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TSPY_TRONTOZ.A

April 14, 2015
 Analysis by: Joachim Suico
 ALIASES:

Win32/Trontoz.A (ESET-NOD32); Trojan.Win32.Trontoz.A (Baidu-International); Trojan.Win32.Agent.aiavv (Kaspersky)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Spyware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: No

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Downloaded from the Internet


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

It connects to certain websites to send and receive information. However, as of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

105,472 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

17 Sep 2014

Payload:

Connects to URLs/IPs

Arrival Details

This spyware 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 spyware drops the following files:

  • %User Profile%\My Documents\run.bat (used to run the dropped copy of the malware)

(Note: %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 drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %User Profile%\My Documents\wintune.exe

(Note: %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 mutexes to ensure that only one of its copies runs at any one time:

  • TrontozMutV03

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Microsystem Monitor = "%User Profile%\My Documents\Microtronics\run.bat"

Information Theft

This spyware gathers the following data:

  • System information

Other Details

This spyware connects to the following website to send and receive information:

  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.203.195

However, as of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.

NOTES:

The dropped batch file contains the following:

"start "%User Profle%\My Documents\Microtronics\wintune.exe""

It sends the information that it gathered in the following format:

id={Operating system version}-{Root drive serial number}-{Malware build date}-{Product ID}&{Operating system name}&type={integer}

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.750

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

11.474.85

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

12 Feb 2015

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

11.475.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

13 Feb 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

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 4

Delete this registry key

[ 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_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • Microsystem Monitor = "%User Profile%\My Documents\run.bat"

Step 5

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.
  • %User Profile%\My Documents\Microtronics\run.bat

Step 6

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TSPY_TRONTOZ.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 this Knowledge Base page for more information.


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