TROJ_FAKEAV.SMOQ
Rogue:Win32/Winwebsec (Microsoft), FakeAlert-SecurityTool.ga (McAfee), SecShieldFraud!gen11 (Symantec), Trojan.Win32.FakeAV.oeze (Kaspersky)
Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows Vista (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows 7 (32-bit, 64-bit)
![](/vinfo/imgFiles/legend.jpg)
Threat Type: Trojan
Destructiveness: No
Encrypted:
In the wild: Yes
OVERVIEW
This Trojan arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
523,776 bytes
EXE
Yes
15 Nov 2012
Arrival Details
This Trojan 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 the following copies of itself into the affected system:
- %ProgramData%\{random name}\{random name}.exe (Windows Vista and 7 only)
- %System Root%\Users\All Users\{random name}\{random name}.exe (Windows Vista and 7 only)
- %System Root%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\{random name}\{random name}.exe (versions other than Windows Vista and 7)
(Note: %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).. %System Root% is the root folder, which is usually C:\. It is also where the operating system is located.)
It drops the following component file(s):
- %ProgramData%\{random name}\{random name} (Windows Vista and 7 only)
- %ProgramData%\{random name}\{random name}.ico (Windows Vista and 7 only)
- %System Root%\Users\All Users\{random name}\{random name} (Windows Vista and 7 only)
- %System Root%\Users\All Users\{random name}\{random name}.ico (Windows Vista and 7 only)
- %System Root%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\{random name}\{random name} (versions other than Windows Vista and 7)
- %System Root%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\{random name}\{random name}.ico (versions other than Windows Vista and 7)
- %Start Menu%\Programs\System Progressive Protection\System Progressive Protection.lnk
- %Desktop%\System Progressive Protection.lnk
(Note: %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).. %System Root% is the root folder, which is usually C:\. It is also where the operating system is located.. %Start Menu% is the current user's Start Menu folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Start Menu or C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu on Windows Vista and 7.. %Desktop% is the current user's desktop, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{User Name}\Desktop on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\Desktop on Windows Vista and 7.)
It creates the following folders:
- %ProgramData%\{random name} (Windows Vista and 7 only)
- %System Root%\Users\All Users\{random name} (Windows Vista and 7 only)
- %System Root%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\{random name} (versions other than Windows Vista and 7)
- %Start Menu%\Programs\System Progressive Protection
(Note: %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).. %System Root% is the root folder, which is usually C:\. It is also where the operating system is located.. %Start Menu% is the current user's Start Menu folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Start Menu or C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu on Windows Vista and 7.)
Autostart Technique
This Trojan adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
{random name} = "%ProgramData%\{random name}\{random name}.exe" (Windows Vista and 7 only)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
{random name} = "%System Root%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\{random name}\{random name}.exe" (versions other than Windows Vista and 7)
Other System Modifications
This Trojan adds the following registry keys:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Installer\Products\{random name}
It adds the following registry entries:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Installer\Products\{random name}
(Default) = "1"
Other Details
This Trojan connects to the following possibly malicious URL:
- http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.29.179/api/urls/?ts={value}&affid={value}
- http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.29.179/api/stats/install/?ts={value}&affid={value}&ver={value}&group={value}
- http://{BLOCKED}shoper.com/p/?&lid={value}&affid={value}&nid={value}&group={value}
SOLUTION
9.300
9.588.05
11 Dec 2012
9.589.00
12 Dec 2012
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 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\RunOnce
- {random name} = "%ProgramData%\{random name}\{random name}.exe" (Windows Vista and 7 only)
- {random name} = "%ProgramData%\{random name}\{random name}.exe" (Windows Vista and 7 only)
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
- {random name} = "%System Root%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\{random name}\{random name}.exe" (versions other than Windows Vista and 7)
- {random name} = "%System Root%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\{random name}\{random name}.exe" (versions other than Windows Vista and 7)
Step 4
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.
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\ Installer\Products
- {random name}
- {random name}
Step 5
Search and delete these folders
- %ProgramData%\{random name} (Windows Vista and 7 only)
- %System Root%\Users\All Users\{random name} (Windows Vista and 7 only)
- %System Root%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\{random name} (versions other than Windows Vista and 7)
- %Start Menu%\Programs\System Progressive Protection
Step 6
Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TROJ_FAKEAV.SMOQ. 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.
Did this description help? Tell us how we did.