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TrojanSpy.MSIL.NEGASTEAL.BH

July 26, 2019
 Analysis by: Arianne Grace Dela Cruz
 ALIASES:

HEUR:Backdoor.MSIL.NanoBot.gen (KASPERSKY); Troj/Bladabi-UA (SOPHOS_LITE)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan Spy

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

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

It adds certain registry entries to disable the Task Manager. This action prevents users from terminating the malware process, which can usually be done via the Task Manager.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

611,840 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Initial Samples Received Date:

22 Jul 2019

Arrival Details

This Trojan Spy 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 Spy adds the following folders:

  • %Application Data%\{random}\Firefox\Profiles\{random}.default\
  • %Application Data%\{random}\Chrome\Default\

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

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

  • %Application Data%\newapp\newapp.exe

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

It drops the following files:

  • %Application Data%\{random}\Chrome\Default\Cookies
  • %Application Data%\{random}\Firefox\Profiles\{random}.default\cookies.sqlite
  • %Application Data%\{random}.zip
  • %AppDataLocal%\GDIPFONTCACHEV1.DAT

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

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
newapp = %Application Data%\newapp\newapp.exe

Other System Modifications

This Trojan Spy adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SystemRestore
DisableSR = 1

It adds the following registry entries to disable the Task Manager:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
System
DisableTaskMgr = 1

Other Details

This Trojan Spy connects to the following URL(s) to get the affected system's IP address:

  • checkip.{BLOCKED}aws.com

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

15.250.02

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

22 Jul 2019

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

15.251.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

23 Jul 2019

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\CurrentVersion\Run
    • newapp = %Application Data%\newapp\newapp.exe
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SystemRestore
    • DisableSR = 1
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
    • DisableTaskMgr = 1

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.
  • %Application Data%\newapp\newapp.exe
  • %Application Data%\GDIPFONTCACHEV1.DAT
  • %Application Data%\{random}.zip
  • %Application Data%\{random}\Chrome\Default\Cookies
  • %Application Data%\{random}\Firefox\Profiles\{random}.default\cookies.sqlite

Step 6

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TrojanSpy.MSIL.NEGASTEAL.BH. 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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