ALIASES:

TrojanSpy:MSIL/Golroted.A (Microsoft); Trojan.Gen.2 (Symantec); Trojan-Spy.MSIL.KeyLogger.atvr (Kaspersky); Troj/MSILInj-CD (Sophos); Trojan.Win32.Generic!BT (Sunbelt); Trojan horse MSIL4.DVO (AVG)

 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:

  • 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: 433,152 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 01 Jul 2014

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%\Application Data\WindowsUpdate.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.)

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Windows Update = "%User Profile%\Application Data\WindowsUpdate.exe"

Other System Modifications

This backdoor deletes the following files:

  • %User Profile%\Cookies\index.dat
  • %User Profile%\Cookies\wilbert@atdmt[2].txt
  • %User Profile%\Cookies\wilbert@bing[2].txt
  • %User Profile%\Cookies\wilbert@c.atdmt[2].txt
  • %User Profile%\Cookies\wilbert@c.msn[2].txt
  • %User Profile%\Cookies\wilbert@doubleclick[1].txt
  • %User Profile%\Cookies\wilbert@microsoft[1].txt
  • %User Profile%\Cookies\wilbert@msnportal.112.2o7[1].txt
  • %User Profile%\Cookies\wilbert@msn[2].txt
  • %User Profile%\Cookies\wilbert@scorecardresearch[2].txt
  • %User Profile%\Cookies\wilbert@www.bing[2].txt
  • %User Profile%\Cookies\wilbert@www.msn[1].txt

It adds the following registry keys:

hkey_local_machine\software\microsoft\
esent\process\{malware file name}

hkey_local_machine\software\microsoft\
esent\process\{malware file name}\
debug

It modifies the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\Eventlog\Application\
ESENT
EventMessageFile = "%System%\ESENT.dll"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is {random values}.)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\Eventlog\Application\
ESENT
CategoryMessageFile = "%System%\ESENT.dll"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is {random values}.)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\Eventlog\Application\
ESENT
CategoryCount = "1"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 10.)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\Eventlog\Application\
ESENT
TypesSupported = "7"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 7.)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Advanced
Hidden = "1"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 2.)

Dropping Routine

This backdoor drops the following files:

  • %User Profile%\Application Data\pid.txt
  • %User Profile%\Application Data\pidloc.txt

(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.)

Other Details

This backdoor connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • {BLOCKED}.248.172
  • {BLOCKED}4.68.108

This report is generated via an automated analysis system.

  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

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 3

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_local_machine\software\microsoft\esent\process
    • {malware file name}
  • In hkey_local_machine\software\microsoft\esent\process\{malware file name}
    • debug

Step 4

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_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • Windows Update = "%User Profile%\Application Data\WindowsUpdate.exe"

Step 5

Restore these modified registry values

[ Learn More ]

Important:Editing the Windows Registry incorrectly can lead to irreversible system malfunction. Please do this only if you know how to or you can seek your system administrator's help. You may also check out this Microsoft article first before modifying your computer's registry.

  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Eventlog\Application\ESENT
    • From: EventMessageFile = "%System%\ESENT.dll"
      To: EventMessageFile = ""{random values}""
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Eventlog\Application\ESENT
    • From: CategoryMessageFile = "%System%\ESENT.dll"
      To: CategoryMessageFile = ""{random values}""
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Eventlog\Application\ESENT
    • From: CategoryCount = "1"
      To: CategoryCount = ""10""
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Eventlog\Application\ESENT
    • From: TypesSupported = "7"
      To: TypesSupported = ""7""
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
    • From: Hidden = "1"
      To: Hidden = ""2""

Step 6

Search and delete these components

[ Learn More ]
There may be some components 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%\Application Data\pid.txt
  • %User Profile%\Application Data\pidloc.txt

Step 7

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

Step 8

Restore this file from backup only Microsoft-related files will be restored. If this malware/grayware also deleted files related to programs that are not from Microsoft, please reinstall those programs on you computer again.

  • %User Profile%\Cookies\index.dat
  • %User Profile%\Cookies\wilbert@atdmt[2].txt
  • %User Profile%\Cookies\wilbert@bing[2].txt
  • %User Profile%\Cookies\wilbert@c.atdmt[2].txt
  • %User Profile%\Cookies\wilbert@c.msn[2].txt
  • %User Profile%\Cookies\wilbert@doubleclick[1].txt
  • %User Profile%\Cookies\wilbert@microsoft[1].txt
  • %User Profile%\Cookies\wilbert@msnportal.112.2o7[1].txt
  • %User Profile%\Cookies\wilbert@msn[2].txt
  • %User Profile%\Cookies\wilbert@scorecardresearch[2].txt
  • %User Profile%\Cookies\wilbert@www.bing[2].txt
  • %User Profile%\Cookies\wilbert@www.msn[1].txt


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