Content

StartPage-EC

Type
Trojan
SubType
StartPage
Discovery Date
06/30/2004
Length
23,040 Bytes
Minimum DAT
4371 (06/30/2004)
Updated DAT
4690 (02/06/2006)
Minimum Engine
5.1.00
Description Added
06/30/2004
Description Modified
08/03/2004 9:45 AM (PT)
Risk Assessment
Corporate User
Low
Home User
Low

Tab Navigation

Characteristics

This trojan alters the default start page and the search page of Internet Explorer. When run, it drops the html file used for the start page.

  • C:\spex\start.html

Then it modifies the registry keys to change the default start page to the html, such as:

  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main "Start Page" = file://c:/spex/start.html
  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main "Start Page" = file://c:/spex/start.html

This trojan also changes the search page as follows.

  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main "Search Page" = http://www.myexexex.com/search.php?said=spage&qq=%s
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main "Search Page" =http://www.myexexex.com/search.php?said=spage&qq=%s
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main "Search Bar" = http://www.myexexex.com/searchbar.php

This trojan drops a dll file to the Windows System directory, typically:

  • C:\WINDOWS\system32\something.dll

The something.dll file is registered as an IE extension by modifying the following registry keys.

  • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{237AA178-C3BC-4f67-A8BB-D8BC14BA0B89}\InprocServer32
    "(Default)" = C:\WINDOWS\System32\something.dll
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Extensions\{237AA178-C3BC-4f67-A8BB-D8BC14BA0B89}
    "clsid" = {237AA178-C3BC-4f67-A8BB-D8BC14BA0B89}
  • HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-1644491937-1275210071-1801674531-1003_Classes\CLSID\{237AA178-C3BC-4f67-A8BB-D8BC14BA0B89}\InprocServer32
    "(Default)" = C:\WINDOWS\System32\something.dll
  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{237AA178-C3BC-4f67-A8BB-D8BC14BA0B89}\InprocServer32
    "(Default)" = C:\WINDOWS\System32\something.dll
  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Extensions\{237AA178-C3BC-4f67-A8BB-D8BC14BA0B89}
    "clsid" = {237AA178-C3BC-4f67-A8BB-D8BC14BA0B89}

Symptoms

  • Existence of the above registry keys
  • Modification of the start page and the search page of IE

Method of Infection

Trojans do not self-replicate. They are spread manually, often under the premise that the executable is something beneficial. Distribution channels include IRC, peer-to-peer networks, newsgroup postings, email, etc

Removal

All Users:
Use current engine and DAT files for detection and removal.

Modifications made to the system Registry and/or INI files for the purposes of hooking system startup, will be successfully removed if cleaning with the recommended engine and DAT combination (or higher).

Additional Windows ME/XP removal considerations

Variants

Variants

    N/A

All Information

Overview -

This is a trojan detection. Unlike viruses, trojans do not self-replicate. They are spread manually, often under the premise that they are beneficial or wanted. The most common installation methods involve system or security exploitation, and unsuspecting users manually executing unknown programs. Distribution channels include email, malicious or hacked web pages, Internet Relay Chat (IRC), peer-to-peer networks, etc.

Characteristics

Characteristics -

This trojan alters the default start page and the search page of Internet Explorer. When run, it drops the html file used for the start page.

  • C:\spex\start.html

Then it modifies the registry keys to change the default start page to the html, such as:

  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main "Start Page" = file://c:/spex/start.html
  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main "Start Page" = file://c:/spex/start.html

This trojan also changes the search page as follows.

  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main "Search Page" = http://www.myexexex.com/search.php?said=spage&qq=%s
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main "Search Page" =http://www.myexexex.com/search.php?said=spage&qq=%s
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main "Search Bar" = http://www.myexexex.com/searchbar.php

This trojan drops a dll file to the Windows System directory, typically:

  • C:\WINDOWS\system32\something.dll

The something.dll file is registered as an IE extension by modifying the following registry keys.

  • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{237AA178-C3BC-4f67-A8BB-D8BC14BA0B89}\InprocServer32
    "(Default)" = C:\WINDOWS\System32\something.dll
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Extensions\{237AA178-C3BC-4f67-A8BB-D8BC14BA0B89}
    "clsid" = {237AA178-C3BC-4f67-A8BB-D8BC14BA0B89}
  • HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-1644491937-1275210071-1801674531-1003_Classes\CLSID\{237AA178-C3BC-4f67-A8BB-D8BC14BA0B89}\InprocServer32
    "(Default)" = C:\WINDOWS\System32\something.dll
  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\CLSID\{237AA178-C3BC-4f67-A8BB-D8BC14BA0B89}\InprocServer32
    "(Default)" = C:\WINDOWS\System32\something.dll
  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Extensions\{237AA178-C3BC-4f67-A8BB-D8BC14BA0B89}
    "clsid" = {237AA178-C3BC-4f67-A8BB-D8BC14BA0B89}

Symptoms

Symptoms -

  • Existence of the above registry keys
  • Modification of the start page and the search page of IE

Method of Infection

Method of Infection -

Trojans do not self-replicate. They are spread manually, often under the premise that the executable is something beneficial. Distribution channels include IRC, peer-to-peer networks, newsgroup postings, email, etc

Removal -

Removal -

All Users:
Use current engine and DAT files for detection and removal.

Modifications made to the system Registry and/or INI files for the purposes of hooking system startup, will be successfully removed if cleaning with the recommended engine and DAT combination (or higher).

Additional Windows ME/XP removal considerations

Variants

Variants -

    N/A