Analysis by: John Rainier Navato

ALIASES:

Worm.Win32.Conustr (IKARUS)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Worm

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: No

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

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

This Worm 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 backdoor routine.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 253,952 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 17 Dec 2024
Payload: Connects to URLs/IPs, Collects system information, Drops files, Opens Internet Explorer window, Steals information

Arrival Details

This Worm 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 Worm drops a copy of itself in the following folders using different file names:

  • %User Temp%\conhost.exe → if sample is not running as this path and file name
  • {Removable Drive Letter}:\RECYCLER\Dcfly.exe
  • {Removable Drive Letter}:\{Folder Name in the Root Path of Removable Drive}.exe

(Note: %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

It drops the following files:

  • %User Temp%\ppxxxx → Used to hide .exe file extension and to create autorun registry, deleted afterwards
  • %User Temp%\tmpx5.tmp
  • %User Temp%\must.bat → executes commands that acquire information about the affected machine, deleted afterwards
  • %User Temp%\t.log
  • %User Temp%\s.log
  • %User Temp%\workgrp.tmp
  • %User Temp%\hostname.tmp
  • %User Temp%\sharedir.tmp
  • %User Temp%\sd.t
  • %User Temp%\winword4.doc → contains the stolen information from the commands executed by %User Temp%\must.bat
  • %User Temp%\WPDNSE\{Encrypted Computer Name}.NLS → archive file that contains stolen files
  • {Removable Drive Letter}:\RECYCLER\{Encrypted Computer Name}.NLS → archive file that contains stolen files

(Note: %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

It adds the following processes:

  • regini.exe %User Temp%\ppxxxx
  • %User Temp%\conhost.exe → if sample is not running as this path and file name
  • cmd /c %User Temp%\must.bat
  • %System%\cmd.exe "cmd.exe /v:on /c %User Temp%\must.bat 2"
  • %System%\cmd.exe chcp
  • %System%\cmd.exe netuser
  • %System%\net.exe "%System%\net1 user"
  • %System%\cmd.exe "net localgroup administrators"
  • %System%\net.exe "%System%\net1 localgroup administrators"
  • %System%\cmd.exe tasklist
  • %System%\cmd.exe systeminfo
  • %System%\cmd.exe "ipconfig /all"
  • %System%\cmd.exe "netstat -ano"
  • %System%\cmd.exe "arp -a"
  • %System%\cmd.exe "netstat -r"
  • %System%\NETSTAT.EXE "%System%\cmd.exe /c "%System%\route.exe" print"
  • %System%\cmd.exe "%System%\route.exe print"
  • %System%\cmd.exe "nbstat -n"
  • %System%\cmd.exe "nbstat -c"
  • %System%\cmd.exe netstart
  • %System%\net.exe "%System%\net1 start"
  • %System%\cmd.exe "net use"
  • %System%\cmd.exe "%System%\cmd.exe /S /D /c" echo n""
  • %System%\cmd.exe "net share"
  • %System%\net.exe "%System%\net1 share"
  • %System%\cmd.exe "net user /domain"
  • %System%\net.exe "%System%\net1 user /domain"
  • %System%\cmd.exe "net view domain"
  • %System%\cmd.exe "%System%\cmd.exe /S /D /c" type %User Temp%\t.log""
  • %System%\cmd.exe "find /i /v "------""
  • %System%\cmd.exe "%System%\cmd.exe /S /D /c" type %User Temp%\s.log""
  • %System%\cmd.exe "find /i /v "domain""
  • %System%\cmd.exe "%System%\cmd.exe /S /D /c" type %User Temp%\t.log""
  • %System%\cmd.exe "find /i /v "completed successfully"
  • %System%\cmd.exe "net view /domain:"WORKGROUP""
  • %System%\cmd.exe "%System%\cmd.exe /S /D /c" type %User Temp%\workgrp.tmp""
  • %System%\cmd.exe "find "\""
  • %System%\cmd.exe "net view \{Networked Computer Name}""
  • %System%\cmd.exe "find "Disk""
  • %System%\cmd.exe "ping -n 1 {Networked Computer Name}"
  • %System%\cmd.exe "findstr /i "Pinging Reply Request Unknown""
  • %Program Files%\winrar\rar.exe u -apC -ed-tk -dh -hpThis32lPiece -ta{Current Date} %User Temp%\WPDNSE\{Encrypted Computer Name}.NLS "{Stolen File Name}"
  • %System%\xcopy.exe /d /c /i /h /r /y %User Temp%\WPDNSE\*.NLS {Removable Drive Letter}:\RECYCLER
  • %System%\xcopy.exe /d /c /i /h /r /y %User Temp%\Media\*.ldf {Removable Drive Letter}:\RECYCLER
  • %System%\xcopy.exe /d /c /i /h /r /y {Removable Drive Letter}:\RECYCLER\*NLS %User Temp\WPDNSE
  • %Program Files%\winrar\rar.exe u -apF -r -ed-tk -dh -sl5000000 -hpThis32lPiece -ta{Current Date} %User Temp%\WPDNSE\{Encrypted Computer Name}.NLS {Removable Drive Letter}:\*.doc {Removable Drive Letter}:\*.docx {Removable Drive Letter}:\*.pdf {Removable Drive Letter}:\*.mvd {Removable Drive Letter}:\*.tif {Removable Drive Letter}:\*.xls {Removable Drive Letter}:\*.xlsx
  • %Program Files%\rar.exe u -ap172.16.19.{2-253}\C$ -r -ed -tk -dh -sl1000000 -hpThis32lPiece -ta{Current Date} %User Temp%\WPDNSE\{Encrypted Computer Name}.NLS \172.16.19.{2-253}\C$\*.doc \172.16.19.{2-253}\C$\*.docx \172.16.19.{2-253}\C$\*.pdf \172.16.19.{2-253}\C$\*.mvd \172.16.19.{2-253}\C$\*.tif \172.16.19.{2-253}\C$\*.xls \172.16.19.{2-253}\C$\*.xlsx
  • %Program Files%\rar.exe u -ap172.16.20.{2-253}\C$ -r -ed -tk -dh -sl1000000 -hpThis32lPiece -ta{Current Date} %User Temp%\WPDNSE\{Encrypted Computer Name}.NLS \172.16.20.{2-253}\C$\*.doc \172.16.20.{2-253}\C$\*.docx \172.16.20.{2-253}\C$\*.pdf \172.16.20.{2-253}\C$\*.mvd \172.16.20.{2-253}\C$\*.tif \172.16.20.{2-253}\C$\*.xls \172.16.20.{2-253}\C$\*.xlsx

(Note: %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).. %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.. %Program Files% is the default Program Files folder, usually C:\Program Files in Windows 2000(32-bit), Server 2003(32-bit), XP, Vista(64-bit), 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit) , or C:\Program Files (x86) in Windows XP(64-bit), Vista(64-bit), 7(64-bit), 8(64-bit), 8.1(64-bit), 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

It creates the following folders:

  • %User Temp%\WPDNSE
  • {Removable Drive Letter}:\RECYCLER

(Note: %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

Autostart Technique

This Worm adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
Load = {Malware File Path}\{Malware File name}.exe

Backdoor Routine

This Worm does not have any backdoor routine.

Rootkit Capabilities

This Worm does not have rootkit capabilities.

Information Theft

This Worm gathers the following data:

  • From the infected machine:
    • Computer name
    • Current date and time
    • Windows version
    • Contents of %System%\boot.ini
    • List of user accounts
    • List of administrator groups
    • List of running processes
    • System information
    • IP configuration
    • Active connection and listening ports
    • List of running services
    • List of network connections
    • List of domain user accounts
    • List of domains
    • List of computers in the domain
    • List of directories in drives C:, D:, E:, F:, G:, H:, and I:

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.)

Other Details

This Worm does the following:

  • It sets the attributes of folders in removable drives to hidden and system only and creates a copy of itself in the removable drive using the file name of the folder that it has hidden.
  • It checks the recently opened files list, removable drives, and IPC$ shares for files with the following extensions:
    • .doc
    • .docx
    • .pdf
    • .mvd
    • .tif
    • .xls
    • .xlsx
  • It then adds the found files to the archive file %User Temp%\WPDNSE\{Encrypted Computer Name}.NLS.
  • It tries to access IPC$ shares using the following IP addresses:
    • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{2-253}
    • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{2-253}
  • It uses the following username-password combination to access IPC$ shares:
    • A\administrator - ttmt-anat
    • A\administrator - ttmt-tcv-anat
    • TCV\migrator - anat2012

It does not exploit any vulnerability.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.800
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 19.782.05
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 17 Dec 2024
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 19.783.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 18 Dec 2024

Step 1

Before doing any scans, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 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

Delete this registry value

[ Learn More ]

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 NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
    • Load = {Malware File Path}\{Malware File name}.exe

Step 5

Search and delete these files

[ Learn More ]
There may be some files that are hidden. Please make sure you check the Search Hidden Files and Folders checkbox in the "More advanced options" option to include all hidden files and folders in the search result.
  • %User Temp%\ppxxxx
  • %User Temp%\tmpx5.tmp
  • %User Temp%\must.bat
  • %User Temp%\t.log
  • %User Temp%\s.log
  • %User Temp%\workgrp.tmp
  • %User Temp%\hostname.tmp
  • %User Temp%\sharedir.tmp
  • %User Temp%\sd.t
  • %User Temp%\winword4.doc
  • %User Temp%\WPDNSE\{Encrypted Computer Name}.NLS
  • {Removable Drive Letter}:\RECYCLER\{Encrypted Computer Name}.NLS
  • %User Temp%\conhost.exe
  • {Removable Drive Letter}:\RECYCLER\Dcfly.exe
  • {Removable Drive Letter}:\{Folder Name in the Root Path of Removable Drive}.exe

Step 6

Search and delete these folders

[ 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.
  • %User Temp%\WPDNSE
  • {Removable Drive Letter}:\RECYCLER

Step 7

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as Worm.Win32.CONUS.E. 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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