ALIASES:

Rodecap

 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: Trojan

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Mutopy (also known as Rodecap) is a malware family of Trojans used to download other malware. It also randomizes the way it drops its copies so that anti-malware products will have difficulty in cleaning the affected system.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

Memory Resident: Yes
Payload: Downloads files

Installation

This Trojan drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %AppDataLocal%\{filename}
  • %Application Data%\{filename}
  • %Application Data%\Microsoft\{filename}
  • %ProgramData%\{filename}
  • %System Root%\Users\All Users\{filename}
  • %System Root%\Users\All Users\Microsoft\{filename}
  • %System%\drivers\{filename}
  • %User Profile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\{filename}
  • %User Profile%\Local Settings\Application Data\{filename}
  • %User Profile%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\{filename}
  • %User Temp%\{filename}
  • %Windows%\{filename}
  • %Windows%\System\{filename}

(Note: %AppDataLocal% is the Application Data folder found in Local Settings, where it is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local 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.. %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.. %ProgramData% is the Program Data folder, where it usually is C:\Program Files in Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\ProgramData in 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.. %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.. %User Profile% is a user's profile folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name} 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.. %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.. %Windows% is the Windows folder, where it usually is C:\Windows on all Windows operating system versions.)

It drops the following non-malicious file:

  • %User Temp%\Twain002.Mtx

(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 creates the following folders:

  • %User Temp%\~NwcTemp
  • %User Temp%\~NwcTemp\conh09

(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 Trojan adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
Explorer\Run
{value} = "{dropped copy}"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
Explorer\Run
{value} = "{dropped copy}"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
Explorer\Run
{value} = "{dropped copy}"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
Explorer\Run
{value} = "{dropped copy}"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.DEFAULT\Software\
Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Policies\Explorer\Run
{value} = "{dropped copy}"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\.DEFAULT\Software\
Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Policies\Explorer\Run
{value} = "{dropped copy}"

It modifies the following registry entries to ensure it automatic execution at every system startup:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
{value} = "{dropped copy}"

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

Download Routine

This Trojan saves the files it downloads using the following names:

  • %User Temp%\~NwcTemp\conh09\conhost.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.)

Other Details

This Trojan connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://{BLOCKED}al.store-apps.org/d/conh09.jpg

NOTES:

The {filename} mentioned in the dropped copies may be the following:

  • cisvc.exe
  • clipsrv.exe
  • cmstp.exe
  • comrepl.exe
  • csrss.exe
  • dllhost.exe
  • dllhst3g.exe
  • esentutl.exe
  • ieudinit.exe
  • logman.exe
  • mqtgsvc.exe
  • mstinit.exe
  • mstsc.exe
  • rsvp.exe
  • sessmgr.exe
  • spoolsv.exe
  • wininit.exe
  • winlogon.exe

The {value} mentioned in the added registry entries may be the following:

  • Cisvc
  • ClipSrv
  • CmSTP
  • ComRepl
  • DllHost3g
  • DllHst
  • Esent Utl
  • IEudinit
  • Logman
  • Microsoft RSVP
  • MqtgSVC
  • MstInit
  • Mstsc
  • SessMgr
  • Spool
  • Spooler
  • WinInit
  • cisvc
  • cisvc
  • rsvp
  • run