Trojan-Downloader.JS.Agent.gsv

Posted: August 2, 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.

Threat Level:	9/10
Infected PCs:	7

First Seen:	August 2, 2012
Last Seen:	October 18, 2020
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

Trojan-Downloader.JS.Agent.gsv is a Trojan downloader that uses browser exploits to run a payload from a randomly-generated domain. This allows Trojan-Downloader.JS.Agent.gsv to circumvent filters against malicious websites and may also hinder general anti-malware detection, although alert PC security vendors are updating their databases for this recently-detected Trojan at the time of this writing. Because Trojan-Downloader.JS.Agent.gsv's payload isn't set to a specific PC threat, consequences of a Trojan-Downloader.JS.Agent.gsv attack can vary, although the result is always the presence of some form of hostile software on your computer. SpywareRemove.com malware researchers recommend scanning your PC if you suspect you've had any contact with Trojan-Downloader.JS.Agent.gsv, although attacks by Trojan-Downloader.JS.Agent.gsv don't show obvious symptoms, encouraging further reliance on passive anti-malware defenses.

The Ingenuity in Trojan-Downloader.JS.Agent.gsv's Download Assault

Although domain-randomizing techniques have, throughout the years, been in use for various purposes (such as designating Command & Control servers for backdoor Trojans), Trojan-Downloader.JS.Agent.gsv is notable as one of the few PC threats to use it for installing other types of malware. Trojan-Downloader.JS.Agent.gsv is a web-based PC threat, and, as such, may be distributed by spam e-mail links, malicious file attachments, intentionally harmful advertisements or even hacked websites that have been forced to redirect to Trojan-Downloader.JS.Agent.gsv.

Trojan-Downloader.JS.Agent.gsv launches itself automatically and uses an iframe exploit to redirect you to a semi-randomized URL with a Russian (.ru) domain suffix. Because the payloads for these domains aren't fixed, Trojan-Downloader.JS.Agent.gsv can be utilized to set up any number of other PC threats, although popular possibilities include Zeus banking Trojans, Cridex banking Trojans and other PC threats that attempt to steal confidential information for profit.

The Defenses That Trojan-Downloader.JS.Agent.gsv's Domain Scrambler Can't Devalue

Trojan-Downloader.JS.Agent.gsv is associated with Blackhole Exploit Kit (also known as BEK or Blackhole) attacks, and, like BEK, can be disabled by turning off JavaScript from your browser's settings. Other browser-related security measures that can be useful against Trojan-Downloader.JS.Agent.gsv include keeping your browser patched to eliminate security flaws, avoiding websites with suspicious content and requesting prompts before a script is allowed to launch. Anti-malware products that are kept updated also should be able to detect Trojan-Downloader.JS.Agent.gsv and other Blackhole Exploit Kit-related PC threats before any malicious software can be dropped onto your PC.

SpywareRemove.com malware researchers also note for reference purposes that Trojan-Downloader.JS.Agent.gsv is also known by the aliases of Trojan: JS/BlacoleRef.W, JS/Blacole-Redirector.aa, Mal/Iframe-AF and Trojan.JS.Iframe.BPN. However, Trojan-Downloader.JS.Agent.gsv is far from the only method of forcing PC users to be exposed to Blackhole Exploit Kit attacks, which continue to be responsible for the distribution of many different PC threats as of the time of this writing. Fortunately, the same safety procedures that defend against Trojan-Downloader.JS.Agent.gsv should also be adequate against similar PC threats that use browser redirect-based exploits on their victims.

Trojan-Downloader.JS.Agent.gsv

Threat Metric

The Ingenuity in Trojan-Downloader.JS.Agent.gsv's Download Assault

The Defenses That Trojan-Downloader.JS.Agent.gsv's Domain Scrambler Can't Devalue

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