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TrojanSpy.Win32.EMOTET.THLAIAI

January 18, 2020
 ALIASES:

Trojan:Win32/Emotet.ARJ!MTB (Microsoft); GenericRXJI-FL!149B804680FF (McAfee); HEUR:Trojan-Banker.Win32.Emotet.pef (Kaspersky); Trojan.Win32.Generic!BT (Sunbelt)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 DAMAGE POTENTIAL:
 DISTRIBUTION POTENTIAL:
 REPORTED INFECTION:
 SYSTEM IMPACT RATING:
 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:

553,039 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

18 Jan 2020

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 adds the following processes:

  • {malware file path and name} --d4e1d40a
  • "%Windows%\SysWOW64\groupfill.exe"
  • %Windows%\SysWOW64\groupfill.exe --846b6c58

(Note: %Windows% is the Windows folder, where it usually is C:\Windows on all Windows operating system versions.)

Autostart Technique

This Trojan Spy registers itself as a system service to ensure its automatic execution at every system startup by adding the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\groupfill
ImagePath = "%Windows%\SysWOW64\groupfill.exe"

Other System Modifications

This Trojan Spy deletes the following files:

  • %Windows%\SysWOW64\markupcube.exe
  • %Windows%\SysWOW64\groupfill.exe:Zone.Identifier
  • {malware file path and name}

(Note: %Windows% is the Windows folder, where it usually is C:\Windows on all Windows operating system versions.)

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\groupfill
DisplayName = "groupfill"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\groupfill
Start = "SERVICE_AUTO_START"

Dropping Routine

This Trojan Spy drops the following files:

  • %Windows%\SysWOW64\groupfill.exe

(Note: %Windows% is the Windows folder, where it usually is C:\Windows on all Windows operating system versions.)

Other Details

This Trojan Spy connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://{BLOCKED}28.101:8080/gDKaGtLN11BMPib
  • http://{BLOCKED}28.101:8080/UTIrv9
  • http://{BLOCKED}28.101:8080/Ko9XUy0B3G4sdiie2
  • http://{BLOCKED}28.101:8080/lE0fT
  • http://{BLOCKED}28.101:8080/EjoKcKyKmYiYwQb
  • http://{BLOCKED}28.101:8080/yP46rw9Gpd

This report is generated via an automated analysis system.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

Step 1

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 2

Identify and terminate files detected as TrojanSpy.Win32.EMOTET.THLAIAI

[ Learn More ]
  1. Windows Task Manager may not display all running processes. In this case, please use a third-party process viewer, preferably Process Explorer, to terminate the malware/grayware/spyware file. You may download the said tool here.
  2. If the detected file is displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer but you cannot delete it, restart your computer in safe mode. To do this, refer to this link for the complete steps.
  3. If the detected file is not displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer, continue doing the next steps.

Step 3

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.

  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\groupfill
    • DisplayName = "groupfill"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\groupfill
    • Start = "SERVICE_AUTO_START"

Step 4

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.
  • %Windows%\SysWOW64\groupfill.exe

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as TrojanSpy.Win32.EMOTET.THLAIAI. 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:

Step 6

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.

  • %Windows%\SysWOW64\markupcube.exe
  • %Windows%\SysWOW64\groupfill.exe:Zone.Identifier
  • {malware file path and name}


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