Modified by: Warren Adam Sto. Tomas
ALIASES:

Troj/HawkEye-MN(Sophos Lite); TrojanSpy:MSIL/Golroted.B(Microsoft)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Spyware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

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

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 modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 1,273,464 bytes
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 11 Feb 2017
Payload: Connects to URLs/IPs

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 drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %User Temp%\FolderN\Startmgr.exe

(Note: %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp 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 drops the following files:

  • %Application Data%\WindowsUpdate.exe - detected as TSPY_HAWKEYE.SM
  • %User Temp%\FolderN\Startmgr.exe.lnk
    • Target: %User Temp%\FolderN\Startmgr.exe

(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.. %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp 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 drops and executes the following files:

  • %User Temp%\svhost.exe - copy of RegAsm.exe
  • %User Temp%\Startmgr.exe - detected as TSPY_HAWKEYE.SM

(Note: %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp 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 drops the following non-malicious files:

  • %User Temp%\holdermail.txt
  • %User Temp%\holderwb.txt
  • %Application Data%\pid.txt - contains the process id of the malware
  • %Application Data%\pidloc.txt - contains full name and path of malware

(Note: %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp 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.. %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 processes:

  • vbc.exe

It creates the following folders:

  • %User Temp%\FolderN
  • %User Temp%\screens - contains computer screenshots

(Note: %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp 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 spyware adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
Load = “%User Temp%\FolderN\Startmgr.exe.lnk”

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Windows Update = “%Application Data%\WindowsUpdate.exe”

Other System Modifications

This spyware modifies the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Advanced
Hidden = “1”

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is {User preference}.)

Web Browser Home Page and Search Page Modification

This spyware modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.

Information Theft

This spyware gathers the following data:

  • Computer name
  • Local date and time
  • Installed language
  • .Net version
  • Operating system platform
  • Operating system version
  • Operating system
  • External IP address
  • Internal IP address
  • Computer screenshot
  • Installed antivirus
  • Installed firewall
  • Key logs
  • Clipboard logs
  • Account information from:
    • RuneScape
    • BitCoin
    • MineCraft
    • Steam
    • JDownloader
    • Internet Download Manager

It attempts to steal stored email credentials from the following:

  • MS Outlook
  • MS Outlook 2013
  • MS Outlook Express
  • MSN Messenger
  • Mozila Thunderbird
  • Windows Mail
  • Windows Live Mail
  • Netscape
  • Yahoo! Mail
  • Group Mail
  • Google Talk
  • Google Desktop
  • Eudora
  • IncrediMail
  • Internet Account Manager

It attempts to get stored information such as user names, passwords, and hostnames from the following browsers:

  • Internet Explorer
  • Google Chrome
  • Safari
  • Mozilla Firefox
  • Opera
  • SeaMonkey

Stolen Information

This spyware sends the data it gathers to the following email addresses via SMTP:

  • {BLOCKED}l@nadil.net

Other Details

This spyware connects to the following URL(s) to get the affected system's IP address:

  • http://whatismyipaddress.com/

It does the following:

  • Display fake error message:

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.850
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 13.220.04
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 14 Feb 2017
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 13.221.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 15 Feb 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

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 4

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 NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
    • Load = “%User Temp%\FolderN\Startmgr.exe.lnk”
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • Windows Update = “%Application Data%\WindowsUpdate.exe”

Step 5

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.  
  • %User Temp%\FolderN
  • %User Temp%\screens

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.
  • %User Temp%\Startmgr.exeApplication Data%\WindowsUpdate.exe
  • %User Temp%\svhost.exe
  • %User Temp%\holdermail.txt
  • %User Temp%\holderwb.txt
  • %Application Data%\pid.txt
  • %Application Data%\pidloc.txt

Step 7

Restore this modified 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\Advanced
    • Hidden = “1”

Step 8

Reset Internet security settings

[ Learn More ]

Step 9

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