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W2KM_BARTALEX.SM

March 31, 2015
 Analysis by: RonJay Kristoffer Caragay
 ALIASES:

TrojanDownloader:O97M/Bartallex.E (Microsoft); Trojan-Downloader.MSWord.Agent.fr (Kaspersky); W97M.Downloader(Symantec)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Downloaded from the Internet, Via email


This Trojan arrives as attachment to mass-mailed email messages. It arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

It does not have any propagation routine.

It does not have any backdoor routine.

It executes the downloaded files. As a result, malicious routines of the downloaded files are exhibited on the affected system.

It does not have any information-stealing capability.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

82,944 bytes

File Type:

DOC

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

18 Mar 2015

Arrival Details

This Trojan arrives as attachment to mass-mailed email messages.

It 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 drops and executes the following files:

  • %Temp%\adobeacd-update.bat (For Windows XP and below)
  • %Temp%\adobeacd-updatexp.vbs (For Windows XP and below)
  • %User Temp%\adobeacd-update.vbs (For Windows Vista and above)
  • %User Temp%\adobeacd-update.bat (For Windows Vista and above)
  • %User Temp%\adobeacd-update.ps1 (For Windows Vista and above)
    These files will be deleted afterwards

(Note: %Temp% is the Windows temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\Temp on all Windows operating system versions.. %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)

Propagation

This Trojan does not have any propagation routine.

Backdoor Routine

This Trojan does not have any backdoor routine.

Download Routine

This Trojan accesses the following websites to download files:

  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.254.214/ca/file.jpg
  • http://{BLOCKED}c.su/5489999.png
  • http://{BLOCKED}c.su/5502287.png
  • http://{BLOCKED}eam-haberland.com/plugins/system/file.exe
  • http://{BLOCKED}c.su/5350377.png
  • http://{BLOCKED}c.su/5309398.png

It saves the files it downloads using the following names:

  • %Temp%\444.exe (For Windows XP and below) → detected as TROJ_HANCITOR.MS
  • %User Temp%\444.exe (For Windows Vista and above) → detected as TROJ_HANCITOR.MS
  • %User Temp%\444.jpg (For Windows Vista and above)

(Note: %Temp% is the Windows temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\Temp on all Windows operating system versions.. %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)

It then executes the downloaded files. As a result, malicious routines of the downloaded files are exhibited on the affected system.

Information Theft

This Trojan does not have any information-stealing capability.

Other Details

This is the Trend Micro detection for Microsoft Word documents that are compromised through the insertion of a malicious macro.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.750

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

11.546.06

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

18 Mar 2015

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

11.547.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

19 Mar 2015

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

Remove malware/grayware files dropped/downloaded by W2KM_BARTALEX.SM. (Note: Please skip this step if the threats listed below have already been removed.)

     
    • TROJ_HANCITOR.MS

Step 4

Search and delete these files

[ 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.
  • %Temp%\adobeacd-update.bat (For Windows XP and below)
  • %Temp%\adobeacd-updatexp.vbs (For Windows XP and below)
  • %User Temp%\adobeacd-update.vbs (For Windows Vista and above)
  • %User Temp%\adobeacd-update.bat (For Windows Vista and above)
  • %User Temp%\adobeacd-update.ps1 (For Windows Vista and above)
  • %User Temp%\444.jpg (For Windows Vista and above)

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as W2KM_BARTALEX.SM. 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 6

Enable the macro virus protection in Microsoft Office Applications

[ Learn More ]


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