TROJ_POWLOAD.AUSJTF

 Analysis by: Henry Alarcon Jr.

 ALIASES:

Trojan:Win32/Tiggre!rfn (Microsoft), MSIL/PowerShell.4E38!tr (Fortinet), ML.Attribute.HighConfidence (Symantec)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

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.

However, as of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

23552 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

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.

Autostart Technique

This Trojan drops the following file(s) in the Windows User Startup folder to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

  • %User Startup%\msceInter.exe

(Note: %User Startup% is the current user's Startup folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Profiles\{user name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\Profiles\{user name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows NT, C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows XP, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows Vista, 7, and 8.)

Other Details

This Trojan connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}3.179:7777

However, as of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

13.880.06

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

02 Jan 2018

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

13.881.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

03 Jan 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

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.  
  • %User Startup%\msceInter.exe

Step 4

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as TROJ_POWLOAD.AUSJTF. 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 the following Trend Micro Support pages for more information:


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