Analysis by: Byron Jon Gelera
ALIASES:

Trojan:Win32/Emotet.K (Microsoft); Trojan.Emotet (Malwarebytes)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan Spy

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: Yes

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel: Downloaded from the Internet, 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 modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.

It connects to certain websites to send and receive information. However, as of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 217,088 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 18 May 2017
Payload: Drops files, Connects to URLs/IPs

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 copies of itself into the affected system and executes them:

  • %AppDataLocal%\{Random FileName}\{Random Filename}.exe

(Note: %AppDataLocal% is the Application Data folder found in Local Settings, where it is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local 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.)

Autostart Technique

This Trojan Spy drops the following shortcut pointing to its copy in the User Startup folder to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

  • %User Startup%\{Random FileName}.lnk

(Note: %User Startup% is the current user's Startup folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows 2000 and XP, and C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows Vista, 7, and 8.)

Web Browser Home Page and Search Page Modification

This Trojan Spy modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.

Information Theft

This Trojan Spy gathers the following data:

  • Machine Name
  • System Locale
  • OS Version
  • Running Processes
  • Installed Mail Client

Other Details

This Trojan Spy connects to the following website to send and receive information:

  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.2.253:443/
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.166.45:8080/
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.136.67:443/
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.218.25:443/
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.137.34:7080/
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.254.64:8080/
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.220.214:8080/
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.221.180:7080/
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.27.246:8080/
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.246.7:8080/
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.220.79:8080/
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.2.253:443/

However, as of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.850
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 13.432.05
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 27 May 2017
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 13.433.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 28 May 2017

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

Identify and terminate files detected as TSPY_EMOTET.XXTR

[ Learn More ]
  1. Windows Task Manager may not display all running processes. In this case, please use a third-party process viewer, preferably Process Explorer, to terminate the malware/grayware/spyware file. You may download the said tool here.
  2. If the detected file is displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer but you cannot delete it, restart your computer in safe mode. To do this, refer to this link for the complete steps.
  3. If the detected file is not displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer, continue doing the next steps.

Step 4

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.  
  • %User Startup%\{Random FileName}.lnk

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as TSPY_EMOTET.XXTR. 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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