Analysis by: Byron Jon Gelera

 PLATFORM:

Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10

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

  • Threat Type: Spyware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

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

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

It deletes the initially executed copy of itself.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 159,744 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 18 Mar 2017
Payload: 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 may be downloaded by the following malware/grayware from remote sites:

  • PDF_POWSHELL.B

Installation

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

  • %Application Data%\Java\JavaUpdtr.exe
  • %User Temp%\tmpG{random}.tmp

(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 adds the following processes:

  • eventvwr.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 NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
Load = %Application Data%\Java\JavaUpdtr.exe

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Java Updtr = %Application Data%\Java\JavaUpdtr.exe

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\
mscfile\shell\open\
command
{default} = %System%\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe Start-Process -FilePath "{Malware path and filename}" -wait"

Other System Modifications

This Spyware deletes the following files:

  • %Application Data%\Java\JavaUpdtr.exe:Zone.Identifier

(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 modifies the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
System
EnableLUA = 0

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 1.)

Information Theft

This Spyware gathers the following data:

  • User Name
  • Computer Name
  • IP Address
  • OS Name
  • OS Version Platform
  • OS Version
  • Processor Name
  • Amount of Physical Memory
  • Video Card Name
  • Video Card Memory
  • Screenshots
  • Username and Password from the following applications:
    • Chrome
    • Firefox
    • Opera
    • Yandex
    • Internet Explorer
    • Safari
    • Sea Monkey
    • Comodo
    • Flock
    • CoolNovo
    • Chromium
    • Outlook
    • Thunderbird
    • FoxMail
    • OperaMail
    • PocoMail
    • Eudora
    • The Bat!
    • FileZilla
    • WS_FTP
    • WinSCP 2
    • CoreFTP
    • DynDNS
    • FlashFXP
    • Paltalk
    • Pidgin
    • Smart FTP
    • FTP Commander
    • No-IP
    • Internet Download Manager
    • JDownloader

Stolen Information

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

  • {BLOCKED}atsontrans@gmail.com

Other Details

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

  • http://checkip.dyndns.org

It drops the following file(s)/component(s):

  • %Application Data%\ScreenShot\screen.jpeg → screenshot

(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 deletes the initially executed copy of itself

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.850
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 13.284.05
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 18 Mar 2017
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 13.285.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 19 Mar 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_NEGASTEAL.YO

[ 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

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 = %Application Data%\Java\JavaUpdtr.exe
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • Java Updtr = %Application Data%\Java\JavaUpdtr.exe
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\mscfile\shell\open\command
    • {default} = %System%\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe Start-Process -FilePath "{Malware path and filename}" -wait"

Step 5

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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
    • From: EnableLUA = 0
      To: EnableLUA = 1

Step 6

Search and delete these files

[ 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%\ScreenShot\screen.jpeg

Step 7

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as TSPY_NEGASTEAL.YO. 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.


Did this description help? Tell us how we did.