TSPY_RANSOM.SMKI
PWS:Win32/Zbot.gen!AJ (Microsoft); Ransom-AAY.gen.l (McAfee); Trojan.Ransomlock!g21 (Symantec); Trojan-Spy.Win32.Zbot.fzob (Kaspersky); Worm.Win32.Dorkbot.i (v) (Sunbelt); Trojan horse PSW.Generic10.ACRN (AVG)
Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003
![](/vinfo/imgFiles/legend.jpg)
Threat Type: Spyware
Destructiveness: No
Encrypted:
In the wild: Yes
OVERVIEW
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 deletes itself after execution.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
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 creates the following folders:
- %User Profile%\Application Data\Sere
- %User Profile%\Application Data\Yvmyug
- %User Profile%\Application Data\Uwfeax
(Note: %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.)
Autostart Technique
This spyware adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Qyrizu = "%User Profile%\Sere\okew.exe"
Other System Modifications
This spyware adds the following registry keys:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Keeq
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Privacy
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
It adds the following registry entries:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Privacy
CleanCookies = "0"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Keeq
Byutur = "{random values}"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Account Manager
Server ID = "4"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB\WAB4
FirstRun = "1"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB\WAB4
OlkContactRefresh = "0"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB\WAB4
OlkFolderRefresh = "0"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Account Manager\Accounts
ConnectionSettingsMigrated = "1"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\{341F68BA-C841-4200-A7B4-3D5CFF202166}\
Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express\
5.0
StoreMigratedV5 = "1"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\{341F68BA-C841-4200-A7B4-3D5CFF202166}\
Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express\
5.0
Settings Upgraded = "7"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\{341F68BA-C841-4200-A7B4-3D5CFF202166}\
Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express\
5.0
Running = "1"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Account Manager\Accounts
AssociatedID = "{random values}"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\{341F68BA-C841-4200-A7B4-3D5CFF202166}\
Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express\
5.0
Running = "0"
It modifies the following registry entries:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\
Zones\0
1609 = "0"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 1.)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\
Zones\1
1406 = "0"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 1.)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\
Zones\1
1609 = "0"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 1.)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\
Zones\2
1609 = "0"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 1.)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\
Zones\3
1406 = "0"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 3.)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\
Zones\3
1609 = "0"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 1.)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\
Zones\4
1406 = "0"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 3.)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\
Zones\4
1609 = "0"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 1.)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities
Last Username = "Main Identity"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is Main Identity.)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities
Last User ID = "{341F68BA-C841-4200-A7B4-3D5CFF202166}"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is {C0FE0177-5693-4537-9331-A7402AD82D40}.)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities
Identity Login = "9853"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 98053.)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities
Identity Ordinal = "2"
(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 1.)
Dropping Routine
This spyware drops the following files:
- %User Profile%\Sere\okew.exe
- %User Profile%\Yvmyug\yttoy.nym
- %User Profile%\Uwfeax\ikfyh.gyu
- %Application Data%\Identities\{341F68BA-C841-4200-A7B4-3D5CFF202166}\Microsoft\Outlook Express\Sent Items.dbx
(Note: %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.. %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista and 7.)
Other Details
This spyware connects to the following possibly malicious URL:
- http://ram.{BLOCKED}p.net/rss/ssl.php
It deletes itself after execution.
This report is generated via an automated analysis system.
SOLUTION
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
Step 3
Delete this registry key
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
- Keeq
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer
- Privacy
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
- Uninstall
Step 4
Delete this registry value
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\Run
- Qyrizu = "%User Profile%\Sere\okew.exe"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Privacy
- CleanCookies = "0"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Keeq
- Byutur = "{random values}"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Account Manager
- Server ID = "4"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\WAB\WAB4
- FirstRun = "1"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\WAB\WAB4
- OlkContactRefresh = "0"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\WAB\WAB4
- OlkFolderRefresh = "0"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Account Manager\Accounts
- ConnectionSettingsMigrated = "1"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\{341F68BA-C841-4200-A7B4-3D5CFF202166}\Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express\5.0
- StoreMigratedV5 = "1"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\{341F68BA-C841-4200-A7B4-3D5CFF202166}\Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express\5.0
- Settings Upgraded = "7"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\{341F68BA-C841-4200-A7B4-3D5CFF202166}\Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express\5.0
- Running = "1"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Account Manager\Accounts
- AssociatedID = "{random values}"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities\{341F68BA-C841-4200-A7B4-3D5CFF202166}\Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express\5.0
- Running = "0"
Step 5
Restore these modified registry values
Important:Editing the Windows Registry incorrectly can lead to irreversible system malfunction. Please do this only if you know how to or you can seek your system administrator's help. You may also check out this Microsoft article first before modifying your computer's registry.
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\0
- From: 1609 = "0"
To: 1609 = ""1""
- From: 1609 = "0"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\1
- From: 1406 = "0"
To: 1406 = ""1""
- From: 1406 = "0"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\1
- From: 1609 = "0"
To: 1609 = ""1""
- From: 1609 = "0"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\2
- From: 1609 = "0"
To: 1609 = ""1""
- From: 1609 = "0"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\3
- From: 1406 = "0"
To: 1406 = ""3""
- From: 1406 = "0"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\3
- From: 1609 = "0"
To: 1609 = ""1""
- From: 1609 = "0"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\4
- From: 1406 = "0"
To: 1406 = ""3""
- From: 1406 = "0"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\4
- From: 1609 = "0"
To: 1609 = ""1""
- From: 1609 = "0"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities
- From: Last Username = "Main Identity"
To: Last Username = ""Main Identity""
- From: Last Username = "Main Identity"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities
- From: Last User ID = "{341F68BA-C841-4200-A7B4-3D5CFF202166}"
To: Last User ID = ""{C0FE0177-5693-4537-9331-A7402AD82D40}""
- From: Last User ID = "{341F68BA-C841-4200-A7B4-3D5CFF202166}"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities
- From: Identity Login = "9853"
To: Identity Login = ""98053""
- From: Identity Login = "9853"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Identities
- From: Identity Ordinal = "2"
To: Identity Ordinal = ""1""
- From: Identity Ordinal = "2"
Step 6
Search and delete these components
- %User Profile%\Sere\okew.exe
- %User Profile%\Yvmyug\yttoy.nym
- %User Profile%\Uwfeax\ikfyh.gyu
- %Application Data%\Identities\{341F68BA-C841-4200-A7B4-3D5CFF202166}\Microsoft\Outlook Express\Sent Items.dbx
Step 7
Search and delete these folders
- %User Profile%\Application Data\Sere
- %User Profile%\Application Data\Yvmyug
- %User Profile%\Application Data\Uwfeax
Step 8
Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TSPY_RANSOM.SMKI. 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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