Modified by: Jaime Benigno Reyes
ALIASES:

Trojan.Win32.Pakes (Ikarus), W32/Dapato.BNYX!tr (Fortinet)

 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 REPORTED INFECTION:
 SYSTEM IMPACT RATING:
 INFORMATION EXPOSURE:

  • Threat Type: Spyware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: Yes

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel: Downloaded from the Internet

This malware was seen to include a password recovery tool that steals information stored in browsers.

To get a one-glance comprehensive view of the behavior of this Spyware, refer to the Threat Diagram shown below.

For the related story, you may read the blog post HTTPS, SSL No Match for PASSTEAL 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.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 270,336 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 31 Oct 2012
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.

Installation

This spyware drops the following files:

  • %User Temp%\{random}.exe (also detected as TSPY_PASSTEAL.A)
  • %User Temp%\cvtres.exe
  • %System Root%\DOCUMENTS
  • %User Profile%\Application Data\{computer name}.txt (stolen credentials)

(Note: %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.. %System Root% is the root folder, which is usually C:\. It is also where the operating system is located.. %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista and 7.)

Drop Points

This spyware uploads files to the following File Transfer Protocol (FTP) sites:

  • ftp://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.67.232

NOTES:

This spyware steals user names and password stored in the Firefox browser.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.300
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 9.498.04
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 31 Oct 2012
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 9.499.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 01 Nov 2012

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

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product and note files detected as TSPY_PASSTEAL.A

Step 3

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 4

Search and delete files detected as TSPY_PASSTEAL.A

[ 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.

Step 5

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.
  • %User Temp%\cvtres.exe
  • %System Root%\DOCUMENTS
  • %User Profile%\Application Data\{computer name}.txt

Step 6

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