Analysis by: Joselyn Canuela
ALIASES:

HEUR:Backdoor.MSIL.Generic (Kaspersky), Backdoor.Msil.Generic!c (AegisLab),

 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: 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.

It executes commands from a remote malicious user, effectively compromising the affected system.

It gathers certain information on the affected computer.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 713,216 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 25 Apr 2018
Payload: Connects to URLs/IPs, 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 drops the following copies of itself into the affected system and executes them:

  • %User Temp%\{malware name}\{malware name}.exe

(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.)

It drops the following files:

  • %Application Data%\Imminent\Path.dat - encrypted
  • %Application Data%\Imminent\Monitoring\system.dat - encrypted
  • %Application Data%\Imminent\Monitoring\network.dat - encrypted
  • %Application Data%\Imminent\Logs\{current date} - encrypted

(Note: %Application Data% is the Application Data folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming 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.)

It drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %System Root%\windows defender\Win32.exe
  • %Application Data%\windows defender\Win32.exe

(Note: %System Root% is the Windows root folder, where it usually is C:\ on all Windows operating system versions.. %Application Data% is the Application Data folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming 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.)

It adds the following processes:

  • cmd.exe /C ping 1.1.1.1 -n 1 -w 1000 > Nul & Del "Original malware location and file name.exe " - deletes the malware

It creates the following folders:

  • %Application Data%\windows defender
  • %System Root%\windows defender
  • %User Temp%\{malware name}
  • %Application Data%\Imminent
  • %Application Data%\Imminent\Logs
  • %Application Data%\Imminent\Monitoring

(Note: %Application Data% is the Application Data folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming 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.. %System Root% is the Windows root folder, where it usually is C:\ on all Windows operating system versions.. %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 adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
windows defender = %Application Data%\windows defender\Win32.exe

Other System Modifications

This Backdoor adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Clients

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Clients
PID = {number}

Backdoor Routine

This Backdoor executes the following commands from a remote malicious user:

  • Plugin Manager - Load/Unload Plugins
  • Plugin Packet Handler - Send/Receive Plugins packet
  • Chat - start and control chat sessions
  • Remote Desktop - Remotely control the desktop
  • KeyHook - Start keylogging
  • KeyManager - Keylogger Manager
  • Microphone - access microphone
  • Reverse Proxy
  • RDP - Start remote desktop control session
  • Remote Webcam - List webcams and monitor/capture video
  • Uninstall itself
  • Clipboard Manager - Get/Set clipboard data
  • CommandPrompt - Perform remote shell
  • Execute Update Manager - Update itself
  • File Manager - Open/Create/View/Delete Files/Folders
  • File Transfer - Upload/Download Files
  • Messagebox - Display Message Box
  • Process Manager - Start/Terminate Processes
  • Registry Manager - Open/Create/Delete Registry entries
  • Scripting Manager - Write/Modify/Use Scripts
  • Simple Transfer
  • Startup Manager - Disable/Enable Startup Items
  • TCP Connections - start/stop TCP connections
  • Window Manager - Resume/Close/Minimize/Restore/Visible/Invisible Window
  • Hide/Show/Lock/Unlock Desktop Items
  • Hide/Show/Lock/Unlock Taskbar
  • Hide/Show Start Button
  • Password Recovery - Retrieve password
  • Add/Remove User
  • Open/Close Disk Tray
  • Shutdown/Reboot/LogOff/Hibernate/Suspend
  • Monitor Off/On
  • Inject to a process
  • Records/Captures Mouse Activity
  • Install other malware

It connects to the following URL(s) to send and receive commands from a remote malicious user:

  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.86.2:20000
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.158.221:2000
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.157.187:20000

Information Theft

This Backdoor gathers the following information on the affected computer:

  • AV product installed
  • Firewall product installed
  • System information (OS, Processor, graphic card, RAM)
  • LAN
  • MAC Address
  • Computer Name
  • Computer Username
  • Privileges
  • Screens
  • RAM Usage
  • Battery
  • Last Reboot

It attempts to get stored information such as user names, passwords, and hostnames from the following browsers:

  • Mozilla Firefox
  • Google Chrome
  • Opera

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.850
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 14.224.03
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 01 May 2018
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 14.225.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 02 May 2018

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

Identify and terminate files detected as BKDR_SHADESRAT.JLC

[ Learn More ]
  1. Windows Task Manager may not display all running processes. In this case, please use a third-party process viewer, preferably Process Explorer, to terminate the malware/grayware/spyware file. You may download the said tool here.
  2. If the detected file is displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer but you cannot delete it, restart your computer in safe mode. To do this, refer to this link for the complete steps.
  3. If the detected file is not displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer, continue doing the next steps.

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
    • Clients

Step 5

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 defender = "%Application Data%\windows defender\Win32.exe"

Step 6

Search and delete these folders

[ Learn More ]
Please make sure you check the Search Hidden Files and Folders checkbox in the More advanced options option to include all hidden folders in the search result.
  • %Application Data%\windows defender
  • %System Root%\windows defender
  • %User Temp%\{malware name}
  • %Application Data%\Imminent

Step 7

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as BKDR_SHADESRAT.JLC. 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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