Analysis by: Jayvee Mark Villaroman
ALIASES:

HackTool:Win32/Keygen (MICROSOFT), Trojan.Win64.Vmprotect (IKARUS)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 DAMAGE POTENTIAL:
 DISTRIBUTION POTENTIAL:
 REPORTED INFECTION:
 INFORMATION EXPOSURE:

  • Threat Type: Potentially Unwanted Application

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

This Potentially Unwanted Application 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: 3,161,752 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: No
Initial Samples Received Date: 22 Nov 2020

Arrival Details

This Potentially Unwanted Application 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 Potentially Unwanted Application drops the following file(s)/component(s):

  • %User Temp%\configure.dat
  • %All Users Profile%\SystemAcCrux\fefe7b8f3862ba4dac.bin
  • %User Temp%\EuCfg.bin
  • %System%\wbem\repository\WRITABLE.TST
  • %System%\wbem\Performance\WmiApRpl_new.h

(Note: %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).. %All Users Profile% is the common user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\All Users on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\ProgramData on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit). . %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.)

It adds the following processes:

  • %System%\wbem\wmiprvse.exe -secured -Embedding
  • %System%\wbem\wmiprvse.exe -Embedding
  • %System%\wbem\WMIADAP.EXE wmiadap.exe /F /T /R

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.)

It creates the following folders:

  • %All Users Profile%\SystemAcCrux

(Note: %All Users Profile% is the common user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\All Users on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\ProgramData on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit). )

Other System Modifications

This Potentially Unwanted Application adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
WBEM\CIMOM
LastServiceStart = 2023/1/9 6:33:48'811

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
WBEM\Transports\Decoupled\
Server
CreationTime = 20230109055344.455000+000

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
WBEM\Transports\Decoupled\
Server
MarshaledProxy = MEOW\{hex values}

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
WBEM\Transports\Decoupled\
Server
ProcessIdentifier = 2040

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
WBEM\CIMOM
ConfigValueEssNeedsLoading = 1

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
WBEM\CIMOM
List of event-active namespaces = {hex values}

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
WBEM\WDM\IDE\
DiskVBOX_HARDDISK___________________________1.0_____
5&33d1638a&0&0.0.0_0-{05901221-D566-11d1-B2F0-00A0C9062910} = LowDateTime:803713417,HighDateTime:0***Binary mof compiled successfully

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
WBEM\WDM\IDE\
DiskVBOX_HARDDISK___________________________1.0_____
5&2117b2e5&0&1.0.0_0-{05901221-D566-11d1-B2F0-00A0C9062910} = LowDateTime:803713417,HighDateTime:0***Binary mof compiled successfully

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
WBEM\WDM\%System%
advapi32.dll[MofResourceName] = LowDateTime:-262688356,HighDateTime:30116022***Binary mof compiled successfully

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
WBEM\WDM\%System%\
en-US
advapi32.dll.mui[MofResourceName] = LowDateTime:-1764005162,HighDateTime:30116046***Binary mof compiled successfully

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.800
SSAPI PATTERN File: 2.355.00
SSAPI PATTERN Date: 26 Nov 2020

Step 1

Before doing any scans, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 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

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\WBEM\
    • WDM
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WBEM\
    • Transports
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WBEM\
    • CIMOM

Step 4

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.  
  • %All Users Profile%\SystemAcCrux

Step 5

Search and delete these files

[ Learn More ]
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.
  • %User Temp%\configure.dat
  • %All Users Profile%\SystemAcCrux\fefe7b8f3862ba4dac.bin
  • %User Temp%\EuCfg.bin
  • %System%\wbem\repository\WRITABLE.TST
  • %System%\wbem\Performance\WmiApRpl_new.h

Step 6

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as PUA.Win32.Keygen.CRRJ. 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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