Arrival Details
This Coinminer 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 Coinminer drops the following copies of itself into the affected system and executes them:
- %Windows%\Help\csrss.exe
- %Windows%\system\csrss.exe
(Note: %Windows% is the Windows folder, where it usually is C:\Windows on all Windows operating system versions.)
It adds the following processes:
- "C:\Windows\System32\attrib.exe" C:\Windows\Help\csrss.exe -s -r -a -h
- "C:\Windows\System32\attrib.exe" C:\Windows\Help\lsass.exe -s -r -a -h
- "C:\Windows\System32\attrib.exe" C:\Windows\system\csrss.exe -s -r -a -h
- "C:\Windows\System32\cacls.exe" C:\Windows\Help\csrss.exe /e /g system:f
- "C:\Windows\System32\cacls.exe" C:\Windows\Help\lsass.exe /e /g everyone:f
- "C:\Windows\System32\cacls.exe" C:\Windows\Help\lsass.exe /e /g system:f
- "C:\Windows\System32\cacls.exe" C:\Windows\Help\csrss.exe /e /g everyone:f
- "C:\Windows\System32\cacls.exe" C:\Windows\system\csrss.exe /e /g everyone:f
- "C:\Windows\System32\cacls.exe" C:\Windows\system\csrss.exe /e /g system:f
Autostart Technique
This Coinminer starts the following services:
- Service Name: wmiApSrvs
- Display Name: WMI Performance Adaptor
- Start Type: SERVICE_AUTO_START
- Binary Pathname: %Windows%\Help\csrss.exe -s
- Service Name: wmiApSrvs
- Display Name: WMI Performance Adaptor
- Start Type: SERVICE_AUTO_START
- Binary Pathname: %Windows%\Help\csrss.exe -p
(Note: %Windows% is the Windows folder, where it usually is C:\Windows on all Windows operating system versions.)
Other System Modifications
This Coinminer deletes the following files:
- %Windows%\Help\n.exe
- %Windows%\Help\c.exe
- %Windows%\Help\csrss.exe
- %Windows%\Help\lsass.exe
- %Windows%\system\csrss.exe
(Note: %Windows% is the Windows folder, where it usually is C:\Windows on all Windows operating system versions.)
Other Details
This Coinminer connects to the following possibly malicious URL:
- http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.80.200:8080/
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
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To restart in Safe Mode:
• For Windows 2000 users
- Restart your computer.
- Press F8 when you see the Starting Windows bar at the bottom of the screen.
- Choose the Safe Mode option from the Windows Advanced Options menu then press Enter.
• For Windows XP users
- Restart your computer.
- Press F8 after the Power-On Self Test (POST) routine is done. If the Windows Advanced Options menu does not appear, try restarting then pressing F8 several times when the POST screen appears.
- Choose the Safe Mode option from the Windows Advanced Options menu then press Enter.
• For Windows Server 2003 users
- Restart your computer.
- Press F8 after Windows starts up. If the Windows Advanced Options menu does not appear, try restarting again and pressing F8 several times afterward.
- On the Windows Advanced Option menu, use the arrow keys to select Safe Mode then press Enter.
• For Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008 users
- Restart your computer.
- Press F8 after the Power-On Self Test (POST) routine is done. If the Advanced Boot Options menu does not appear, try restarting and then pressing F8 several times after the POST screen is displayed.
- On the Advanced Boot Options menu, use the arrow keys to select the Safe Mode option, and then press Enter.
• For Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012 users
- Access the Charms bar by moving your mouse pointer to the upper right corner of the screen.
- Move your mouse pointer down and click Settings>Change your PC Settings.
- In the left panel, click General.
- In the right panel, scroll down to the bottom to find the Advanced startup section, then click the Restart now button and wait for the system to restart.
- In the Advanced Startup menu, click Troubleshoot>Advanced Options>Startup Settings>Restart and wait for the system to restart.
- In the Startup Settings menu, press 4 to enable safe mode.
Step 4
Disable this malware service
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Disabling Malware Service:
This procedure stops the running malware service.
- Open a command prompt window:
» For Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 users, click Start>Run, type cmd in the text box provided, and press Enter.
» For Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 2008 users, click the Start button, type cmd in the Search input field, and press Enter.
» For Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012 users, right-click on the lower left corner of the screen, click Command Prompt. - At the command prompt, type the following:
NET STOP wmiApSrvs - Press Enter. A message should indicate that the service has been stopped successfully.
- Close the command prompt window.
Step 5
Search and delete these files
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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.
- %Windows%\Help\csrss.exe
- %Windows%\system\csrss.exe
To delete malware/grayware files:
For Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003:
- Right-click Start then click Search....
- In the File name* input box, type
- %Windows%\Help\csrss.exe
- %Windows%\system\csrss.exe
- In the Look In drop-down list, select My Computer then press Enter.
- Once located, select the file then press SHIFT+DELETE to delete it.
- Repeat the said steps for all files listed.
*Note: The file name input box title varies depending on the Windows version (e.g. Search for files or folders named or All or part of the file name.).
For Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012:
- Open a Windows Explorer window.
- For Windows Vista, 7, and Server 2008 users, click Start>Computer.
- For Windows 8, 8.1, and Server 2012 users, right-click on the lower left corner of the screen, then click File Explorer.
- In the Search Computer/This PC input box, type:
- %Windows%\Help\csrss.exe
- %Windows%\system\csrss.exe
- Once located, select the file then press SHIFT+DELETE to delete it.
- Repeat the said steps for all files listed.
*Note: Read the following Microsoft page if these steps do not work on Windows 7.
Step 6
Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as COINMINER.MSIL.MALXMR.TIAOODAI. 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.
