Analysis by: Jeffrey Bernardino
 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, XP, Server 2003

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 REPORTED INFECTION:
 SYSTEM IMPACT RATING:
 INFORMATION EXPOSURE:

  • Threat Type: Hacking Tool

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: No

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Trend Micro has flagged this hacking tool as noteworthy due to the increased potential for damage, propagation, or both, that it possesses. Specifically, it is used to generate malicious scripts that exploits a 0-day vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) that could allow remote code execution.

To get a one-glance comprehensive view of the behavior of this Hacking Tool, refer to the Threat Diagram shown below.

This hacking tool may be manually installed by a user.

It exploits a vulnerability identified as in a zero-day attack.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 798,744 bytes
File Type: PE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 13 Jan 2010
Payload: Creates malicious HTML files where another malware is embedded

Arrival Details

This hacking tool may be manually installed by a user.

Other Details

This hacking tool exploits a zero-day vulnerability. More information on the said vulnerability can be found in the following pages:

It does the following:

  • Generates malicious HTML files with embedded JavaScript (JS) that exploit a vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE). Exploiting the said vulnerability by a malware can allow remote code execution on the affected system. Trend Micro detects the embedded script file as JS_ELECOM.SMA. As a result, routines of the malicious script are also exhibited on the affected system.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 8.900
SSAPI PATTERN File: 1.121.00
SSAPI PATTERN Date: 09 Nov 2010

Step 1

For Windows ME and XP users, before doing any scans, please make sure you disable System Restore to allow full scanning of your computer.

Step 2

Remove malware files dropped/downloaded by HKTL_ELECOM

Step 3

Identify and terminate files detected as HKTL_ELECOM

[ Learn More ]
  1. For Windows 98 and ME users, 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

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


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