BKDR_ANDROM.VBV

 Analysis by: Mark Joseph Manahan

 ALIASES:

Worm:Win32/Gamarue.I (Microsoft), PWS-Zbot-FAQD!5EED5BB20931 (McAfee), Trojan.Gen (Symantec)

 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows Vista (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows 7 (32-bit, 64-bit)

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

  • Threat Type: Backdoor

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: Yes

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Downloaded from the Internet, Dropped by other malware

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 executes commands from a remote malicious user, effectively compromising the affected system.

It deletes itself after execution.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

51,340 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

10 Oct 2013

Payload:

Compromises system security, Downloads files, Connects to URLs/IPs

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:

  • %All Users Profile%\svchost.exe (Virtual Machine - Below Vista)
  • %ProgramData%\svchost.exe (Virtual Machine - Windows Vista and above)
  • %All Users Profile%\{random}.exe (Admin Account)
  • %User Profile%\{random}.exe (Non-Admin Account)

(Note: %All Users Profile% is the All Users or Common profile folder, which is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users in Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, and C:\ProgramData in Windows Vista and 7.. %ProgramData% is a version of the Program Files folder where any user on a multi-user computer can make changes to programs. This is usually C:\ProgramData in Windows Vista and 7, or C:\Program Files on Windows 2000, XP (32-bit), and Server 2003, or C:\Program Files (x86) on Windows XP (64-bit).. %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 adds the following processes:

  • msiexec.exe
  • svchost.exe

It injects codes into the following process(es):

  • msiexec.exe
  • svchost.exe

Autostart Technique

This backdoor adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\
Explorer\Run
{random digit} = "%All Users Profile%\{random}.exe" (Admin Account)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
SunJavaUpdateSched = "%All Users Profile%\svchost.exe" (Virtual Machine - Below Vista)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
SunJavaUpdateSched = "%ProgramData%\svchost.exe" (Virtual Machine - Windows Vista and above)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
load = "%User Profile%\{random}.exe" (Guest Account)

Other System Modifications

This backdoor creates the following registry entry(ies) to bypass Windows Firewall:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\
List
%System%\msiexec.exe = "%System%\msiexec.exe:*:Generic Host Process"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\
List
%System%\svchost.exe = "%System%\svchost.exe:*:Generic Host Process"

Backdoor Routine

This backdoor executes the following commands from a remote malicious user:

  • Download a file from C&C server and save it as %User Temp%\{random number}.exe
  • Download a file from C&C server and save it as %System Root%\Documents and Settings\All Users\ms{random number}.dat and loads it
  • Start a process
  • Uninstall itself
  • Remote command prompt

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

It connects to the following URL(s) to send and receive commands from a remote malicious user:

  • http://{BLOCKED}lse.com/login.php
  • http://{BLOCKED}o.su/alter.php
  • http://{BLOCKED}c.su/billing.php
  • http://{BLOCKED}es.net/filling.php

Other Details

This backdoor deletes itself after execution.

NOTES:

It checks if it is being run in a VMWare environment. If it is being run in a VMWare environment, it performs another routine wherein it will open Port 8000 and listen for a backdoor command for performing remote shell execution.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.300

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

10.330.05

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

10 Oct 2013

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

10.331.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

10 Oct 2013

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

[ Learn More ]

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\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\Explorer\Run
    • {random digit} = "%All Users Profile%\{random}.exe"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • SunJavaUpdateSched = "%All Users Profile%\svchost.exe"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • SunJavaUpdateSched = "%ProgramData%\svchost.exe"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
    • load = "%User Profile%\{random}.exe"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\List
    • %System%\msiexec.exe = "%System%\msiexec.exe:*:Generic Host Process"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\List
    • %System%\svchost.exe = "%System%\svchost.exe:*:Generic Host Process"

Step 4

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as BKDR_ANDROM.VBV. 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.


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