PE_URSNIF.A2 - Threat Encyclopedia | Trend Micro (US)
Archived: 2026-04-05 18:16:54 UTC
This is the detection for the infected .EXE and .PDF files related to the URSNIF variant that steals information.
The said information-stealing infector (detected as PE_URSNIF.A-O) has affected countries such as US and UK.
To get a one-glance comprehensive view of the behavior of this Spyware, refer to the Threat Diagram shown
below.
Arrival Details
This malware arrives via the following means:
MSI files infected by PE_URSNIF.A-O
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Installation
This spyware adds the following folders:
%All Users Profile%\Application Data\SoftwareProtectionPlatform
(Note: %All Users Profile% is the All Users folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users on
Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\ProgramData on Windows Vista
(32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit),
Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)
It drops the following files:
%System%\wsauth.exe - mother file detected as PE_URSNIF.A-O
%Application Data%\SoftwareProtectionPlatform\sppc.exe - mother file detected as PE_URSNIF.A-O
(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows
operating system versions.. %Application Data% is the Application Data folder, where it usually is C:\Documents
and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and
64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit),
Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)
Its DLL component is injected to the following process(es):
explorer.exe
iexplore.exe
firefox.exe
chrome.exe
services.exe
Autostart Technique
This spyware registers itself as a system service to ensure its automatic execution at every system startup by
adding the following registry entries:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\wsauth
ImagePath = "%System%\wsauth.exe -s"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\wsauth
DisplayName = "Windows Software Protection"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\wsauth
Description = "This windows service enables the download, installation and enforcement of digital licenses for
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Windows and Windows applications. If the service is disabled, the operating system and licensed applications may
run in a notification mode. It is strongly recommended that you not disable the Software Protection Service."
It adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
dumpnsta = "%Application Data%\SoftwareProtectionPlatform\sppc.exe"
It registers as a system service to ensure its automatic execution at every system startup by adding the following
registry keys:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\wsauth
File Infection
This spyware infects the following files:
*.pdf - detected as PE_URSNIF.A1
*.msi - detected as PE_URSNIF.A2
setup.exe
It infects these files found in all removable and network drives
This is the Trend Micro detection for files infected by:
PE_URSNIF.A-O
Propagation
This spyware drops copies of itself in the following drives:
removable drives
network drives
It drops copies of itself in network drives such as the following:
{drive letter}:\Temp.exe
It drops the following copy(ies) of itself in all removable drives:
{drive letter}:\Temp.exe
Information Theft
This spyware gathers the following data:
System Information (Please see notes for more details)
Running processes and services
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Installed device drivers
Programs installed
Screenshots
Stolen Information
This spyware sends the gathered information via HTTP POST to the following URL:
where {domain} can be any of the following:
com
net
org
info
http://{random letters}.{domain}/pki/mscorp/crl/msiwww2.crl
http://{random letters}.{domain}/pki/mscorp/crl/MSIT%20Machine%20Auth%20CA%202(1).crl
Other Details
This spyware does the following:
It hooks the following WININET.DLL exported functions when the DLL component is loaded in
IEXPLORE.EXE to monitor network traffic:
HttpOpenRequestA
HttpOpenRequestW
HttpSendRequestA
HttpSendRequestW
HttpQueryInfoA
HttpQueryInfoW
InternetReadFile
InternetReadFileExA
InternetReadFileExW
InternetQueryDataAvailable
It hooks the following NSS3.DLL or NSPR4.DLL exported functions when the DLL component is loaded
in FIREFOX.EXE to monitor network traffic:
PR_Read
PR_Write
PR_Close
PR_Poll
PR_Available
It hooks unnamed functions exported by CHROME.DLL when the DLL component is loaded in
CHROME.EXE to monitor network traffic.
If CHROME.DLL is not found, it will hook the following APIs exported by KERNEL32.DLL:
LoadLibraryA
LoadLibraryW
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LoadLibraryExA
LoadLibraryExW
It will drop and execute a temporary file, %User Temp%\~{random}.tmp, which is responsible in injecting
its embedded DLL component to the said processes stated above. The temporary file will terminate and
delete itself, afterwards. This dropped component is detected as TSPY_URSNIF.SM3.
(Note: %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user
name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit);
C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit),
Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)
NOTES:
It issues the following commands in Command Prompt (cmd) to gather its stolen information:
systeminfo
tasklist /SVC (enumerate processes and services)
driverquery (gather information on installed drivers)
reg.exe query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall" /s (gather installed
programs)
Systeminfo will return the following system information:
Host Name
OS Name, Version, Manufacturer, Configuration and Build Type
Registered Owner and Organization
Product ID
Original Install Date
System Up Time
System Manufacturer, Model and type
Processor(s)
BIOS version
Windows and System directory
Boot Device
System and Input Locale
Time Zone
Total and Available Memory
Virtual Memory information (Max, Available, In Use)
Page file locations
Domain
Logon server
Hotfix(s)
Network card(s)
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The information gathered will be saved to temporary file %User Temp%\~{random}.tmp, which serves as its
stolen information dump/log file. After the file is sent to its C&C server, the malware deletes it.
Step 2
Note that not all files, folders, and registry keys and entries are installed on your computer during this
malware's/spyware's/grayware's execution. This may be due to incomplete installation or other operating system
conditions. If you do not find the same files/folders/registry information, please proceed to the next step.
Step 3
Remove malware/grayware files dropped/downloaded by PE_URSNIF.A2. (Note: Please skip this step if the
threats listed below have already been removed.)
PE_URSNIF.A1
TSPY_URSNIF.SM3
PE_URSNIF.A-O
Step 4
Restart in Safe Mode
[ Learn More ]
Step 5
Delete this registry key
[ Learn More ]
=Important: Editing the Windows Registry incorrectly can lead to irreversible system malfunction. Please do this
only if you know how to or you can seek your system administrator’s help. You may also check out this Microsoft
article first before modifying your computer's registry.
In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services
wsauth
Step 6
Delete this registry value
[ Learn More ]
Important: Editing the Windows Registry incorrectly can lead to irreversible system malfunction. Please do this
step only if you know how or you can ask assistance from your system administrator. Else, check this Microsoft
articleopen on a new tab first before modifying your computer's registry.
In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
dumpnsta = "%Application Data%\SoftwareProtectionPlatform\sppc.exe"
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Step 7
Search and delete this folder
[ Learn More ]
Please make sure you check the Search Hidden Files and Folders checkbox in the More advanced options option
to include all hidden folders in the search result.
%Application Data%\SoftwareProtectionPlatform
Step 8
Search and delete these files
[ Learn More ]
There may be some files that are hidden. Please make sure you check the Search Hidden Files and Folders
checkbox in the "More advanced options" option to include all hidden files and folders in the search result.  
%User Temp%\~{random}.tmp
Step 9
Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as
PE_URSNIF.A2. If the detected files have already been cleaned, deleted, or quarantined by your Trend Micro
product, no further step is required. You may opt to simply delete the quarantined files. Please check this
Knowledge Base pageopen on a new tab for more information.
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Source: https://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/us/threat-encyclopedia/malware/PE_URSNIF.A2?_ga=2.131425807.1462021705.1559742358-120
2584019.1549394279
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