TROJ_ARTIEF.ZIGS

Posted: April 23, 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:	41

First Seen:	April 23, 2012
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

TROJ_ARTIEF.ZIGS is a Trojan dropper that installs a backdoor Trojan onto your PC, and, thusly presents a severe security threat to any computer. Since TROJ_ARTIEF.ZIGS is distributed as a fake Word Document attachment for spam e-mail messages that pretend to be advisories about London Olympics ticket hoaxes, SpywareRemove.com malware researchers recommend that you be careful to avoid downloading or opening suspicious file attachments that resemble the above description. Other than installing a second Trojan onto your computer, TROJ_ARTIEF.ZIGS hasn't been noted to engage in other attacks, but the Microsoft Office exploit that TROJ_ARTIEF.ZIGS uses to accomplish this can be reconfigured to install other types PC threats, which is why a full system scan is recommended after any possible TROJ_ARTIEF.ZIGS attack. Keeping your relevant software updated is also noted as a helpful means of enhancing your security from TROJ_ARTIEF.ZIGS, which can't deliver its payload without this exploit.

How's TROJ_ARTIEF.ZIGS Criminal Distributors Cover Up the Real Attack with Warnings of a Fake One

TROJ_ARTIEF.ZIGS is propagated by e-mail spam messages that purport to be warnings about ticket hoaxes for the upcoming London Olympics. Enclosed in this spam is a fake .doc file (for an example of one of TROJ_ARTIEF.ZIGS 's possible file names: 'Waring-Tickets for London 2012.doc') that actually is TROJ_ARTIEF.ZIGS in a hidden .rtf format, which allows TROJ_ARTIEF.ZIGS to use the Microsoft Word exploit 'CVE-2010-3333' to attack your PC. This exploit is rated as critical due to its ability to allow hostile software to be installed, which SpywareRemove.com malware analysts have found TROJ_ARTIEF.ZIGS to use to install BKDR_CYSXL.A, a backdoor Trojan.

After BKDR_CYSXL.A has been installed by TROJ_ARTIEF.ZIGS, your computer may reboot, but other symptoms of attacks by BKDR_CYSXL.A haven't been noted. BKDR_CYSXL.A injects its code into svchost.exe (a normal Windows file) to avoid detection and is capable of a wide range of security-threatening attacks that allow criminals to control your PC from a remote Command & Control server. Examples of attacks by BKDR_CYSXL.A that SpywareRemove.com malware analysts have rated as particularly dangerous include forcing your PC into a system freeze, forcing your PC to reboot, creating files, deleting files and contacting a remote server to send or receive data.

Keeping TROJ_ARTIEF.ZIGS from Dancing Its Two-Step Attack on Your Computer's Hard Drive

As TROJ_ARTIEF.ZIGS's sole method of distribution at this point is via its fake hoax alerts about Olympics tickets scams, SpywareRemove.com malware research team is pleased to note that the strongest and easiest way to protect your PC from TROJ_ARTIEF.ZIGS is merely to delete TROJ_ARTIEF.ZIGS's e-mail spam. Anti-malware products that have updated databases should also be able to detect TROJ_ARTIEF.ZIGS and delete TROJ_ARTIEF.ZIGS before attacks can be launched against your computer. A last preventative measure is to update all Microsoft Office software on your computer, which can reduce the presence of exploits like 'CVE-2010-3333' that TROJ_ARTIEF.ZIGS could take advantage of during its attacks.

If you suspect that TROJ_ARTIEF.ZIGS has installed BKDR_CYSXL.A onto your PC, you should avoid any attempt to detect either of these PC threats by yourself, particularly since the latter is noted for its code-injection attacks (which are typical of relatively advanced backdoor Trojans). Until TROJ_ARTIEF.ZIGS and all of its related PC threats are deleted by appropriate anti-malware products, you should consider your computer open to attack by criminals. Likely attacks that SpywareRemove.com malware researchers have discovered in association with backdoor Trojans include theft of personal information, the installation of other PC threats, browser redirects and loss of control over security software and settings.

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:

file.exe

File name: file.exe
Size: 154.55 KB (154555 bytes)
MD5: b5af19ef52141198108a2ac4c8981aeb
Detection count: 56
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: May 4, 2012

%System Root%\Document and Settings\All users\realupdate.exe

File name: %System Root%\Document and Settings\All users\realupdate.exe
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Group: Malware file