Analysis by: Francesca Villasanta
ALIASES:

VHO:Trojan-Banker.Win64.Emotet.cmss (KASPERSKY); Trojan:Win64/Emotet.EK!MTB (MICROSOFT)

 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

Infection Channel: Dropped by other malware

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 deletes the initially executed copy of itself.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 181,248 bytes
File Type: DLL
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 23 Mar 2023
Payload: Connects to URLs/IPs, Modifies system registry, Drops files

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%\{random}
  • %AppDataLocal%\{random}

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.. %AppDataLocal% is the Local Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

It drops and executes the following files:

  • %System%\{random}\{random characters}.dll
  • %AppDataLocal%\{random}\{random characters}.dll

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.. %AppDataLocal% is the Local Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

It adds the following processes:

  • %System%\regsvr32.exe "%System%\{random}\{random characters}.dll"
  • %System%\regsvr32.exe "%AppDataLocal%\{random}\{random characters}.dll"

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.. %AppDataLocal% is the Local Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

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\{random characters}.dll
DisplayName = {random characters}.dll

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\
services\{random characters}.dll
ImagePath = %System%\regsvr32.exe "%System%\{random}\{random characters}.dll"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\
services\{random characters}.dll
Description = {Service description}

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\
services\{random characters}.dll
ObjectName = LocalSystem

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\
services\{random characters}.dll
Type = 16

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\
services\{random characters}.dll
Start = 2

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\
services\{random characters}.dll
ErrorControl = 0

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

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
{random characters}.dll = %System%\regsvr32.exe "%AppDataLocal%\{random}\{random characters}.dll"

It registers as a system service to ensure its automatic execution at every system startup by adding the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\
services\{random characters}.dll

Other Details

This Trojan Spy connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.160:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.18:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.186:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.195:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.34:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.162:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.86:4143
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.2:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.11:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.127:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.231:80
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.30:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.124:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.25:7080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.249:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.76:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.198:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.93:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.120:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.162:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.91:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.45:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.137:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.99:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.149:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.139:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.246:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.124:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.33:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.14:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.101:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.3:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.83:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.186:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.102:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.238:7080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.206:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.15:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.165:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.41:7080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.124:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.73:7080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.99:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.26:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.25:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.10:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.155:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.89:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.214:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.232:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.196:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.199:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.122:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.28:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.115:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.120:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.154:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.56:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.217:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.28:8080/
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.199:8080/
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.224:8080
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.244:8080

It deletes the initially executed copy of itself.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.800
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 18.336.04
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 23 Mar 2023
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 18.337.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 24 Mar 2023

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.XXPE50FFF066

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

[ Learn More ]

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_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • {random characters}.dll = %System%\regsvr32.exe "%AppDataLocal%\{random}\{random characters}.dll"

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_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\services\{random characters}.dll

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.
  • %System%\{random characters}\{random characters}.dll
  • %AppDataLocal%\{random characters}\{random characters}.dll

Step 8

Search and delete these folders

[ 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%\{random}
  • %AppDataLocal%\{random}

Step 9

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TrojanSpy.Win64.EMOTET.BTNTF. 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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