PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, XP, Server 2003

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

  • Threat Type: Spyware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW



It modifies registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup.
It attempts to steal information, such as user names and passwords, used when logging into certain banking or finance-related websites.
It attempts to steal sensitive online banking information, such as user names and passwords. This routine risks the exposure of the user's account information, which may then lead to the unauthorized use of the stolen data.
It checks for the presence of the following processes which are related to Outpost Personal Firewall and ZoneLabs Firewall Client:

  • outpost.exe
  • zlclient.exe

It terminates if either of the said processes exist. This is to ensure that it runs uninterrupted. It also has rootkit capabilities, which enables it to hide its processes and files from the user.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS




Arrival Details


It creates the following folders with attributes set to System and Hidden to prevent users from discovering and removing its components:

  • %System%\lowsec



Autostart Technique


It modifies the following registry entries to ensure it automatic execution at every system startup:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Userinit=%System%\userinit.exe, %System%\sdra64.exe,

             (Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is %System%\userinit.exe,.)



Dropping Routine


It drops the following files:

  • %System%\lowsec\local.ds - copy of the encrypted downloaded file

  • %System%\lowsec\user.ds - used to save the gathered information



Infection Points


It arrives as a file downloaded from the following URLs:

  • http://{BLOCKED}rirrorr.com/alfa/bot.exe



Information Theft


Note that the contents of the file, hence the list of Web sites to monitor, may change any time.


It accesses the following site to download its configuration file:

  • http://{BLOCKED}rirrorr.com/alfa/config.bin


It attempts to steal information from the following banks and/or other financial institutions:

  • BBVA

  • Banesco

  • Citibank

  • GAD

  • HSBC

  • Microsoft

  • Myspace

  • OSPM

  • Odnoklassniki

  • Santander

  • Vkontakte


It monitors the Internet Explorer (IE) activities of the affected system, specifically the address bar or title bar. It recreates a legitimate Web site with a spoofed login page if a user visits banking sites with the following strings in the address bar or title bar:

  • *.microsoft.com/*

  • */atl.osmp.ru/*

  • */login.osmp.ru/*

  • *bbvanetpanama.com*

  • *cei.hsbc.com.pa/ceipanama/servlet/hbec5103?RC*

  • *conexion.hsbc.com.pa/panama/cgi-bin/pib/cp/cgis/cgiNFaccesocam*

  • *ebanking.banesco.com.pa/DIBS_BANESCO_PANAMA/*

  • *hsbc.ae*

  • http://*myspace.com*

  • http://*odnoklassniki.ru/*

  • http://vkontakte.ru/*

  • https://banking.*.de/cgi/ueberweisung.cgi/*

  • https://internetbanking.gad.de/banking/*

  • https://www.citibank.de/*/jba/mp#/SubmitRecap.do

  • https://www.gruposantander.es/*


It attempts to steal sensitive online banking information, such as user names and passwords. This routine risks the exposure of the user's account information, which may then lead to the unauthorized use of the stolen data.



Installation


It drops copies of itself in the Windows system folder and appends garbage code to the dropped copy to avoid easy detection. The dropped copies uses the following file names:

  • sdra64.exe


It adds the following mutexes to ensure that only one of its copies runs at any one time:

  • __SYSTEM__64AD0625__


It injects itself into the following processes as part of its memory residency routine:

  • SVCHOST.EXE

  • WINLOGON.EXE



Other Details


It checks for the presence of the following processes which are related to Outpost Personal Firewall and ZoneLabs Firewall Client:

  • outpost.exe
  • zlclient.exe

It terminates if either of the said processes exist. This is to ensure that it runs uninterrupted. It also has rootkit capabilities, which enables it to hide its processes and files from the user.



Other System Modifications


It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Network
UID={computer name}_{random numbers}



HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile
EnableFirewall=0



Stolen Information


The stolen information is saved in the following file:

  • %System%\lowsec\user.ds


It sends the gathered information via HTTP POST to the following URL:

  • http://{BLOCKED}rirrorr.com/alfa/gate.php



Variant Information


It has the following MD5 hashes:

  • dde8679759fb39b1e7ad8b53bfa14b69


It has the following SHA1 hashes:

  • fa2372141d0d2ae5d5062923d8ff91ac6a9cc539

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 8.900


Step 1
For Windows ME and XP users, before doing any scans, please make sure you disable System Restore to allow full scanning of your computer.

Step 2
Restart in Safe Mode
[ Learn More ]


Step 3
Delete this registry value This step allows you to delete the registry value created by the malware.

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 NT\CurrentVersion\Network
    • UID = {computer name}_{random numbers}
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile
    • EnableFirewall = 0

To delete the registry value this malware created:

  1. Open Registry Editor. To do this, click Start>Run, type regedit in the text box provided, then press Enter.
  2. In the left panel of the Registry Editor window, double-click the following:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>SOFTWARE>Microsoft>Windows NT>CurrentVersion>Network
  3. In the right panel, locate and delete the entry:
    UID = {computer name}_{random numbers}
  4. In the left panel of the Registry Editor window, double-click the following:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>SYSTEM>CurrentControlSet>Services>SharedAccess>Parameters>FirewallPolicy>StandardProfile
  5. In the right panel, locate and delete the entry:
    EnableFirewall = 0
  6. Close Registry Editor.

Step 4
Restore this modified registry value This step allows you to undo a change done by the malware/grayware/spyware to a 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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
    • From: Userinit = %System%\userinit.exe, %System%\sdra64.exe,
      To: Userinit = %System%\userinit.exe,

To restore the registry value this malware/grayware/spyware modified:

  1. Open Registry Editor. Click Start>Run, type REGEDIT, then press Enter.
  2. In the left panel, double-click the following:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>SOFTWARE>Microsoft>Windows NT>CurrentVersion>Winlogon
  3. In the right panel, locate the registry value:
    Userinit = %System%\userinit.exe, %System%\sdra64.exe,
  4. Right-click on the value name and choose Modify. Change the value data of this entry to:
    %System%\userinit.exe,
  5. Close Registry Editor.

Step 5
Search and delete this folder This step allows you to search and delete the folder created by this malware/grayware/spyware. 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.
  • %System%lowsec

To delete the malware/grayware/spyware folder:

  1. Right-click Start then click Search... or Find..., depending on the version of Windows you are running.
  2. In the Named input box, type:
      • %System%lowsec
  3. In the Look In drop-down list, select My Computer, then press Enter.
  4. Once located, select the folder then press SHIFT+DELETE to permanently delete the folder.

Step 6
Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as TSPY_ZBOT.BRL 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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