PUA_Amonetize
Windows
Threat Type: Trojan
Destructiveness: No
Encrypted:
In the wild: Yes
OVERVIEW
This Trojan 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
Arrival Details
This Trojan arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.
Other System Modifications
This Trojan adds the following registry keys:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exhausts.hominoid.1
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
exhausts.hominoid.1\CLSID
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\exhausts.hominoid
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
exhausts.hominoid\CurVer
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
CLSID\{2cd7190c-aa72-4aec-8dc0-df4b9c1bbde6}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
CLSID\{2cd7190c-aa72-4aec-8dc0-df4b9c1bbde6}\ProgID
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
CLSID\{2cd7190c-aa72-4aec-8dc0-df4b9c1bbde6}\VersionIndependentProgID
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
CLSID\{2cd7190c-aa72-4aec-8dc0-df4b9c1bbde6}\Programmable
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
CLSID\{2cd7190c-aa72-4aec-8dc0-df4b9c1bbde6}\LocalServer32
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
CLSID\{2cd7190c-aa72-4aec-8dc0-df4b9c1bbde6}\TypeLib
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
CLSID\{2cd7190c-aa72-4aec-8dc0-df4b9c1bbde6}\Version
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
TypeLib\{5121D72F-DEF3-4C20-AFA2-E66AB9B7C58E}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
TypeLib\{5121D72F-DEF3-4C20-AFA2-E66AB9B7C58E}\1.0
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
TypeLib\{5121D72F-DEF3-4C20-AFA2-E66AB9B7C58E}\1.0\
FLAGS
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
TypeLib\{5121D72F-DEF3-4C20-AFA2-E66AB9B7C58E}\1.0\
0
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
TypeLib\{5121D72F-DEF3-4C20-AFA2-E66AB9B7C58E}\1.0\
0\win32
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
TypeLib\{5121D72F-DEF3-4C20-AFA2-E66AB9B7C58E}\1.0\
HELPDIR
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
Interface\{91E1CE53-DC07-430C-949F-7E82A89F5F81}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
Interface\{91E1CE53-DC07-430C-949F-7E82A89F5F81}\ProxyStubClsid
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
Interface\{91E1CE53-DC07-430C-949F-7E82A89F5F81}\ProxyStubClsid32
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
Interface\{91E1CE53-DC07-430C-949F-7E82A89F5F81}\TypeLib
hkey_local_machine\software\microsoft\
esent\process\{malware file name}
hkey_local_machine\software\microsoft\
esent\process\{malware file name}\
debug
It adds the following registry entries:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
CLSID\{2cd7190c-aa72-4aec-8dc0-df4b9c1bbde6}\LocalServer32
ServerExecutable = "{malware path and file name}"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
Interface\{91E1CE53-DC07-430C-949F-7E82A89F5F81}\TypeLib
Version = "1.0"
It modifies the following registry entries:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\Eventlog\Application\
ESENT
EventMessageFile = "%System%\ESENT.dll"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is {random values}.)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\Eventlog\Application\
ESENT
CategoryMessageFile = "%System%\ESENT.dll"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is {random values}.)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\Eventlog\Application\
ESENT
CategoryCount = "1"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 10.)
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Services\Eventlog\Application\
ESENT
TypesSupported = "7"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 7.)
Dropping Routine
This Trojan drops the following files:
- {malware path and file name}:typelib
Other Details
This Trojan connects to the following possibly malicious URL:
- {BLOCKED}0.1
This report is generated via an automated analysis system.
SOLUTION
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
Delete this registry key
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_CLASSES_ROOT
- exhausts.hominoid.1
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\exhausts.hominoid.1
- CLSID
- In HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
- exhausts.hominoid
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\exhausts.hominoid
- CurVer
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID
- {2cd7190c-aa72-4aec-8dc0-df4b9c1bbde6}
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{2cd7190c-aa72-4aec-8dc0-df4b9c1bbde6}
- ProgID
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{2cd7190c-aa72-4aec-8dc0-df4b9c1bbde6}
- VersionIndependentProgID
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{2cd7190c-aa72-4aec-8dc0-df4b9c1bbde6}
- Programmable
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{2cd7190c-aa72-4aec-8dc0-df4b9c1bbde6}
- LocalServer32
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{2cd7190c-aa72-4aec-8dc0-df4b9c1bbde6}
- TypeLib
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{2cd7190c-aa72-4aec-8dc0-df4b9c1bbde6}
- Version
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\TypeLib
- {5121D72F-DEF3-4C20-AFA2-E66AB9B7C58E}
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\TypeLib\{5121D72F-DEF3-4C20-AFA2-E66AB9B7C58E}
- 1.0
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\TypeLib\{5121D72F-DEF3-4C20-AFA2-E66AB9B7C58E}\1.0
- FLAGS
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\TypeLib\{5121D72F-DEF3-4C20-AFA2-E66AB9B7C58E}\1.0
- 0
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\TypeLib\{5121D72F-DEF3-4C20-AFA2-E66AB9B7C58E}\1.0\0
- win32
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\TypeLib\{5121D72F-DEF3-4C20-AFA2-E66AB9B7C58E}\1.0
- HELPDIR
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Interface
- {91E1CE53-DC07-430C-949F-7E82A89F5F81}
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Interface\{91E1CE53-DC07-430C-949F-7E82A89F5F81}
- ProxyStubClsid
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Interface\{91E1CE53-DC07-430C-949F-7E82A89F5F81}
- ProxyStubClsid32
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Interface\{91E1CE53-DC07-430C-949F-7E82A89F5F81}
- TypeLib
- In hkey_local_machine\software\microsoft\esent\process
- {malware file name}
- In hkey_local_machine\software\microsoft\esent\process\{malware file name}
- debug
Step 3
Delete this registry value
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\Classes\CLSID\{2cd7190c-aa72-4aec-8dc0-df4b9c1bbde6}\LocalServer32
- ServerExecutable = "{malware path and file name}"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Interface\{91E1CE53-DC07-430C-949F-7E82A89F5F81}\TypeLib
- Version = "1.0"
Step 4
Restore these modified registry values
Important:Editing the Windows Registry incorrectly can lead to irreversible system malfunction. Please do this only if you know how to or you can seek your system administrator's help. You may also check out this Microsoft article first before modifying your computer's registry.
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Eventlog\Application\ESENT
- From: EventMessageFile = "%System%\ESENT.dll"
To: EventMessageFile = ""{random values}""
- From: EventMessageFile = "%System%\ESENT.dll"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Eventlog\Application\ESENT
- From: CategoryMessageFile = "%System%\ESENT.dll"
To: CategoryMessageFile = ""{random values}""
- From: CategoryMessageFile = "%System%\ESENT.dll"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Eventlog\Application\ESENT
- From: CategoryCount = "1"
To: CategoryCount = ""10""
- From: CategoryCount = "1"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Eventlog\Application\ESENT
- From: TypesSupported = "7"
To: TypesSupported = ""7""
- From: TypesSupported = "7"
Step 5
Search and delete this file
- {malware path and file name}:typelib
Step 6
Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as PUA_Amonetize. 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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