PDF_MALPHISH.AUSWV

 Analysis by: Michael Jay Villanueva

 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:

Downloaded from the Internet, Spammed via email

This Trojan arrives as an attachment to email messages mass-mailed by other malware/grayware or malicious users. It 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 propagation routine.

It does not have any backdoor routine.

It steals certain information from the system and/or the user.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

21,938 bytes

File Type:

PDF

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

07 Jun 2017

Payload:

Connects to URLs/IPs, Steals information

Arrival Details

This Trojan arrives as an attachment to email messages mass-mailed by other malware/grayware or malicious users.

It arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

Propagation

This Trojan does not have any propagation routine.

Backdoor Routine

This Trojan does not have any backdoor routine.

Information Theft

This Trojan steals the following information:

  • Email address
  • Password

Stolen Information

This Trojan sends the gathered information via HTTP POST to the following URL:

  • http://testing.{BLOCKED}ldgroup.com/testpanoramic1/textures/Office-outlook/index.php
    Sends the gathered/stolen information using this data format:
    • login={email address}&password={password}

Other Details

This Trojan presents the user a fake message tricking them to click on the following link:

  • The link can be found inside the PDF:

  • After clicking on the link, it will redirect to the following website to show a spoofed Office365 login page:
    http://testing.{BLOCKED}ldgroup.com/testpanoramic1/textures/Office-outlook/index.php

  • However, as of this writing, the said site is inaccessible.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

13.456.02

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

07 Jun 2017

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

13.457.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

08 Jun 2017

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

Identify and terminate files detected as PDF_MALPHISH.AUSWV

[ Learn More ]
  1. Windows Task Manager may not display all running processes. In this case, please use a third-party process viewer, preferably Process Explorer, to terminate the malware/grayware/spyware file. You may download the said tool here.
  2. If the detected file is displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer but you cannot delete it, restart your computer in safe mode. To do this, refer to this link for the complete steps.
  3. If the detected file is not displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer, continue doing the next steps.

Step 3

Close all opened browser windows

Step 4

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as PDF_MALPHISH.AUSWV. 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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