According to Trend Micro experts, one of the detected spam letters contained the traces of Andromeda botnet.
The researchers claimed that spam messages contain either malicious attachments or links leading to compromised websites that download the set of Blackhole exploits.
The Andromeda botnet, first discovered in 2011, may include several different modules, such as keyloggers, rootkits, and SOCKS4 proxy-modules. Just as any backdoor, the botnet can download and execute different files on the victim’s machine, as well as update or remove itself when necessary.
Experts stated that hackers sell different versions of apps used by Andromeda ($300-500). They also said that a small number of infected PCs were found in Australia, Turkey and Germany.
According to the researchers, this time Andromeda is spread through removable drivers. Moreover, the scheme is more complicated: botnet is not only spreading its copies, but also divides the file components in order to make the analysis and detection more complicated.
“The latest variant we spotted, which Trend Micro detects as BKDR_ANDROM.DA has the capability to open and listen to TCP Port 8000 and launch Command Shell (cmd.exe). Once a remote system is connected, it can already use all the command capability of the Command Shell rendering the system vulnerable to other malware. It also uses the following native APIs to inject to the normal processes, a technique also seen in DUQU and KULUOZ”, - the experts in Trend Micro said.
