Analysis by: Nikko Tamana
ALIASES:

Application.BitCoinMiner.RD (Bitdefender), TrojanDownloader:PowerShell/CoinMiner (Microsoft), Trojan.BAT.BCMiner.3077 (Quickheal),

 PLATFORM:

Windows

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 DAMAGE POTENTIAL:
 REPORTED INFECTION:
 SYSTEM IMPACT RATING:

  • Threat Type: Trojan

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: No

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

This Trojan may arrive bundled with malware packages as a malware component. It 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: 1,932 bytes
File Type: PS1
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 23 Jan 2018

Arrival Details

This Trojan may arrive bundled with malware packages as a malware component.

It arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

Autostart Technique

The scheduled task executes the malware every:

  • 6 minutes

Download Routine

This Trojan connects to the following website(s) to download and execute a malicious file:

  • http://158.69{BLOCKED}7:8220/xmrig.exe

It saves the files it downloads using the following names:

  • %User Temp%\yam.exe - Detected as TROJ64_COINMINE.QW
  • %User Temp%\xe.exe - Copy of %User Temp%\yam.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 does the following:

    • This malware terminates the following processes if %User Temp%\xe.exe is not running:
    • ddg.exe
    • yam.exe
    • miner.exe
    • xmrig.exe
    • nscpucnminer32.exe
    • 1e.exe
    • iie.exe
    • 3.exe
    • iee.exe
    • ie.exe
    • je.exe
    • ie.exe
    • iexplorer.exe

      This malware adds the following process if %User Temp%\xe.exe is not running:
    • cmd.exe /C %User Temp%\xe.exe --donate-level=1 -k -a cryptonight -o stratum{BLOCKED}rohash.com:5555 -u 41e2vPcVux9NNeTfWe8TLK2UWxCXJvNyCQtNb69YEexdNs711jEaDRXWbwaVe4vUMveKAzAiA4j8xgUi29TpKXpm3zKTUYo -p x

      It creates the following scheduled task:
    • TaskName: Update service for Oracle productsa
    • Triggers: Repeat task every 6 minutes
    • Actions: PowerShell.exe -ExecutionPolicy bypass -windowstyle hidden -noexit -File {Malware File Path and File Name}.ps1" /MO 6 /F

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.850
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 13.922.07
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 23 Jan 2018
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 13.923.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 24 Jan 2018

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

[ Learn More ]

Step 4

Remove malware/grayware files dropped/downloaded by TROJ_COINMINE.THAOIO. (Note: Please skip this step if the threats listed below have already been removed.)

    • TROJ64_COINMINER.QW

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product and note files detected as TROJ_COINMINE.THAOIO

Step 6

To delete the added Scheduled Task:

For Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003:

  1. Click on Start>Programs>Accessories>System Tools>Scheduled Tasks
  2. Double-click on a job file.
  3. Check if the malware path and file name is in the Run: box.
  4. If it does, delete the job file.
  5. Repeat step 2-4 for the remaining job files.

For Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012:

  1. Open the Windows Task Scheduler. To do this:
    • On Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008, click Start, type taskschd.msc in the Search input field, then press Enter.
    • On Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012, right-click on the lower-left corner of the screen, click Run, type taskschd.msc, then press Enter.
  2. In the left panel, click Task Scheduler Library.
  3. In the upper-middle panel, select a Task.
  4. Check if the selected task starts the malware automatically. To do this, check the value in the Details column under the Actions tab in the lower-middle panel.
  5. If the malware path and file name is found, press DELETE and click Yes to delete the task.
  6. Repeat steps 3-5 for the remaining tasks.

Step 7

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TROJ_COINMINE.THAOIO. 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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