzact.org
• tssportal.jpmorgan.com
• ub-businessonline.blilk.com
• wc.wachovia.com
• wcp.wachovia.com
• web-cashplus.com
• webexpress.tdbank.com
• wellsoffice.wellsfargo.com

It sends the information it gathers to remote sites.

Other Details

This backdoor prevents users from visiting antivirus-related websites that contain the following strings:

• .eset
• agnitum
• ahnlab
• arcabit
• avast
• avg
• avira
• avp
• bit9
• bitdefender
• castlecops
• centralcommand
• clamav
• clearclouddns
• comodo
• computerassociates
• cpsecure
• defender
• drweb
• emsisoft
• esafe
• etrust
• ewido
• f-prot
• f-secure
• fortinet
• gdata
• grisoft
• hacksoft
• hauri
• hautesecure.com
• ikarus
• jotti
• k7computing
• kaspersky
• malware
• mcafee
• networkassociates
• nod32
• norman
• norton
• panda
• pctools
• phishtank.com
• prevx
• quickheal
• rising
• rootkit
• securecomputing
• sophos
• spamhaus
• spyware
• sunbelt
• symantec
• threatexpert
• trendmicro
• truste.com
• virus
• webroot.
• wilderssecurity
• windowsupdate

NOTES:

This backdoor drops the shortcut file %System Root%\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\{random}.lnk, which points to its copy , to enable its automatic execution at every system startup.

It is capable of connecting to a certain IRC server using a certain port and joins a channel where it receives commands from a malicious user. It sends the following information to its C&C server:

• data
• dnsname
• domain
• ext_ip
• host
• hostname
• install_time
• is_admin
• lb
• login
• nick
• os
• pass
• qbot_version
• qbot_version
• time
• url
• user

It gathers passwords by monitoring the following applications:

• chrome.exe
• firefox.exe
• iexplore.exe
• msmsgs.exe
• msnmsgr.exe
• opera.exe
• outlook.exe
• skype.exe
• yahoomessenger.exe