Analysis by: RonJay Kristoffer Caragay

ALIASES:

TrojanSpy:Win32/Nivdort.Y(Microsoft), a variant of Win32/Bayrob.M(NOD32), Trojan.Bayron!gen4(Symantec)

 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows Vista (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows 7 (32-bit, 64-bit)

 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

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 connects to certain URLs. It may do this to remotely inform a malicious user of its installation. It may also do this to download possibly malicious files onto the computer, which puts the computer at a greater risk of infection by other threats. As of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 855,552 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Payload: Connects to URLs/IPs, Modifies HOSTS file

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:

  • %System%\{random filename 1}.exe
  • %System%\{random filename 2}.exe
  • %User Temp%\{random filename 3}.exe

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, which is usually C:\Windows\System32.. %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista and 7.)

Autostart Technique

This spyware registers itself as a system service to ensure its automatic execution at every system startup by adding the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\Protocol Peer Hardware Audio Connection
ImagePath = "%System%\{random filename 1}.exe"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\Protocol Peer Hardware Audio Connection
DisplayName = "Protocol Peer Hardware Audio Connection"

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

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
List IP Authentication Enumerator Spooler = "%System%\{random filename 1}.exe"

Other System Modifications

This spyware modifies the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Security Center
AntiVirusDisableNotify = "1"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is "0".)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Security Center
FirewallDisableNotify = "1"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is "0".)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Security Center
AntiVirusOverride = "1"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is "0".)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Security Center
FirewallOverride = "1"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is "0".)

Process Termination

This spyware terminates the following processes if found running in the affected system's memory:

  • jhprotominer.exe
  • jhprotominer64.exe
  • jhminer32.exe
  • jhgeneric_256.exe
  • jhcore2_256.exe
  • jhcorei7_256.exe
  • jhavx_256.exe
  • jhbarcelona_256.exe
  • jhbulldozerv1_256.exe
  • jhbobcatv2_256.exe
  • jhcore2_512.exe
  • jhcorei7_512.exe
  • jhavx_512.exe
  • jhavx2_512.exe
  • jhbarcelona_512.exe
  • jhbulldozerv1_512.exe

Download Routine

This spyware connects to the following malicious URLs:

  • http://{hostname}/forum/search.php?method=validate&mode=my&email={BLOCKED}u.{BLOCKED}ntinescu@{BLOCKED}software.ro&lici=&ver={value}
  • http://{hostname}.{extension}/forum/search.php?method={action}&mode=sox&v={version}&sox={value}
    • where:
      • {hostname} is generated by concatenating two strings from the harcoded list.
      • {extension} can be any of the following:
        • com
        • net
  • http://{hostname}/forum/search.php?method={action}&mode=sox&v={version}&sox={value}&lport={value}&rsid={soxy ID or NOSOXYID123 if no soxy ID}&slots={value}&spm={value}&adm={0 if not admin or 1 if admin)&x64={0 if 32bit or 1 if 64bit}&mr={value}

As of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.

Other Details

This spyware drops the following file(s)/component(s):

  • %Temp%\{random filename 4}.exe - deleted afterwards
  • %System%\{random folder 1}\cfg - encrypted
  • %System%\{random folder 1}\etc - encrypted
  • %System%\{random folder 1}\lck - encrypted
  • %System%\{random folder 1}\rng - encrypted
  • %System%\{random folder 1}\run - encrypted
  • %System%\{random folder 1}\tst - encrypted
  • %System%\{random folder 1}\por - encrypted

(Note: %Temp% is the Windows Temporary folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Temp.. %System% is the Windows system folder, which is usually C:\Windows\System32.)

NOTES:

It modifies the hosts file.

The {hostname} is generated through concatenating two strings on the following lists:

  • milk
  • with
  • arive
  • upon
  • quick
  • sunday
  • equal
  • spoke
  • tried
  • duty
  • south
  • which
  • then
  • most
  • group
  • visit
  • these
  • case
  • spot
  • glad
  • meat
  • cloud
  • watch
  • dream
  • sight
  • head
  • salt
  • taken
  • sick
  • dark
  • fair
  • this
  • know
  • pick
  • human
  • yard
  • hill
  • felt
  • hang
  • join
  • able
  • song
  • hair
  • music
  • whom
  • look
  • september
  • wish
  • room
  • move
  • went
  • front
  • three
  • drink
  • dead
  • wrong
  • sign
  • jump
  • spend
  • offer
  • lord
  • wife
  • rock
  • made
  • sorry
  • their
  • long
  • wheel
  • point
  • none
  • mouth
  • shall
  • fifty
  • likr
  • soil
  • said
  • call
  • liar
  • till
  • deep
  • fear
  • table
  • stick
  • enemy
  • well
  • ring
  • push
  • along
  • west
  • lead
  • ball
  • life
  • nose
  • favor
  • friday
  • december
  • tries
  • lrstn
  • field
  • both
  • tore
  • week
  • story
  • after
  • your
  • view
  • queen
  • gain
  • fall
  • very
  • weak
  • force
  • plant
  • sense
  • least
  • month
  • piece
  • wait
  • sell
  • drive
  • fill
  • learn
  • face
  • walk
  • much
  • take
  • wednesday
  • nail
  • stood
  • shoe
  • first
  • moon
  • ride
  • lift
  • ought
  • sound
  • taste
  • show
  • allow
  • rule
  • them
  • happy
  • considerable
  • since
  • wash
  • sleep
  • talk
  • held
  • fruit
  • than
  • noise
  • mile
  • sure
  • hello
  • shot
  • live
  • threw
  • saturday
  • shade
  • loud
  • kill
  • october
  • guess
  • outer
  • small
  • green
  • marry
  • hand
  • earth
  • hunt
  • gives
  • hear
  • best
  • heat
  • easy
  • page
  • below
  • height
  • shirt
  • rain
  • rise
  • read
  • pull
  • king
  • cause
  • mine
  • back
  • serve
  • cross
  • thousand
  • floor
  • tree
  • cloth
  • dare
  • august
  • body
  • blood
  • about
  • lose
  • into
  • price
  • feel
  • raise
  • color
  • hold
  • never
  • ocean
  • start
  • grow
  • wild
  • thank
  • began
  • step
  • feet
  • grown
  • yesterday
  • pure
  • boat
  • dish
  • rest
  • form
  • gray
  • touch
  • army
  • paid
  • dance
  • born
  • tell
  • daily
  • child
  • full
  • place
  • croud
  • high
  • reach
  • only
  • second
  • nine
  • have
  • sing
  • tear
  • june
  • city
  • kind
  • plain
  • each
  • black
  • wedge
  • march
  • press
  • july
  • open
  • agree
  • april
  • word
  • edge
  • weight
  • under
  • come
  • feed
  • goes
  • voice
  • light
  • eight
  • iron
  • world
  • roll
  • octover
  • road
  • aunt
  • wore
  • great
  • slept
  • house
  • prove
  • tuesday
  • usual
  • stock
  • teach
  • reply
  • fine
  • home
  • else
  • grain
  • state
  • cold
  • mark
  • bone
  • took
  • monday
  • nerve
  • lend
  • fool
  • five
  • gone
  • they
  • build
  • enjoy
  • deal
  • horse
  • mail
  • scene
  • where
  • dont
  • hers
  • gift
  • break
  • peace
  • could
  • throw
  • grave
  • whole
  • nice
  • over
  • important
  • gold
  • broke
  • wrote
  • news
  • fire
  • neck
  • half
  • food
  • guide
  • there
  • tall
  • stone
  • next
  • some
  • wing
  • today
  • lady
  • lower
  • again
  • wide
  • sugar
  • compe
  • told
  • fell
  • wear
  • hard
  • uncle
  • make
  • loss
  • hope
  • slow
  • thirteen
  • help
  • fifth
  • free
  • done
  • other
  • shown
  • name
  • meet
  • late
  • arms
  • cook
  • side
  • been
  • seven
  • past
  • such
  • fish
  • tomorrow
  • pass
  • kiss
  • stand
  • hour
  • find
  • count
  • hurt
  • clock
  • study
  • rush
  • once
  • left
  • february
  • hurry
  • november
  • shine
  • forty
  • knew
  • wall

It checks if there is a running service/s with the string firewall.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.700
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 10.881.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 24 Jun 2014

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

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 3

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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • List IP Authentication Enumerator Spooler = "%System%\{random filename 1}.exe"

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.

  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services
    • Protocol Peer Hardware Audio Connection

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\Security Center
    • From: AntiVirusDisableNotify = "1"
      To: AntiVirusDisableNotify = "0"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center
    • From: FirewallDisableNotify = "1"
      To: FirewallDisableNotify = "0"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center
    • From: AntiVirusOverride = "1"
      To: AntiVirusOverride = "0"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center
    • From: FirewallOverride = "1"
      To: FirewallOverride = "0"

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.
  • %System%\{random folder 1}\cfg
  • %System%\{random folder 1}\etc
  • %System%\{random folder 1}\lck
  • %System%\{random folder 1}\rng
  • %System%\{random folder 1}\run
  • %System%\{random folder 1}\tst
  • %System%\{random folder 1}\por

Step 7

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