Analysis by: Janus Agcaoili

ALIASES:

Troj/Shiotob-AJ (Sophos)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Spyware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: Yes

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel: Downloaded from the Internet, Dropped by other malware, Spammed via email

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. It arrives as an attachment to email messages spammed by other malware/grayware or malicious users.

It does not have any propagation routine.

It does not have any backdoor routine.

It modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.

It connects to certain websites to send and receive information. It gathers information and reports it to its servers.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 151,552 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 05 Apr 2016
Payload: Connects to URLs/IPs, Steals information

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.

It arrives as an attachment to the following email messages spammed by other malware/grayware or malicious users:

Installation

This spyware drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %Application Data%\{random string}.exe
    (Note: Creation of this copy is triggered when the affected system is shutting down)

(Note: %Application Data% is the Application Data folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)

It adds the following mutexes to ensure that only one of its copies runs at any one time:

  • Global\Uz{hex values}

It injects codes into the following process(es):

  • explorer.exe

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
{copy's filename} = "%Application Data%\{copy's filename}.lnk"
(Note: Creation of this registry entry is triggered when the affected system is shutting down)

Other System Modifications

This spyware adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{random key}

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\
Settings\{GUID}

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{random key}
(Default) = "{hex values}"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\
Settings\{GUID}
Flags = "1"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\
Settings\{GUID}
Version = "*"

Propagation

This spyware does not have any propagation routine.

Backdoor Routine

This spyware does not have any backdoor routine.

Web Browser Home Page and Search Page Modification

This spyware modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.

Dropping Routine

This spyware drops the following files:

  • %Application Data%\{copy's filename}.lnk <- points to the copy
    (Note: Creation of this file is triggered when the affected system is shutting down, appends parameter "-autorun" to executed copy)

(Note: %Application Data% is the Application Data folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)

Stolen Information

This spyware sends the gathered information via HTTP POST to the following URL:

  • {BLOCKED}ira.com/set/?tver={value}&vcmd={value}&cc={value}&hh={Hex Value}&ipcnf={Ip address}+&sckport={value}&pros={value}&via={value}&keret={value};&email={email address}

Other Details

This spyware connects to the following URL(s) to check for an Internet connection:

  • www.google.com

It connects to the following website to send and receive information:

  • http://{BLOCKED}ira.com
  • https://{BLOCKED}ira.com
  • {Random Generated Domain}.com
  • {Random Generated Domain}.net

It does the following:

  • Update itself
  • It does not proceed to its malicious routine if it detects that it is running in a Virtual environment
  • It deletes the cache files of Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox
  • It monitors the following files to steal sensitive information, such as user names and passwords:
    • iexplore.exe
    • explorer.exe
    • myie.exe
    • firefox.exe
    • ftpte.exe
    • coreftp.exe
    • filezilla.exe
    • TOTALCMD.EXE
    • cftp.exe
    • FTPVoyager.exe
    • SmartFTP.exe
    • WinSCP.exe
    • chrome.exe
    • opera.exe
    • chrome.dll
    • thebat.exe
    • msimn.exe
    • nsp4.dll
    • nss3.dll
    • Outlook.exe
  • It does not proceed to its malicious routine if it detects that it is being debugged
  • It monitors websites of banks and/or financial institutions based on its configuration file received from the C&C server.

It gathers the following information and reports it to its servers:

  • Email addresses from Windows Address Book (WAB)
  • User Credentials (FTP, Browser, Email)
  • Machine Name
  • OS Information (Version, Product ID, Name, Install Date)
  • Explorer File Information
  • Volume Serial Number
  • Network Configuration (IP address, Socket, Ports)
  • Keyboar Layout

NOTES:

It does not have rootkit capabilities.

It does not exploit any vulnerability.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.800
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 12.448.02
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 10 Apr 2016
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 12.449.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 11 Apr 2016

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

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

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 4

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. Before you could do this, you must restart in Safe Mode. For instructions on how to do this, you may refer to this page If the preceding step requires you to restart in safe mode, you may proceed to edit the system registry.

  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software
    • {random key}
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Settings
    • {GUID}

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
    • {copy's filename} = "%Application Data%\{copy's filename}.lnk"

Step 6

Search and delete this file

[ 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.
  • %Application Data%\{copy's filename}.lnk

Step 7

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TSPY_BEBLOH.YYZ. 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

Reset Internet security settings

[ Learn More ]


Did this description help? Tell us how we did.