Threat Descriptions

Trojan-Spy (Generic)

Classification

Category :

Malware

Type :

Trojan-Spy

Platform :

W32

Aliases :

Trojan-Spy, Trojan-Spy:W32

Summary

A generic detection has identified a program or file that has code or behavior similar to trojan-spies.

Security programs use generic detections that look for broad patterns of code or behavior to identify similar programs or files. If you suspect the file was incorrectly detected, go to: Removal: Suspect a file is incorrectly detected (a False Positive)?.

Removal

Based on the settings of your F-Secure security product, it will either move the file to the quarantine where it cannot spread or cause harm, or remove it.

Further actions

  • Various trojans may compromise your data or account security by harvesting authentication details (logins and passwords, credit card numbers, etc.). It is therefore very important to change all authentication details after disinfection, to protect against further misuse.
  • If your credit card number has been stolen or your bank account information has been compromised, we recommend that you contact your credit card company or bank for further assistance.
  • Data theft may be legally classified as serious abuse in your jurisdiction; you may wish to contact the local cybercrime authorities for investigation. In this case, do not perform any disinfection actions on your computer before it is inspected by the authorities.

A False Positive is when a file is incorrectly detected as harmful, usually because its code or behavior resembles known harmful programs. A False Positive will usually be fixed in a subsequent database update without any action needed on your part. If you wish, you may also:

  • Check for the latest database updates

    First check if your F-Secure security program is using the latest updates, then try scanning the file again.

  • Submit a sample

    After checking, if you still believe the file is incorrectly detected, you can submit a sample of it for re-analysis.

    Note: If the file was moved to quarantine, you need to collect the file from quarantine before you can submit it.

  • Exclude a file from further scanning

    If you are certain that the file is safe and want to continue using it, you can exclude it from further scanning by the F-Secure security product.

    Note: You need administrative rights to change the settings.

Technical Details

A trojan-spy is a type of trojan with a wide range of capabilities, including performing keylogging, monitoring processes on the computer and stealing data from files saved on the machine.

Installation

Attackers often distribute trojan-spies as part of the payload of another harmful program, such as a trojan-dropper, which silently drops and installs the trojan-spy on a device.

They may also be distributed as disguised files attached to emails. In these cases, the attackers rely on social engineering to trick users into opening the attached files, which then silently installs the trojan-spy.

Some trojans (particularly on the Android platform) are actually copies of legitimate apps that have been repackaged or trojanized to include harmful components. These are often distributed using the same (or very similar) names and designs as popular programs, to increase the chances that users will mistake the trojan for the legitimate app and install it instead.

Impact

Once installed, a trojan-spy will search for specific files or data on the machine. The type of information sought varies depending on the attackers' interests, and can include:

  • Targeting critical files that contain authentication information for certain programs or services
  • Harvesting all documents stored on the machine
  • Monitoring communications or connections made on the machine (.e.g, eavesdropping, or intercepting banking transactions)

Once the desired information is found, the trojan-spy may either copy the files and send the data to a remote server where it can be retrieved by the attacker. Alternatively, the trojan-spy may save the information to a file or folder on the machine itself, which the attacker may retrieve in the future by another method.