TSPY_ZBOT.LAG

Posted: October 17, 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:	7,883
Threat Level:	5/10
Infected PCs:	2,225

First Seen:	October 17, 2012
Last Seen:	September 29, 2023
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

TSPY_ZBOT.LAG is one of two of the most recently-identified variants of the Zeus Trojan, a spyware program that uses highly-advanced techniques to steal information from cookies, e-mail address books and especially bank accounts. Both TSPY_ZBOT.LAG and its fellow variant, TSPY_ZBOT.AMM, use e-mail spam and a third PC threat, the Trojan downloader TSPY_FAREIT.SMC, to infect new computers. Avoiding e-mail links that redirect to Flash updates will help barricade infection vectors for TSPY_ZBOT.LAG, which can steal even highly confidential information without symptoms being shown. If you're in the unfortunate position of needing to get TSPY_ZBOT.LAG out of your computer, SpywareRemove.com malware analysts recommend nothing but the most powerful anti-malware products at your disposal to delete TSPY_ZBOT.LAG.

When Flash Goes to a Trojan that Aims TSPY_ZBOT.LAG Straight at Your Bank Account

The infection route for TSPY_ZBOT.LAG can be traced to e-mail messages that portray themselves either as fake PayPal transactions or as invitations to a WebEx online conference. These e-mail messages are formatted to look similar to actual notifications from these companies, but SpywareRemove.com malware research team has found that the included links lead to a fake Flash update site.

This site's 'Flash update' actually is a Trojan with downloader and spyware features by the name of TSPY_FAREIT.SMC. TSPY_FAREIT.SMC gathers FTP account information from your computer and installs either TSPY_ZBOT.LAG or TSPY_ZBOT.AMM, both of which are derived from the notorious Zeus Trojan.

TSPY_ZBOT.LAG has capabilities that can extend to stealing any information that's stored in cookie files, address book information and other forms of data. However, SpywareRemove.com malware experts consider TSPY_ZBOT.LAG's foremost and most significant target to be bank account information.

By injecting code into web pages as they're loaded on your computer, TSPY_ZBOT.LAG can initiate criminal cash transactions, phish for other information or steal private info. Meanwhile, since TSPY_ZBOT.LAG's injection attacks are made locally, the bank website will continue to display normally to PC users on other computers.

How TSPY_ZBOT.LAG Dodges Your Attempts to Blow It out of the Water

TSPY_ZBOT.LAG uses several methods to conceal itself from easy detection. Instead of launching its own memory process, TSPY_ZBOT.LAG injects its code into all other memory processes that are running. Running processes must be closed before being deleted, which can prove to be a defense against the simplest anti-spyware programs.

TSPY_ZBOT.LAG also uses semi-random file names and makes changes to the Registry that also must be removed. SpywareRemove.com security analysts recommend the use of anti-malware software with a reputation for dealing with high-level threats as the best solution to finding and deleting TSPY_ZBOT.LAG. However, Safe Mode or other alternatives may be required before your anti-malware scanner can gain access to all of TSPY_ZBOT.LAG's components for removal.

Even after TSPY_ZBOT.LAG is removed, you should change any potentially compromised information (such as passwords), since anti-malware programs cannot retroactively retrieve data stolen by TSPY_ZBOT.LAG.

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:

%User Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book\{username}.wab

File name: %User Profile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Address Book\{username}.wab
Mime Type: unknown/wab
Group: Malware file

%User Profile%\Application Data\{RANDOM2}\{RANDOM}.{RANDOM}

File name: %User Profile%\Application Data\{RANDOM2}\{RANDOM}.{RANDOM}
Mime Type: unknown/{RANDOM}
Group: Malware file

%User Profile%\Application Data\{RANDOM1}\{RANDOM}.exe

File name: %User Profile%\Application Data\{RANDOM1}\{RANDOM}.exe
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Group: Malware file

Registry Modifications

The following newly produced Registry Values are:

HKEY..\..\{Value}HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run {GUID} = "%User Profile%\Application Data\{RANDOM1}\{RANDOM}.exe"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\PrivacyCleanCookies = "0"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\GloballyOpenPorts\List{port}:UDP = "{port}:UDP:Enabled:UDP {port}"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\GloballyOpenPorts\List{port}:TCP = "{port}:TCP:Enabled:TCP {port}"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\List%Windows%\explorer.exe = "%Windows%\explorer.exe:*:Enabled:Windows Explorer"HKEY..\..\..\..{Subkeys}HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\WABHKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\{RANDOM}HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Privacy