TSPY_ARDAMAX
Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003
Threat Type: Spyware
Destructiveness: No
Encrypted:
In the wild: Yes
OVERVIEW
This spyware 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
Arrival Details
This spyware 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 spyware creates the following folders:
- %User Profile%\Application Data\YKFSOA
- %User Profile%\Application Data\LJW
(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 spyware adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
JRW Start = "%User Profile%\YKFSOA\JRW.exe"
Other System Modifications
This spyware modifies the following file(s):
- %User Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft
(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.)
It deletes the following files:
- %User Profile%\S-1-5-21-1645522239-1292428093-682003330-1003\549b9b645cadfe6bb4bc69cf363c354c_6abce574-4afc-42c5-8ab9-5739a84d8a8b
- %Start Menu%\Programs\Ardamax Keylogger 4.0.1\Ardamax Keylogger 4.0.1.lnk
(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.. %Start Menu% is the current user's Start Menu folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Start Menu or C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu on Windows Vista and 7.)
It deletes the following folders:
- %Start Menu%\Programs\Ardamax Keylogger 4.0.1
(Note: %Start Menu% is the current user's Start Menu folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Start Menu or C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu on Windows Vista and 7.)
It adds the following registry keys:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ae1726701206u.bej
Dropping Routine
This spyware drops the following files:
- %User Profile%\YKFSOA\JRW.exe
- %User Profile%\YKFSOA\JRW.00
- %User Profile%\YKFSOA\JRW.01
- %User Profile%\YKFSOA\JRW.02
- %User Profile%\Microsoft\Crypto
- %User Profile%\Crypto\RSA
- %User Profile%\RSA\S-1-5-21-1645522239-1292428093-682003330-1003
(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.)
This report is generated via an automated analysis system.
SOLUTION
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
Restart in Safe Mode
Step 3
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_CLASSES_ROOT
- ae1726701206u.bej
Step 4
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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- JRW Start = "%User Profile%\YKFSOA\JRW.exe"
Step 5
Search and delete these components
- %User Profile%\YKFSOA\JRW.exe
- %User Profile%\YKFSOA\JRW.00
- %User Profile%\YKFSOA\JRW.01
- %User Profile%\YKFSOA\JRW.02
- %User Profile%\Microsoft\Crypto
- %User Profile%\Crypto\RSA
- %User Profile%\RSA\S-1-5-21-1645522239-1292428093-682003330-1003
Step 6
Search and delete these folders
- %User Profile%\Application Data\YKFSOA
- %User Profile%\Application Data\LJW
Step 7
Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TSPY_ARDAMAX. 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 8
Restore deleted/modified files and/or registry entries from backup
*Note: Only Microsoft-related files/keys/values will be restored. If this malware/grayware also deleted registry keys/values related to programs that are not from Microsoft, please reinstall those programs on your computer.
- %User Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft
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.
- %User Profile%\S-1-5-21-1645522239-1292428093-682003330-1003\549b9b645cadfe6bb4bc69cf363c354c_6abce574-4afc-42c5-8ab9-5739a84d8a8b
- %Start Menu%\Programs\Ardamax Keylogger 4.0.1\Ardamax Keylogger 4.0.1.lnk
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