Analysis by: David John Agni

ALIASES:

Win32/Filecoder.CO trojan (ESET-NOD32)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • 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.

It deletes the initially executed copy of itself.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 242,180 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 03 Jul 2015

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.

Installation

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

  • %System Root%\{Random 8 Characters}\{Random 8 Characters}.exe
  • %Application Data%\{Random 8 Characters}.exe

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

It creates the following folders:

  • %System Root%\{Random 8 Characters}

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

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
{Random 8 Characters} = "%Application Data%\{Random 8 Characters}.exe"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
{First 7 Characters of {Random 8 Characters}} = "%System Root%\{Random 8 Characters}\{Random 8 Characters}.exe"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
*{Second to the Sixth Characters {Random 8 Characters}} = "%System Root%\{Random 8 Characters}\{Random 8 Characters}.exe"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
*{Last Seven Characters of {Random 8 Characters}} = "%Application Data%\{Random 8 Characters}.exe"

It drops the following file(s) in the Windows Startup folder to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

  • %User Startup%\{Random 8 Characters}.exe

(Note: %User Startup% is the current user's Startup folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows 2000 and XP, and C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows Vista, 7, and 8.)

Other System Modifications

This Trojan adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{random string}

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{random string}\
{random string 2}

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\
Auto Update\UAS
UpdateCount = "0"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SystemRestore
DisableSR = "1"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{random string}
0v = "[DEFAULT]BASEURL={data}"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{random string}
1u = "{Notes}"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{random string}
br = "{html code}"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{random string}
fk = "{hex value}"

It modifies the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
services\wscsvc
Start = "4"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 2.)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
services\WinDefend
Start = "4"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 2.)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
services\wuauserv
Start = "4"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 2.)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
services\WerSvc
Start = "4"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 3.)

Other Details

This Trojan connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://{BLOCKED}meryfoodconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/update-b20ca6f3cf022a826b32ab34eb9cdbfb/tmp/e5.php?

It deletes the initially executed copy of itself

NOTES:

This Trojan is capable of encrypting files in the affected system. It drops HELP_DECRYPT.HTML, HELP_DECRYPT.PNG, HELP_DECRYPT.TXT, and HELP_DECRYPT.URL to all folders where files are encrypted.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.750
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 11.769.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 04 Jul 2015

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

Delete this registry value

[ 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_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • {Random 8 Characters} = "%Application Data%\{Random 8 Characters}.exe"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • {First 7 Characters of {Random 8 Characters}} = "%System Root%\{Random 8 Characters}\{Random 8 Characters}.exe"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
    • *{Second to the Sixth Characters {Random 8 Characters}} = "%System Root%\{Random 8 Characters}\{Random 8 Characters}.exe"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
    • *{Last Seven Characters of {Random 8 Characters}} = "%Application Data%\{Random 8 Characters}.exe"

Step 5

Restore this modified registry value

[ 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\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SystemRestore
    • From: DisableSR = "1"
      To: DisableSR = "{User Defined}"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\services\wscsvc
    • From: Start = "4"
      To: Start = 2
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\services\WinDefend
    • From: Start = "4"
      To: Start = 2
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\services\wuauserv
    • From: Start = "4"
      To: Start = 2
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\services\WerSvc
    • From: Start = "4"
      To: Start = 3

Step 6

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_CURRENT_USER\Software
    • {random string}

Step 7

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 Startup%\{Random 8 Characters}.exe

Step 8

Search and delete this folder

[ 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.
  • %System Root%\{Random 8 Characters}

Step 9

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