Analysis by: Johnlery Triunfante
ALIASES:

Trojan:VBS/PShell.A (Microsoft)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 DAMAGE POTENTIAL:
 DISTRIBUTION POTENTIAL:
 REPORTED INFECTION:
 INFORMATION EXPOSURE:

  • Threat Type: Trojan

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: No

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel: Dropped by other malware, Downloaded from the Internet

This Trojan 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: 641 bytes
File Type: VBS
Memory Resident: No
Initial Samples Received Date: 19 Jan 2018
Payload: Connects to URLs/IPs, Downloads files

Arrival Details

This Trojan 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 Trojan creates the following folders:

  • %Application Data%\ghbner

(Note: %Application Data% is the Application Data folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)

Download Routine

This Trojan connects to the following website(s) to download and execute a malicious file:

  • http://{BLOCKED}t.ly/{BLOCKED}G
  • http://{BLOCKED}t.ly/{BLOCKED}F

It saves the files it downloads using the following names:

  • %Application Data%\ghbner\CleanWork.exe → Detected as HKTL_COINMINER

Other Details

This Trojan does the following:

  • It execute its coin mining component using the following command:
    • %Application Data%\ghbner\CleanWork.exe -o f.pooling.cf:80 --nicehash --max-cpu-usage=20 --keepalive -B

(Note: %Application Data% is the Application Data folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.850
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 14.104.04
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 02 Mar 2018
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 14.105.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 03 Mar 2018

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

Note that not all files, folders, and registry keys and entries are installed on your computer during this malware's/spyware's/grayware's execution. This may be due to incomplete installation or other operating system conditions. If you do not find the same files/folders/registry information, please proceed to the next step.

Step 3

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 4

Search and delete this folder

[ 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.  
  • %Application Data%\ghbner

Step 5

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


Did this description help? Tell us how we did.