Analysis by: Mark Joseph Manahan
ALIASES:

W32/Tepfer.AAX!tr.pws (Fortinet), Trojan.Injector (Ikarus)

 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:
 INFORMATION EXPOSURE:

  • Threat Type: Backdoor

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

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: 58,368 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 10 Oct 2013

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 drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %User Profile%\{Random File Name}.exe
  • %All Users Profile%\svchost.exe
  • %All Users Profile%\{Random File Name}.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.. %All Users Profile% is the All Users or Common profile folder, which is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users in Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, and C:\ProgramData in Windows Vista and 7.)

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\
Explorer\Run
{random number} = "%User Profile%\{Random File Name}.exe"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
SunJavaUpdateSched = "%All Users Profile%\svchost.exe"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\
Explorer\Run
{random number} = "%All Users Profile%\{Random File Name}.exe"

Other System Modifications

This backdoor creates the following registry entry(ies) to bypass Windows Firewall:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\
List
%System%\msiexec.exe = "%System%\msiexec.exe:*:Enabled:Generic Host Process"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\
List
%System%\svchost.exe = "%System%\svchost.exe:*:Enabled:Generic Host Process"

Other Details

This backdoor connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://{BLOCKED}es.net/filling.php
  • http://{BLOCKED}lse.com/login.php
  • http://{BLOCKED}c.su/billing.php
  • http://{BLOCKED}o.su/alter.php
  • http://{BLOCKED}ftrow.com/rem.exe

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.300
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 10.332.03
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 10 Oct 2013
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 10.333.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 11 Oct 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

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 3

Delete this 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\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\Explorer\Run
    • {random number} = "%User Profile%\{Random File Name}.exe"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • SunJavaUpdateSched = "%All Users Profile%\svchost.exe"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\Explorer\Run
    • {random number} = "%All Users Profile%\{Random File Name}.exe"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\List
    • %System%\msiexec.exe = "%System%\msiexec.exe:*:Enabled:Generic Host Process"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\List
    • %System%\svchost.exe = "%System%\svchost.exe:*:Enabled:Generic Host Process"

Step 4

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%\{Random File Name}.exe
  • %All Users Profile%\svchost.exe
  • %All Users Profile%\{Random File Name}.exe

Step 5

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as BKDR_ANDROM.CIM. 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.