TROJ_ARTIEF.NG

 Analysis by: Anthony Joe Melgarejo

 ALIASES:

Exploit:Win32/CVE-2012-0158.CJ (Microsoft), Trojan.Mdropper (Symantec), RTF/Expl.D (Authentium), MSWord/Agent.DI!tr (Fortinet), RTF/Dropper.B (F-Prot), Exploit.MSWord.CVE-2012 (Ikarus), Win32/Exploit.CVE-2012-0158.CI trojan (ESET)

 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:

  • Threat Type: Trojan

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: Yes

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Spammed via email, Downloaded from the Internet, Dropped by other malware


This Trojan arrives as an attachment to email messages spammed by other malware/grayware or malicious users. 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 takes advantage of software vulnerabilities in certain software to drop malicious files. It executes the dropped file(s). As a result, malicious routines of the dropped files are exhibited on the affected system.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

475,519 bytes

File Type:

RTF, DOC

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

16 May 2013

Payload:

Drops files

Arrival Details

This Trojan arrives as an attachment to email messages spammed by other malware/grayware or malicious users.

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:

  • %User Temp%\WINWORD.EXE - detected as TSPY_ZBOT.NG

(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.)

It drops the following non-malicious file:

  • {current malware path}\~$T Returns Repot 565411322.doc

Dropping Routine

This Trojan takes advantage of unknown vulnerabilities in the following software to drop malicious files:

It executes the dropped file(s). As a result, malicious routines of the dropped files are exhibited on the affected system.

Other Details

This Trojan opens the following files:

  • {current malware path}\~$T Returns Repot 565411322.doc

NOTES:
It opens the non-malicious file {current malware path}\~$T Returns Repot 565411322.doc as a decoy to trick user that they are opening a legitimate document.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.300

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

9.930.04

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

20 May 2013

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

9.931.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

20 May 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

Remove malware/grayware files dropped/downloaded by TROJ_ARTIEF.NG

  • TSPY_ZBOT.NG

Step 3

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.
  • {current malware path}\~$T Returns Repot 565411322.doc

Step 4

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as TROJ_ARTIEF.NG. 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 5

Download and apply this security patch Refrain from using these products until the appropriate patches have been installed. Trend Micro advises users to download critical patches upon release by vendors.


Did this description help? Tell us how we did.