Analysis by: Kennard Yap

ALIASES:

Trojan-Banker.Win32.Emotet.fafz (KASPERSKY); Trojan-Banker.Win32.Emotet.fafz (PANDA)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan Spy

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

This Trojan Spy 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: 512,000 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes

Arrival Details

This Trojan Spy 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 Spy adds the following folders:

  • %System%\mmci

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

It drops the following copies of itself into the affected system and executes them:

  • %System%\mmci\mmci.exe

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

Autostart Technique

This Trojan Spy registers itself as a system service to ensure its automatic execution at every system startup by adding the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\mmci
ImagePath = %System%\mmci\mmci.exe

Other System Modifications

This Trojan Spy deletes the following files:

  • %System%\mmci\mmci.exe:Zone.Identifier

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

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
8aa7dee7 = {hex values}

Other Details

This Trojan Spy connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.141.43/uIjeHaojJGP4ipF/d5MlVFnoG/SpFferyh/LKN5L4aCiE4hV7/Wai2xnap/cYIOX9BD53WU8OeMcK/

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.850
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 15.710.03
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 27 Feb 2020
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 15.711.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 28 Feb 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

Identify and terminate files detected as TrojanSpy.Win32.EMOTET.TIABOFHT

[ Learn More ]
  1. Windows Task Manager may not display all running processes. In this case, please use a third-party process viewer, preferably Process Explorer, to terminate the malware/grayware/spyware file. You may download the said tool here.
  2. If the detected file is displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer but you cannot delete it, restart your computer in safe mode. To do this, refer to this link for the complete steps.
  3. If the detected file is not displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer, continue doing the next steps.

Step 4

Disable this malware service

[ Learn More ]
  • mmci

Step 5

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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer
    • 8aa7dee7 = {hex values}
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\mmci
    • ImagePath = %System%\mmci\mmci.exe

Step 6

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%\mmci

Step 7

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as TrojanSpy.Win32.EMOTET.TIABOFHT. 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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