TSPY_ZBOT.JVU
Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003
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 is injected into all running processes to remain memory resident.
It modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.
As of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.
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 copies of itself into the affected system:
- %User Profile%\Application Data\{random1}\{random}.exe
(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Profiles\{user name} on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\Profiles\{user name} on Windows NT, and C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003.)
It drops the following files:
- %User Profile%\Application Data\{random2}\{random}.{random}
- %User Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book\winxp.wab
- %User Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book\winxp.wab~
(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Profiles\{user name} on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\Profiles\{user name} on Windows NT, and C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003.)
It creates the following folders:
- %User Profile%\Application Data\{random1}
- %User Profile%\Application Data\{random2}
- %User Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book
(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Profiles\{user name} on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\Profiles\{user name} on Windows NT, and C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003.)
It is injected into all running processes to remain memory resident.
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} = "%User Profile%\Application Data\{random1}\{random}.exe"
Other System Modifications
This spyware adds the following registry keys:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
{random}
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
WAB
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".)
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"
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:
- {BLOCKED}ec948fa2bc.com
- http://{BLOCKED}orcfgdeo.net/wstat/file.php%7cfile=cn.bin
- http://{BLOCKED}inestar.org/wstat/file.php%7cfile=cn.bin
As of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.
NOTES:
The configuration file may contain URLs where it downloads an updated copy of itself and where it sends its gathered information. It may also contain URLs of its target online banking and finance-related sites from where it steals the information.
It may also gather the following information from the affected system:
- Data on Cookie files (URLs)
- Email-related information such as account names, email addresses, passwords, server data, and server port
- Email information stored in the user’s Windows Address Book (WAB) file
SOLUTION
Step 1
For Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 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
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
- WAB
- WAB
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
- {Random} = "%User Profile%\Application Data\{random1}.exe"
- {Random} = "%User Profile%\Application Data\{random1}.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"
Step 5
Restore this modified registry value
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
Step 6
Search and delete these folders
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.JVU. 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.
NOTES:
The created registry key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\{random} 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 if the users have one. Note that the key need not to be deleted since it won't cause the user system any harm.
Did this description help? Tell us how we did.