TROJ_RANSOM.BEAT


 ALIASES:

Trojan.Win32.Agent.vdxb (Kaspersky); Trojan.Win32.Generic!BT (Sunbelt)

 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW


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:

165,376 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

25 Apr 2013

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 drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %User Profile%\Shockwave Player\flashplugin.exe

(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista and 7.)

It creates the following folders:

  • %User Profile%\Application Data\Shockwave Player

(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista and 7.)

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
267825c2-30ba-4845-ad6a-b38188098a33 = "%User Profile%\Shockwave Player\flashplugin.exe"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
267825c2-30ba-4845-ad6a-b38188098a33 = "%User Profile%\Shockwave Player\flashplugin.exe"

Other System Modifications

This Trojan adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Desktop Software

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
Associations

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Desktop Software
Digit = "267825c2-30ba-4845-ad6a-b38188098a33"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
Associations
LowRiskFileTypes = ".exe;.bat;.reg;.vbs;"

It modifies the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\
Zones\0
1806 = "0"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\
Zones\0
1806 = "0"

It deletes the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Control\SafeBoot\Minimal

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Control\SafeBoot\Network

Dropping Routine

This Trojan drops the following files:

  • flashplugin.exe.manifest

Other Details

This Trojan connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://{BLOCKED}5hube.com/merchant.php

This report is generated via an automated analysis system.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.300

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

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 3

Delete this registry key

[ 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
    • Desktop Software
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies
    • Associations

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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • 267825c2-30ba-4845-ad6a-b38188098a33 = "%User Profile%\Shockwave Player\flashplugin.exe"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • 267825c2-30ba-4845-ad6a-b38188098a33 = "%User Profile%\Shockwave Player\flashplugin.exe"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Desktop Software
    • Digit = "267825c2-30ba-4845-ad6a-b38188098a33"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Associations
    • LowRiskFileTypes = ".exe;.bat;.reg;.vbs;"

Step 5

Restore these modified registry values

[ Learn More ]

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
    • 1806 = "0"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Zones\0
    • 1806 = "0"

Step 6

Search and delete this file

[ 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.
  • flashplugin.exe.manifest

Step 7

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.
  • %User Profile%\Application Data\Shockwave Player

Step 8

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

Restore these deleted registry keys/values from backup

*Note: Only Microsoft-related keys/values will be restored. If the malware/grayware also deleted registry keys/values related to programs that are not from Microsoft, please reinstall those programs on your computer.

  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot
    • Minimal
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot
    • Network


Did this description help? Tell us how we did.