ALIASES:

Trojan:Win32/Lyposit.B (Microsoft); Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Blocker.abfz (Kaspersky); Trojan.Win32.Generic!BT (Sunbelt)

 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003

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

  • 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

File Size: 163,840 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 09 May 2013

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 creates the following folders:

  • %User Profile%\Network\Downloader

(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista and 7.)

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Shell = "Explorer.exe, %User Profile%\Application Data\nzqwwnh_"

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

Other System Modifications

This Trojan deletes the following files:

  • %Windows%\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore\Logs\edbtmp.log

(Note: %Windows% is the Windows folder, which is usually C:\Windows.)

It adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Tracing\
Microsoft\BITS

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Tracing\
Microsoft\BITS\CtlGuid

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\BITS

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Command Processor
AutoRun = "%Application Data%\nzqwwnh_.exe"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Tracing\
Microsoft\BITS
LogSessionName = "stdout"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Tracing\
Microsoft\BITS
Active = "1"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Tracing\
Microsoft\BITS
ControlFlags = "1"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Tracing\
Microsoft\BITS\CtlGuid
Guid = "4a8aaa94-cfc4-46a7-8e4e-17bc45608f0a"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Tracing\
Microsoft\BITS\CtlGuid
BitNames = "{random characters}"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Control\BackupRestore\FilesNotToBackup
BITS_metadata = "%User Profile%\Downloader\*"

Dropping Routine

This Trojan drops the following files:

  • %User Profile%\Application Data\nzqwwnh_.exe
  • %Application Data%\nzqwwnh_.exe

(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista and 7.. %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista and 7.)

Other Details

This Trojan connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://{BLOCKED}h7uh.org/ad4/?{random characters}
  • http://{BLOCKED}vrtv5fg.org/ad4/?{random characters}

This report is generated via an automated analysis system.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.300

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

Identify and delete files detected as TROJ_RANSOM.DNH using either the Startup Disk or Recovery Console

[ Learn More ]

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\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Tracing\Microsoft
    • BITS
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Tracing\Microsoft\BITS
    • CtlGuid
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
    • BITS

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\Command Processor
    • AutoRun = "%Application Data%\nzqwwnh_.exe"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Tracing\Microsoft\BITS
    • LogSessionName = "stdout"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Tracing\Microsoft\BITS
    • Active = "1"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Tracing\Microsoft\BITS
    • ControlFlags = "1"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Tracing\Microsoft\BITS\CtlGuid
    • Guid = "4a8aaa94-cfc4-46a7-8e4e-17bc45608f0a"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Tracing\Microsoft\BITS\CtlGuid
    • BitNames = "{random characters}"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\BackupRestore\FilesNotToBackup
    • BITS_metadata = "%User Profile%\Downloader\*"

Step 5

Restore these modified registry values

[ Learn More ]

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\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
    • From: Shell = "Explorer.exe, %User Profile%\Application Data\nzqwwnh_"
      To: Shell = ""Explorer.exe""

Step 6

Search and delete these components

[ Learn More ]
There may be some components 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 Profile%\Application Data\nzqwwnh_.exe
  • %Application Data%\nzqwwnh_.exe

Step 7

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.
  • %User Profile%\Network\Downloader

Step 8

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as TROJ_RANSOM.DNH. 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.

Step 9

Restore this file from backup only Microsoft-related files will be restored. If this malware/grayware also deleted files related to programs that are not from Microsoft, please reinstall those programs on you computer again.

  • %Windows%\SoftwareDistribution\DataStore\Logs\edbtmp.log


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