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PUA.AutoIt.AutoKMS.A

September 13, 2019
 Analysis by: Arvin Roi Macaraeg
 ALIASES:

HackTool:Win32/AutoKMS [non_writable_container] (Microsoft); Trojan.Gen.2 (Symantec); HackTool.Win32.HackKMS.a (Kaspersky); Trojan.Win32.Generic!BT (Sunbelt)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Potentially Unwanted Application

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW


This Potentially Unwanted Application arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites. It may be manually installed by a user.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

5,159,424 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

05 Sep 2019

Arrival Details

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

It may be manually installed by a user.

Installation

This Potentially Unwanted Application drops the following files:

  • %System%\PECMD.EXE
  • %System%\Readme.txt
  • %System%\efi.txt
  • %System%\SHOWDRIVE.EXE

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.)

It adds the following processes:

  • sc config W32Time start= auto
  • sc stop w32time
  • sc start w32time
  • sc config sppsvc start= auto
  • sc start sppsvc
  • %System%\cmd.exe /c del /f /s /q "%appdata%\microsoft\Templates\*.dot*"
  • %System%\cmd.exe /c del /f /s /q "%appdata%\microsoft\Word\Startup\*.dot*"
  • %System%\cmd.exe /c bcdedit>%System%\efi.txt
  • sc config osppsvc start= auto
  • sc start osppsvc
  • bcdedit
  • SHOWDRIVE.EXE
  • PECMD.EXE show -1:-1

Other System Modifications

This Potentially Unwanted Application deletes the following files:

  • %Application Data%\microsoft\Templates\NormalOld.dotm
  • %Application Data%\microsoft\Templates\Normal.dotm

(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(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

It modifies the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
services\W32Time\Config
MaxNegPhaseCorrection = "4294967295"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
services\W32Time\Config
MaxPosPhaseCorrection = "4294967295"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
services\W32Time\TimeProviders\
NtpClient
SpecialPollInterval = "30"

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

SSAPI PATTERN File:

2.213.00

SSAPI PATTERN Date:

05 Sep 2019

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

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

Restore this modified 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\W32Time\Config
    • From: MaxPosPhaseCorrection = "4294967295"
      To: MaxPosPhaseCorrection = "{Default Value}"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\W32Time\Config
    • From: MaxNegPhaseCorrection = "4294967295"
      To: MaxNegPhaseCorrection = "{Default Value}"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpClient
    • From: SpecialPollInterval = "30"
      To: SpecialPollInterval = "{Default Value}"

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.
  • %System%\efi.txt
  • %System%\PECMD.EXE
  • %System%\Readme.txt
  • %System%\SHOWDRIVE.EXE

Step 5

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.

  • %Application Data%\microsoft\Templates\NormalOld.dotm
  • %Application Data%\microsoft\Templates\Normal.dotm

Step 6

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as PUA.AutoIt.AutoKMS.A. 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:


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