Analysis by: John Rainier Navato
ALIASES:

Trojan.Win32.Pikabot (IKARUS)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

 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.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 1,152,376 bytes
File Type: DLL
Memory Resident: No
Initial Samples Received Date: 12 Dec 2023
Payload: Connects to URLs/IPs, Collects system information, Steals information

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 adds the following processes:

  • %System%\SearchProtocolHost.exe → legitimate executable where it will inject the Pikabot core module
  • whoami.exe /all
  • ipconfig.exe /all
  • netstat.exe -aon

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

It adds the following mutexes to ensure that only one of its copies runs at any one time:

  • {A77FC435-31B6-4687-902D-24153579C738}

Information Theft

This Backdoor gathers the following data:

  • OS Version
  • Build Number
  • Product Number
  • User Name
  • Computer Name
  • CPU Name
  • System Uptime
  • GPU Name
  • RAM Amount
  • Screen Resolution
  • Domain Controller Name
  • Domain Controller Address
  • Network Information
  • User/Groups Information
  • Running Processes

Stolen Information

This Backdoor sends the gathered information via HTTP POST to the following URL:

  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.55:2225/cervicobrachial/oIP7xH86DZ6hb?vermixUnintermixed=beatersVerdigrisy&backoff=9zFPSr
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.25:2967/cervicobrachial/oIP7xH86DZ6hb?vermixUnintermixed=beatersVerdigrisy&backoff=9zFPSr
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.01:13720/cervicobrachial/oIP7xH86DZ6hb?vermixUnintermixed=beatersVerdigrisy&backoff=9zFPSr
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.100:13721/cervicobrachial/oIP7xH86DZ6hb?vermixUnintermixed=beatersVerdigrisy&backoff=9zFPSr
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.139:2222/cervicobrachial/oIP7xH86DZ6hb?vermixUnintermixed=beatersVerdigrisy&backoff=9zFPSr
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.156:2078/cervicobrachial/oIP7xH86DZ6hb?vermixUnintermixed=beatersVerdigrisy&backoff=9zFPSr
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.190:2223/cervicobrachial/oIP7xH86DZ6hb?vermixUnintermixed=beatersVerdigrisy&backoff=9zFPSr

Other Details

This Backdoor does the following:

  • After sending the gathered information, the malware's behavior will depend on the response of the C&C server. However, as of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible
  • It checks if the following virtual machine, sandbox, or security program related module(s) is loaded in the affected system:
    • cmdvrt.32.dll
    • cmdvrt.64.dll
    • dbghelp.dll
    • cuckoomon.dll
    • pstorec.dll
    • avghookx.dll
    • avghooka.dll
    • snxhk.dll
    • api_log.dll
    • dir_watch.dll
    • wpespy.dll
    • kernel32.dll
    • networkexplorer.dll
    • NlsData0000.dll
    • NetProjW.dll
    • Ghofr.dll
    • fg122.dll
  • It terminates if the system default language is one of the following:
    • Russian
    • Ukrainian

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.800
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 18.906.04
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 28 Dec 2023
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 18.907.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 29 Dec 2023

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

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as Backdoor.Win32.PIKABOT.C. 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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