Troj/Agent-XNE

Posted: August 28, 2012

Threat Metric

The Threat Meter is a malware assessment that SpywareRemove.com's research team is able to give every identifiable malware threat. Our Threat Meter includes several criteria based off of specific malware threats to value their severity, reach and volume. The Threat Meter is able to give you a numerical breakdown of each threat's initial Threat Level, Detection Count, Volume Count, Trend Path and Percentage Impact. The overall ranking of each threat in the Threat Meter is a basic breakdown of how all threats are ranked within our own extensive malware database. The scoring for each specific malware threat can be easily compared to other emerging threats to draw a contrast in its particular severity. The Threat Meter is a useful tool in the endeavor of seeking a solution to remove a threat or pursue additional analytical research for all types of computer users.

The following fields listed on the Threat Meter containing a specific value, are explained in detail below:

Threat Level: The threat level scale goes from 1 to 10 where 10 is the highest level of severity and 1 is the lowest level of severity. Each specific level is relative to the threat's consistent assessed behaviors collected from SpyHunter's risk assessment model.

Detection Count: The collective number of confirmed and suspected cases of a particular malware threat. The detection count is calculated from infected PCs retrieved from diagnostic and scan log reports generated by SpyHunter.

Volume Count: Similar to the detection count, the Volume Count is specifically based on the number of confirmed and suspected threats infecting systems on a daily basis. High volume counts usually represent a popular threat but may or may not have infected a large number of systems. High detection count threats could lay dormant and have a low volume count. Criteria for Volume Count is relative to a daily detection count.

Trend Path: The Trend Path, utilizing an up arrow, down arrow or equal symbol, represents the level of recent movement of a particular threat. Up arrows represent an increase, down arrows represent a decline and the equal symbol represent no change to a threat's recent movement.

% Impact (Last 7 Days): This demonstrates a 7-day period change in the frequency of a malware threat infecting PCs. The percentage impact correlates directly to the current Trend Path to determine a rise or decline in the percentage.

Ranking:	11,548
Threat Level:	9/10
Infected PCs:	1,148

First Seen:	August 28, 2012
Last Seen:	October 7, 2023
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

Troj/Agent-XNE is a recently-detected backdoor Trojan and Trojan downloader that can install other PC threats, disable security-related features or grant remote attackers access to your computer. Currently, Troj/Agent-XNE is distributed via the same domain that's responsible for Dropper.MsPMs attacks by abusing a Java-based browser exploit. Contact this domain (ok.XXX4.net) with Java enabled for your browser is all that's necessary for your PC to be infected by Troj/Agent-XNE, which SpywareRemove.com malware research team ranks as a high-level threat to your computer. Because the related Java exploit is, at this time, unpatched, having active anti-malware protection may be your only defense against Troj/Agent-XNE – besides, of course, disabling Java completely.

Troj/Agent-XNE – Just the Latest Trojan Delivered by Exploit Entrepreneurs

Troj/Agent-XNE is installed by a zero-day Java (as distinguished from JavaScript) exploit that was only discovered and utilized in online attacks relatively recently. Unfortunately, the limited distribution for the exploit that Troj/Agent-XNE uses isn't likely to be limited in the future, since this exploit (Mal/JavaKnE-H) was just made public and is likely to be incorporated in configurable attack packages like the Blackhole Exploit Kit in the future. SpywareRemove.com malware experts recommend disabling Java for untrustworthy sites until this exploit is corrected. Visiting sites that use this exploit (currently identified as Cxweb/BadDlod-G), without any further interaction, is all that's necessary to be the victim of infection by Troj/Agent-XNE or other PC threats.

SpywareRemove.com malware analysts have confirmed that Troj/Agent-XNE modifies the Registry to launch itself automatically and also makes contact with a Command & Control server that could be used for additional attacks. Other functions by Troj/Agent-XNE can be determined by instructions that Troj/Agent-XNE receives from this C&C server although common risks for backdoor Trojans such as Troj/Agent-XNE include:

Altered online content. Your browser may be redirected, search results may display unusual links and even safe web pages may suffer from injection attacks that cause them to display unsafe content.
Troj/Agent-XNE may disable security features and programs, such as your firewall, Task Manager or IE security zones.
Troj/Agent-XNE also is likely to download and install other malware, such as browser hijackers, spyware or adware.

The Speed Bumps in a Hasty Troj/Agent-XNE Removal

Troj/Agent-XNE uses normal Windows file names to conceal its operations and also modifies normal system files. Therefore, deleting Troj/Agent-XNE safely should use anti-malware products whenever possible, to delete all components of Troj/Agent-XNE without risking any damage to your OS. Unless disabled by Safe Mode, a USB flash drive-based boot or other methods, Troj/Agent-XNE should be considered open and working against your PC by default – even if you don't see symptoms of Troj/Agent-XNE's attacks.

Troj/Agent-XNE's aliases include Backdoor.Darkmoon!gen5, Trojan.Generic.KDV.699796 and Gen:Trojan.Heur.FU.bqW@a4uT4@bb. Like the majority of malware, Troj/Agent-XNE is designed for Windows and SpywareRemove.com malware experts haven't seen any indications of Troj/Agent-XNE having cross-compatibility for other operating systems.

Technical Details

File System Modifications

Tutorials: If you wish to learn how to remove malware components manually, you can read the tutorials on how to find malware, kill unwanted processes, remove malicious DLLs and delete other harmful files. Always be sure to back up your PC before making any changes.

The following files were created in the system:

Flash_update.exe

File name: Flash_update.exe
Size: 16.89 KB (16896 bytes)
MD5: 4a55bf1448262bf71707eef7fc168f7d
Detection count: 98
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: August 29, 2012

Flash_update.exe

File name: Flash_update.exe
Size: 16.89 KB (16896 bytes)
MD5: e3766d35b53a53a4f35f09cf66b90377
Detection count: 95
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: August 29, 2012

file.exe

File name: file.exe
Size: 16.89 KB (16898 bytes)
MD5: 1782ecc4911dff3ca2854b4b3957127e
Detection count: 3
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: August 29, 2012

%SYSTEM%\mspmsnsv.dll

File name: %SYSTEM%\mspmsnsv.dll
File type: Dynamic link library
Mime Type: unknown/dll
Group: Malware file

C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Local Settings\Temp\108718.dat

File name: C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Local Settings\Temp\108718.dat
File type: Data file
Mime Type: unknown/dat
Group: Malware file

Registry Modifications

The following newly produced Registry Values are:

HKEY..\..\..\..{Subkeys}HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WmdmPmSNHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\WmdmPmSN\Enum