LadyBoyle

Posted: February 8, 2013

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:	2/10
Infected PCs:	80

First Seen:	February 8, 2013
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

LadyBoyle is a Trojan dropper that uses a document-embedded Flash exploit to attack your PC. Since the patch correcting LadyBoyle's exploit was issued recently, updating Flash should be thought of as your most urgent defense mechanism against a possible LadyBoyle infection. LadyBoyle drops several malicious files on your computer, at least one of which SpywareRemove.com malware experts have verified to have backdoor Trojan functions. Such attacks can be used to steal private information, install other malware or take over control of your computer. While you should try to exercise prevention against LadyBoyle attacks, if LadyBoyle does install anything on your PC, anti-malware programs should be used to delete LadyBoyle and all related PC threats.

Why You Shouldn't Take This Dame for a Dance

LadyBoyle, named for a line in its flash scripting entitled as such, appears to be a normal text document and even includes English text content. However, this content's only purpose is to be a distraction from the unseen content in the file: an embedded SWF that launches the vulnerability CVE-2013-0633. There are at least two separate text file versions of LadyBoyle so far, both of which use a Microsoft Word format.

Vulnerable PCs will suffer through LadyBoyle's payload, which includes several malicious EXE files and a malicious DLL file. Current capabilities that SpywareRemove.com malware experts can confirm for LadyBoyle's payload include:

Attempts to use the file names of other programs (such as Google Update) to conceal themselves.
Registry exploits that allow the malware to launch itself automatically when Windows starts.
Contact with a C&C server that may be used to help configure future attacks against the infected PC.
Attempts to detect anti-virus applications. SpywareRemove.com malware researchers note that such attacks often are used to disable AV-related programs or to terminate malicious processes temporarily as a way of avoiding being detected.

Refusing the LadyBoyle's Idea of an Online Dalliance

Malicious text documents like LadyBoyle often are distributed through e-mail spam or social networking messages, and SpywareRemove.com malware analysts always recommend that you scan similar files prior to opening them. Because LadyBoyle, like the majority of Trojan droppers, tries to install its payload without acquiring your notice, there may be few or even no symptoms of a successful LadyBoyle attack.

In spite of this, anti-malware applications should be able to detect and delete LadyBoyle if LadyBoyle's file is scanned before being opened. If you think that you may already have been infected through a LadyBoyle attack, SpywareRemove.com malware experts suggest that you treat your PC as compromised until your anti-malware tools can disinfect your PC completely.

Backdoor Trojans like those that LadyBoyle installs may be party to various attacks against your PC, but the most common issue is the loss of confidential information that can be abused for criminal profiteering. E-mail addresses, credit card numbers and all account passwords may be compromised and should be considered at risk on any PC that's been attacked by LadyBoyle.

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:

%AppData%\config.sys

File name: %AppData%\config.sys
File type: System file
Mime Type: unknown/sys
Group: Malware file