TSPY_ZBOT.ABQL
TR/PSW.Zbot.14723 (Antivir)
Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows Vista (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows 7 (32-bit, 64-bit)
Threat Type: Spyware
Destructiveness: No
Encrypted: Yes
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 does not have any propagation routine.
It does not have any backdoor routine.
It hides files, processes, and/or registry entries.
It modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.
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 drops the following files:
- %Application Data%\Microsoft\Address Book\{username}.wab
- %Application Data%\Microsoft\Address Book\{username}.wab~
(Note: %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.)
It drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:
- %Application Data%\{random folder name}\{random filename}.exe
(Note: %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.)
It creates the following folders:
- %Application Data%\Microsoft\Address Book
- %Application Data%\{random folder name}
(Note: %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.)
It adds the following mutexes to ensure that only one of its copies runs at any one time:
- Global\{GUID}
- Local\{GUID}
It injects threads into the following normal process(es):
- explorer.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\CurrentVersion\Run
{random filename} = "%Application Data%\{random folder name}\{random file name}.exe"
Other System Modifications
This spyware adds the following registry keys:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
{random}
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB
It adds the following registry entries:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion
WarnonBadCertRecving = "0"
It creates the following registry entry(ies) to bypass Windows Firewall:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\
List
%Windows%\explorer.exe = "%Windows%\explorer.exe:*:Enabled:Windows Explorer"
Propagation
This spyware does not have any propagation routine.
Backdoor Routine
This spyware does not have any backdoor routine.
Rootkit Capabilities
This spyware hides files, processes, and/or registry entries.
Web Browser Home Page and Search Page Modification
This spyware modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.
Download Routine
This spyware connects to the following URL(s) to download its configuration file:
- http://{BLOCKED}xjef.com/cfg.bin
Information Theft
This spyware gathers the following data:
- Data on cookie files (URLs)
- FTP credentials
- Online banking credentials
- Flashplayer data
- Personal digital cerificates
Other Details
This spyware connects to the following URL(s) to check for an Internet connection:
- http://www.google.com/webhp
NOTES:
The configuration file may contain the following information:
- Download link to an updated copy of itself
- Site(s) where it will send its stolen information
- Download link to an updated copy of its configuration file
- Configuration for stealing online banking account credentials (including targeted banks)
It prevents the execution of newly created processes of analysis tools such as the following:
- ImPrec
- LordPE
- OllyDbg
- WinHex
- Stud PE
- ProcDump
- PESam
It does not exploit any vulnerability.
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
Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product and note files detected as TSPY_ZBOT.ABQL
Step 3
Restart in Safe Mode
Step 4
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
- WAB
- WAB
Step 5
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
- {random filename} = "%Application Data%\{random folder name}\{random file name}.exe"
- {random filename} = "%Application Data%\{random folder name}\{random file name}.exe"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\List
- %Windows%\explorer.exe = "%Windows%\explorer.exe:*:Enabled:Windows Explorer"
- %Windows%\explorer.exe = "%Windows%\explorer.exe:*:Enabled:Windows Explorer"
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
- WarnonBadCertRecving = "0"
- WarnonBadCertRecving = "0"
Step 6
Search and delete these folders
- %Application Data%\{random folder name}
- %Application Data%\Microsoft\Address Book
Step 7
Reset Internet security settings
Step 8
Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TSPY_ZBOT.ABQL. 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.
Step 9
The following created registry key(s) cannot be identified by the user since there are no reference values in the created key. The only way it can be identified is by comparing the present keys with a backup of the system registry. Note that the said key(s) do not have to be deleted since it won't be harmful to the system:
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft
- {random}
- {random}
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