TrojanSpy.Win32.GOOTKIT.AL
Windows
![](/vinfo/imgFiles/legend.jpg)
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.
It executes then deletes itself afterward.
It gathers certain information on the affected computer.
It connects to certain websites to send and receive information.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
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 drops the following files:
- {Malware Path}\{7 Random Numbers}.bat
- {Malware Path}\{Malware File Name}.inf
It adds the following processes:
- %System%\mstsc.exe "{Malware Path}\{Malware File Name}.exe" → injects itself on a legitimate executable to avoid detection
- {Malware Path}\{7 Random Numbers}.bat → used to delete itself
- cmd /c ""{Malware Path}{7 Random Numbers}.bat" "{Malware Path}\{Malware File Name}.exe""
- attrib -r -s -h "{Malware Path}\{Malware File Name}.exe"
(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.)
It executes then deletes itself afterward.
It adds the following mutexes to ensure that only one of its copies runs at any one time:
- ServiceEntryPointThread
It injects codes into the following process(es):
- mstsc.exe → injects itself to avoid detection
- svchost.exe → injects the downloaded payload if downloads succeed
Autostart Technique
This Trojan Spy adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
IEAK\GroupPolicy\PendingGPOs
Count = 1
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
IEAK\GroupPolicy\PendingGPOs
Path1 = {Malware Path}\{Malware File Name}.inf
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
IEAK\GroupPolicy\PendingGPOs
Section1 = DefaultInstall
Other System Modifications
This Trojan Spy adds the following registry entries as part of its installation routine:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\AppDataLow → if it successfully downloaded its binary payload
binaryImage{Random} = "HEX VALUES"
Propagation
The said .INF file contains the following strings:
[Version]
signature = "$CHICAGO$"
AdvancedINF = 2.5, "You need a new version of advpack.dll"
[DefaultInstall]
RunPreSetupCommands = {Random Characters}:2
[{Random Characters}]
{Malware Path}\{Malware File Name}.exe
Download Routine
This Trojan Spy accesses the following websites to download files:
- {BLOCKED}ailswimschool.com
Information Theft
This Trojan Spy gathers the following information on the affected computer:
- CPU information
- Memory Information (RAM)
- Network Configuration
- UserName
- ComputerName
- Keyboard activity (keylogging)
- ScreenCapture
Other Details
This Trojan Spy adds the following registry keys:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
IEAK\GroupPolicy\PendingGPOs
It connects to the following website to send and receive information:
- {BLOCKED}spelrk.com
- {BLOCKED}ailswimschool.com
- {BLOCKED}uechallenge.com
- {BLOCKED}u.org
- {BLOCKED}k.org
- {BLOCKED}u.org
It does the following:
- It has the following capabilities:
- It saves its downloaded payload as an encrypted binary blob in the registry before injecting it into a newly spawned svchost.exe.
- Monitor web browsing activities (HTTP and HTTPS) via proxy on port 6000
- Load additional modules to perform other malicious behavior, such as:
- Keylogging
- Modify proxy settings
- Screen Capture
- It has the following anti-analysis techniques:
- It checks for the following environment variable, if matched it will skip its anti-sandbox and anti-analysis routine:
- crackmeololo
- It checks the string "Xeon" at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HARDWARE\DESCRIPTION\System\CentralProcess\0\ProcessorNameString
- It checks the MAC address of the machine if match with the following hardcoded MAC Address that corresponds the following vendors:
- F01FAF00 → Dell
- 00505600 → VMWare
- 8002700P → PCS System Technology GmbH
- 000C2900 → VMWare
- 00056900 → VMWare
- 0003FF00 → Microsoft
- 001C4200 → Parallels
- 00163E00 → XenSource
- It searches for any of the following loaded module:
- dbghelp.dll
- sbiedll.dll
- It checks if the UserName matches the following:
- CurrentUser
- Sandbox
- It checks if the Computer Name matches the following:
- SANDBOX
- 7SILVIA
- It checks the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HARDWARE\DESCRIPTION\System for the following string value:
- AMI
- BOCHS
- VBOX
- QEMU
- SMCI
- INTEL – 6040000
- FTNT-1
- SONI
- It checks the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\HARDWARE\DESCRIPTION\VideoBiosVersion for the following string value:
- VirtualBox
- It checks the registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SystemBiosVersion for the following string value:
- "55274-640-2673064-23950"
- "76487-644-3177037-23510"
- "76487-337-8429955-22614"
- It sets the following environment variables with these corresponding values:
- standalonemtm = true
- vendor_id = exe_scheduler_1235
- Mainprocessoverride = svchost.exe
- RandomListenPortBase = 6000
SOLUTION
Step 1
Trend Micro Predictive Machine Learning detects and blocks malware at the first sign of its existence, before it executes on your system. When enabled, your Trend Micro product detects this malware under the following machine learning name:
- TROJ.Win32.TRX.XXPE50FFF070
Step 2
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 3
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 4
Restart in Safe Mode
Step 5
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_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\IEAK\GroupPolicy\PendingGPOs
- Count = 1
- Count = 1
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\IEAK\GroupPolicy\PendingGPOs
- Path1 = {Malware Path}\{Malware File Name}.inf
- Path1 = {Malware Path}\{Malware File Name}.inf
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\IEAK\GroupPolicy\PendingGPOs
- Section1 = DefaultInstall
- Section1 = DefaultInstall
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\AppDataLow
- binaryImage{Random} = HEX VALUES
- binaryImage{Random} = HEX VALUES
Step 6
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_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\IEAK\GroupPolicy\PendingGPOs
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\AppDataLow
Step 7
Search and delete AUTORUN.INF files created by TrojanSpy.Win32.GOOTKIT.AL that contain these strings
- [Version]
- signature = $CHICAGO$
- AdvancedINF = 2.5, You need a new version of advpack.dll
- [DefaultInstall]
- RunPreSetupCommands = {Random Characters}:2
- [{Random Characters}]
- {Malware Path}\{Malware File Name}.exe
Step 8
Search and delete this file
- {Malware Path}\{7 Random Numbers}.bat
- {Malware Path}\{Malware File Name}.inf
Step 9
Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TrojanSpy.Win32.GOOTKIT.AL. 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 10
Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as TrojanSpy.Win32.GOOTKIT.AL. 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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