TSPY_USTEAL.AS
Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003
Threat Type: Spyware
Destructiveness: No
Encrypted:
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.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
67,098 bytes
EXE
Yes
15 Nov 2012
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 component file(s):
- %User Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows\s#ee4rSw23.cfg
- %User Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows\s#ee4rSw23.dat
(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 copies of itself into the affected system:
- %Windows%\InstallDir\iel32.exe
(Note: %Windows% is the Windows folder, which is usually C:\Windows or C:\WINNT.)
It creates the following folders:
- %Windows%\InstallDir
(Note: %Windows% is the Windows folder, which is usually C:\Windows or C:\WINNT.)
Autostart Technique
This spyware registers itself as a system service to ensure its automatic execution at every system startup by adding the following registry entries:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Active Setup\Installed Components\{5460C4DF-B266-909E-CB58-E32B79832EB2}
StubPath = "%Windows%\InstallDir\iel32.exe"
It adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKCU = "%Windows%\InstallDir\iel32.exe"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKLM = "%Windows%\InstallDir\iel32.exe"
It registers as a system service to ensure its automatic execution at every system startup by adding the following registry keys:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Active Setup\Installed Components\{5460C4DF-B266-909E-CB58-E32B79832EB2}
Other System Modifications
This spyware adds the following registry entries as part of its installation routine:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\s#ee4rSw23
ServerStarted = "{malware execution date and time}"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\s#ee4rSw23
InstalledServer = "%Windows%\InstallDir\iel32.exe"
It adds the following registry keys as part of its installation routine:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\s#ee4rSw23
Other Details
This spyware connects to the following possibly malicious URL:
- {BLOCKED}ner12.no-ip.biz
SOLUTION
9.300
9.528.02
15 Nov 2012
9.529.00
16 Nov 2012
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
- s#ee4rSw23
- s#ee4rSw23
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components
- {5460C4DF-B266-909E-CB58-E32B79832EB2}
- {5460C4DF-B266-909E-CB58-E32B79832EB2}
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
- HKCU = "%Windows%\InstallDir\iel32.exe"
- HKCU = "%Windows%\InstallDir\iel32.exe"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKLM = "%Windows%\InstallDir\iel32.exe"
- HKLM = "%Windows%\InstallDir\iel32.exe"
Step 5
Search and delete this folder
Step 6
Search and delete these files
- %User Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows\s#ee4rSw23.cfg
- %User Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows\s#ee4rSw23.dat
Step 7
Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TSPY_USTEAL.AS. 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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