Analysis by: Jaime Benigno Reyes
 PLATFORM:

Windows

 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 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.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: Varies
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 21 Jan 2015

Arrival Details

This backdoor 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 backdoor drops the following files:

  • %User Temp%\20141031008.pdf ==> decoy pdf file
  • %User Temp%\vmwere.exe ==> also detected as BKDR_EMDIVI.JB

(Note: %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)

Autostart Technique

This backdoor drops the following shortcut pointing to its copy in the User Startup folder to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

  • %All Users Profile%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\vmwere.lnk (Windows Vista and higher versions)
  • %Common Startup%\vmwere.lnk (Versions lower than Windows Vista)

(Note: %All Users Profile% is the All Users folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\ProgramData on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.. %Common Startup% is the system's shared Startup folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003.)

Other Details

This backdoor connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://www.blog.{BLOCKED}lma.com/wp-includes/pomo/sf_news/index.php
  • http://www.{BLOCKED}ool.com/trouble/fuck/you/index.php
  • http://www.{BLOCKED}n.com/koushi/detail/index.php

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.700

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

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.  
  • %All Users Profile%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\vmwere.lnk (Windows Vista and higher versions)
  • %Common Startup%\vmwere.lnk (Versions lower than Windows Vista)
  • %User Temp%\20141031008.pdf

Step 5

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