Analysis by: Anthony Joe Melgarejo

ALIASES:

Trojan.Cridex (Symantec), RDN/Drixed-FBT (McAfee), Win32/Dridex.AA (ESET)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Spyware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: No

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

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

This spyware may be downloaded by other malware/grayware from remote sites.

It connects to a website to send and receive information.

It modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.

It steals certain information from the system and/or the user.

It deletes itself after execution.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 184,320 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 14 Dec 2015
Payload: Connects to URLs/IPs, Downloads files

Arrival Details

This spyware may be downloaded by the following malware/grayware from remote sites:

  • VBS_BARTALEX.XYVV

It may be downloaded from the following remote site(s):

  • http://{BLOCKED}s.net/cute.jpg?WMrnRygZ={random number}

Installation

This spyware drops the following files:

  • %AppDataLocalLow%\{random filename}.sdb
  • %AppDataLocalLow%\{random filename}.bat

(Note: %AppDataLocalLow% is the protected mode folder of Internet Explorer, where it usually is C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\LocalLow 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 injects codes into the following process(es):

  • explorer.exe

Other System Modifications

This spyware adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
CLSID\{GUID}

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
CLSID\{GUID}\ShellFolder

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
CLSID\{GUID}\ShellFolder
{random} = {encrypted configuration file}

Backdoor Routine

This spyware connects to the following websites to send and receive information:

  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.56.157:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.0.224:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.4.189:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.8.41:444
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.196.55:443

Web Browser Home Page and Search Page Modification

This spyware modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.

Download Routine

This spyware connects to the following URL(s) to download its component file(s):

  • https://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.76.40:3448
  • https://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.152.170:4493
  • https://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.234.136:9943

Information Theft

This spyware steals the following information:

  • Online banking/Social networking sites credentials
  • Browser screenshots

It gathers the following data:

  • Username
  • Computer name
  • Installation date
  • Installed programs and version

Other Details

This spyware deletes itself after execution.

NOTES:

This malware may also perform the following:

  • Upload/Download and/or execute files
  • Monitor network traffic
  • Add infected host to botnet
  • Download updated configuration file
  • Download and execute modules (VNC)
  • Inject itself to web browsers (i.e. IE, Chrome, Firefox)

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.800
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 12.210.07
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 14 Dec 2015
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 12.211.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 15 Dec 2015

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

Remove the malware/grayware file that dropped/downloaded TSPY_DRIDEX.YYSPQ. (Note: Please skip this step if the threat(s) listed below have already been removed.)

     
    • VBS_BARTALEX.XYVV

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\Explorer\CLSID\{GUID}\ShellFolder
    • {random} = {encrypted configuration file}

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_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CLSID\{GUID}
    • ShellFolder
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CLSID
    • {GUID}

Step 7

Reset Internet security settings

[ Learn More ]

Step 8

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.
  • %AppDataLocalLow%\{random filename}.sdb
  • %AppDataLocalLow%\{random filename}.bat

Step 9

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