TSPY_ZBOT.USA
W32/Kryptik.AWQ!tr (Fortinet), a variant of Win32/Injector.AELP trojan (Nod32)
Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows Vista (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows 7 (32-bit, 64-bit)
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.
It executes then deletes itself afterward.
It modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
222,720 bytes
EXE
Yes
27 Mar 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 files:
- %Application Data%\{random folder 2}\{random file name 2}.{random extension name}
- %Application Data%\{random folder 3}\{random file name 3}.{random extension 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 and 7.)
It drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:
- %Application Data%\{random folder 1}\{random file name 1}.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 and 7.)
It creates the following folders:
- %Application Data%\{random folder 1}
- %Application Data%\{random folder 2}
- %Application Data%\{random folder 3}
- %User Temp%\{random}
(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 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.)
It executes then deletes itself afterward.
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
{random} = "%Application Data%\{random folder 1}\{random file name 1}.exe"
Other System Modifications
This spyware adds the following registry keys:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
{random key}
Web Browser Home Page and Search Page Modification
This spyware modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.
Download Routine
This spyware saves the files it downloads using the following names:
- %User Temp%\{random}\pny.exe - deleted afterwards
(Note: %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.)
Other Details
This spyware connects to the following possibly malicious URL:
- http://{BLOCKED}ife-tips.com/carfca/basket.php
It attempts to access the following websites to download files, which are possibly malicious:
- http://{BLOCKED}tech.com/FR/pny.exe
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 key
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_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\{random key}
Step 4
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
- {random} = "%Application Data%\{random folder 1}\{random file name 1}.exe"
- {random} = "%Application Data%\{random folder 1}\{random file name 1}.exe"
Step 5
Search and delete these folders
- %Application Data%\{random folder 1}
- %Application Data%\{random folder 2}
- %Application Data%\{random folder 3}
- %User Temp%\{random}
Step 6
Reset Internet security settings
Step 7
Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TSPY_ZBOT.USA. 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 8
The following created registry key(s) cannot be identified by the user since there are no reference values in the created key. The only way it can be identified is by comparing the present keys with a backup of the system registry. Note that the said key(s) do not have to be deleted since it won't be harmful to the system:
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\{random key}
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