McAfee > Theat Center > Virus Detail Page

Overview

This is a detection for many non-descript password stealing trojans.

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

PWS-Zbot is a Trojan that steals online banking credentials and eventually sends them to a remote server.

System Changes:

These are general defaults for typical path variables. (Although they may differ, these examples are common)
%WinDir% = \WINDOWS (Windows 9x/ME/XP/Vista), \WINNT (Windows NT/2000)
%SystemDir% = \WINDOWS\SYSTEM (Windows 98/ME/XP/Vista), \WINNT\SYSTEM32 (Windows NT/2000)
Upon execution, it drops the following files into the Windows system directory:

·         %Windir%\%SYSDIR%\lowsec\local.ds

·         %Windir%\%SYSDIR%\lowsec\user.ds

·         %Windir%\%SYSDIR%\lowsec\user.ds.lll

·         %Windir%\%SYSDIR%\sdra64.exe

The following registry elements have been created:

HKEY_USERS\DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\{43BF8CD1-C5D5-2230-7BB2-98F22C2B7DC6}

HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-18\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\{43BF8CD1-C5D5-2230-7BB2-98F22C2B7DC6}

The following registry elements have been created:

Adds the string “C:\%WINDIR%\system32\ sdra64.exe” to the “Userinit” value in the following registry key in order to run at Windows start up:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Userinit: "C:\WINDOWS\system32\userinit.exe, C:\WINDOWS\system32\sdra64.exe,"

The applications created the following network connection(s):

http://195.93.XXX.XXX

Symptoms

PWS-Zbot may prevent some applications to be started.

Existence of the aforementioned files and registry entries

Existence of communications to the aforementioned domains

Unexpected HTTP traffic

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 detection for many non-descript password stealing trojans.

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 -

PWS-Zbot is a Trojan that steals online banking credentials and eventually sends them to a remote server.

System Changes:

These are general defaults for typical path variables. (Although they may differ, these examples are common)
%WinDir% = \WINDOWS (Windows 9x/ME/XP/Vista), \WINNT (Windows NT/2000)
%SystemDir% = \WINDOWS\SYSTEM (Windows 98/ME/XP/Vista), \WINNT\SYSTEM32 (Windows NT/2000)
Upon execution, it drops the following files into the Windows system directory:

·         %Windir%\%SYSDIR%\lowsec\local.ds

·         %Windir%\%SYSDIR%\lowsec\user.ds

·         %Windir%\%SYSDIR%\lowsec\user.ds.lll

·         %Windir%\%SYSDIR%\sdra64.exe

The following registry elements have been created:

HKEY_USERS\DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\{43BF8CD1-C5D5-2230-7BB2-98F22C2B7DC6}

HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-18\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\{43BF8CD1-C5D5-2230-7BB2-98F22C2B7DC6}

The following registry elements have been created:

Adds the string “C:\%WINDIR%\system32\ sdra64.exe” to the “Userinit” value in the following registry key in order to run at Windows start up:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Userinit: "C:\WINDOWS\system32\userinit.exe, C:\WINDOWS\system32\sdra64.exe,"

The applications created the following network connection(s):

http://195.93.XXX.XXX

Symptoms

Symptoms -

PWS-Zbot may prevent some applications to be started.

Existence of the aforementioned files and registry entries

Existence of communications to the aforementioned domains

Unexpected HTTP traffic

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