The CobInt Trojan is a newly devised malware that has been identified in several ongoing attacks. It is an upgraded version of a previous weapon that has the potential of infecting whole networks of computers. A dangerous characteristic of it is its ability to deploy various modules according to the victim type. Our article illustrates the typical strain behavior and shows infected computers may be recovered.
Threat Summary
| Name | CobInt Trojan |
| Type | Trojan |
| Short Description | The CobInt Trojan is a computer virus that is designed to silently infiltrate computer systems, active infections will spy on the victim users. |
| Symptoms | The victims may not experience any apparent symptoms of infection. |
| Distribution Method | Freeware Installations, Bundled Packages, Scripts and others. |
| Detection Tool |
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| User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss CobInt Trojan. |
CobInt Trojan – Distribution Methods
The CobInt Trojan is the latest malware threat coming it from the Cobalt hacking collective. It is believed that this is merely a next-generation updated threat based on their previous weapons.
The newly updated version was initially discovered in an attack campaign in August focusing on Russian and Romanian banks and financial institutions. Previous versions of it were configured to act against companies such as telecom providers, the manufacturing industry, health care organizations and etc.
The most prominent distribution method used by the criminals appears to be sending of phishing email messages orchestrated by a special kit used by the hackers. They can spread virus files, infected documents and other payload carriers directly or hyperlink them in the body contents. The emails are designed to appear as being sent by a popular Internet service or
In August four attack campaigns have been observed, most of the leverage an exploit that takes advantage of an vulnerability in the Microsoft Office applications. An analysis of the captured samples indicate that the particular threat is the one described in the CVE-2018-8174 advisory. It reads the following:
A remote code execution vulnerability exists in the way that the VBScript engine handles objects in memory. The vulnerability could corrupt memory in such a way that an attacker could execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could gain the same user rights as the current user. If the current user is logged on with administrative user rights, an attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could take control of an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.
In a web-based attack scenario, an attacker could host a specially crafted website that is designed to exploit the vulnerability through Internet Explorer and then convince a user to view the website. An attacker could also embed an ActiveX control marked “safe for initialization” in an application or Microsoft Office document that hosts the IE rendering engine. The attacker could also take advantage of compromised websites and websites that accept or host user-provided content or advertisements. These websites could contain specially crafted content that could exploit the vulnerability.
As such upon interaction with malicious documents of any popular kind the CobInt Trojan: rich text documents, spreadsheets, presentations and databases. Whenever they are opened a notification box will appear asking the users to enable the built-in scripts, if this is done the infection will follow.
Three other Office related vulnerabilities that are being used are the following:
- CVE-2017-8570 — A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Microsoft Office software when it fails to properly handle objects in memory. An attacker who successfully exploited the vulnerability could use a specially crafted file to perform actions in the security context of the current user. For example, the file could then take actions on behalf of the logged-on user with the same permissions as the current user.
- CVE-2017-11882 — Microsoft Office 2007 Service Pack 3, Microsoft Office 2010 Service Pack 2, Microsoft Office 2013 Service Pack 1, and Microsoft Office 2016 allow an attacker to run arbitrary code in the context of the current user by failing to properly handle objects in memory.
- CVE-2018-0802 — Equation Editor in Microsoft Office 2007, Microsoft Office 2010, Microsoft Office 2013, and Microsoft Office 2016 allow a remote code execution vulnerability due to the way objects are handled in memory.
Related scripts that can help deliver the Trojan threat to the target computers include also web scripts — they can cause the dangerous behavior and can make use of various interactive elements: banners, pop-ups, ads and etc.
As the ongoing attacks target financial institutions the Trojan installation code can be embedded in application installers — they are hacker-created setup files of popular software that the clients or company employees might use. They can uploaded to hacker-controlled download portals that mimic the official vendor download pages. By using similar sounding domain names and security certificates the users can be fooled into downloading the malicious installer packages.
CobInt Trojan – Detailed Description
The CobInt Trojan infection follows a complex infection pattern– that is generally broken into three main stages.
The first stage of infection is the payload delivery itself. Depending on the method of infection this can be done via a script or an application dropper. It would connect to a predefined download server from where on the second stage modules are downloaded. The entire CobInt Trojan is modular in nature and it can interact with components that are downloaded in different stages, this allows the criminals to devise custom parameters according to each individual campaign or target itself. This step acquires the main malicious module and any components that are required during the forthcoming installation.
The CobInt Trojan then be started which is the second step as defined in the behavior pattern. Like other typical strains it will connect to a specific hacker-controlled server. This is done via a secure, stable and encrypted connection which allows the operators to spy on the users, take over control of their machines and deploy other threats.
During its execution the various processes are disguised as Windows functions by employing an advanced protection stealth protection module. It is able to hook up to system processes and impersonate them. By comparing it to other similar threats it can also include a data harvesting process which can harvest information that can be grouped into two main categories:
- Private User Data — The malicious engine can hijack sensitive information that can be used to expose the identity of the victims. An example list includes their name, address, location, interests, location and any stored account credentials.
- Campaign Metrics — The malicious engine can harvest data that can be used to optimize the campaigns. This includes a report of all installed hardware components, operating system values and user settings.
The third step in the infection process is the deployment of all additional modules. They can be different depending on the ongoing campaign instructions.
Future versions can be configured to run several processes such as the following:
- Windows Registry Modifications — A delivered module can be configured into applying various changes to the Windows Registry. If they are made against the operating system then overall performance may degrade. Modifications to individual applications can result in the inability to run certain functions.
- Persistent Installation — The CobInt Trojan can be installed as a persistent threat which will automatically start the engine once the computer is powered on. This can alo disable certain system services and access to the recovery boot menu.
- Delete Commands — The engine can identify and delete Shadow Volume Copies and System Restore points. This can make system restore very difficult.
- Additional Modules Deployment — Infected host can be ordered into downloading other threats automatically.
We anticipate that the Trojan will be updated in the future with additional functionality.
Remove CobInt Trojan Trojan
If your computer system got infected with the CobInt Trojan Trojan, you should have a bit of experience in removing malware. You should get rid of this Trojan as quickly as possible before it can have the chance to spread further and infect other computers. You should remove the Trojan and follow the step-by-step instructions guide provided below.
Note! Your computer system may be affected by CobInt Trojan and other threats.
Scan Your PC with SpyHunter
SpyHunter is a powerful malware removal tool designed to help users with in-depth system security analysis, detection and removal of CobInt Trojan.
Keep in mind, that SpyHunter’s scanner is only for malware detection. If SpyHunter detects malware on your PC, you will need to purchase SpyHunter’s malware removal tool to remove the malware threats. Read our SpyHunter 5 review. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter’s EULA, Privacy Policy and Threat Assessment Criteria.
To remove CobInt Trojan follow these steps:
Boot Your PC Into Safe Mode
1. For Windows XP, Vista and 7.
2. For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10.
Fix registry entries created by malware and PUPs on your PC.For Windows XP, Vista and 7 systems:
1. Remove all CDs and DVDs, and then Restart your PC from the “Start” menu.
2. Select one of the two options provided below:
– For PCs with a single operating system: Press “F8” repeatedly after the first boot screen shows up during the restart of your computer. In case the Windows logo appears on the screen, you have to repeat the same task again.
– For PCs with multiple operating systems: Тhe arrow keys will help you select the operating system you prefer to start in Safe Mode. Press “F8” just as described for a single operating system.
3. As the “Advanced Boot Options” screen appears, select the Safe Mode option you want using the arrow keys. As you make your selection, press “Enter“.
4. Log on to your computer using your administrator account
While your computer is in Safe Mode, the words “Safe Mode” will appear in all four corners of your screen.
Step 1: Open up the Start Menu.
Step 2: Click on the Power button (for Windows 8 it is the little arrow next to the “Shut Down” button) and whilst holding down “Shift” click on Restart.
Step 3: After reboot, a blue menu with options will appear. From them you should choose Troubleshoot.
Step 4: You will see the Troubleshoot menu. From this menu choose Advanced Options.
Step 5: After the Advanced Options menu appears, click on Startup Settings.
Step 6: From the Startup Settings menu, click on Restart.
Step 7: A menu will appear upon reboot. You can choose any of the three Safe Mode options by pressing its corresponding number and the machine will restart.
Some malicious scripts may modify the registry entries on your computer to change different settings. This is why cleaning your Windows Registry Database is recommended. Since the tutorial on how to do this is a bit long and tampering with registries could damage your computer if not done properly you should refer and follow our instructive article about fixing registry entries, especially if you are unexperienced in that area.
Find files created by CobInt Trojan
1. For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10. 2. For Windows XP, Vista, and 7.For Newer Windows Operating Systems
Step 1:
On your keyboard press + R and write explorer.exe in the Run text box and then click on the Ok button.
Step 2:
Click on your PC from the quick access bar. This is usually an icon with a monitor and its name is either “My Computer”, “My PC” or “This PC” or whatever you have named it.
Step 3:
Navigate to the search box in the top-right of your PC’s screen and type “fileextension:” and after which type the file extension. If you are looking for malicious executables, an example may be “fileextension:exe”. After doing that, leave a space and type the file name you believe the malware has created. Here is how it may appear if your file has been found:
N.B. We recommend to wait for the green loading bar in the navination box to fill up in case the PC is looking for the file and hasn’t found it yet.
For Older Windows Operating Systems
In older Windows OS’s the conventional approach should be the effective one:
Step 1:
Click on the Start Menu icon (usually on your bottom-left) and then choose the Search preference.
Step 2:
After the search window appears, choose More Advanced Options from the search assistant box. Another way is by clicking on All Files and Folders.
Step 3:
After that type the name of the file you are looking for and click on the Search button. This might take some time after which results will appear. If you have found the malicious file, you may copy or open its location by right-clicking on it.
Now you should be able to discover any file on Windows as long as it is on your hard drive and is not concealed via special software.
Use SpyHunter to scan for malware and unwanted programs
Scan your PC and Remove CobInt Trojan with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool and back up your data
1. Install SpyHunter to scan for CobInt Trojan and remove them.2. Scan with SpyHunter, Detect and Remove CobInt Trojan.
Back up your data to secure it from malware in the future.It is recommended to run a scan before purchasing the full version of the software to make sure that the current version of the malware can be detected by SpyHunter. Click on the corresponding links to check SpyHunter’s EULA, Privacy Policy and Threat Assessment Criteria.
Step 2: Guide yourself by the download instructions provided for each browser.
Step 3: After you have installed SpyHunter, wait for it to update automatically.
Step 1: After the update process has finished, click on the ‘Malware/PC Scan’ tab. A new window will appear. Click on ‘Start Scan’.
Step 2: After SpyHunter has finished scanning your PC for any files of the associated threat and found them, you can try to get them removed automatically and permanently by clicking on the ‘Next’ button.
Step 3: If any threats have been removed, it is highly recommended to restart your PC.
Back up your data to secure it against attacks in the future
IMPORTANT! Before reading the Windows backup instructions, we highly recommend to back up your data with a cloud backup solution and insure your files against any type of loss, even from the most severe threats. We recommend you to read more about it and to download SOS Online Backup .
Martin Beltov
Martin graduated with a degree in Publishing from Sofia University. As a cyber security enthusiast he enjoys writing about the latest threats and mechanisms of intrusion.
Follow Me:
- Guide 1: How to Remove CobInt Trojan from Windows.
- Guide 2: Get rid of CobInt Trojan from Mac OS X.
- Guide 3: Remove CobInt Trojan from Google Chrome.
- Guide 4: Erase CobInt Trojan from Mozilla Firefox.
- Guide 5: Uninstall CobInt Trojan from Microsoft Edge.
- Guide 6: Remove CobInt Trojan from Safari.
- Guide 7: Eliminate CobInt Trojan from Internet Explorer.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
How to Remove CobInt Trojan from Windows.
Step 1: Boot Your PC In Safe Mode to isolate and remove CobInt Trojan
Step 2: Uninstall CobInt Trojan and related software from Windows
Here is a method in few easy steps that should be able to uninstall most programs. No matter if you are using Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista or XP, those steps will get the job done. Dragging the program or its folder to the recycle bin can be a very bad decision. If you do that, bits and pieces of the program are left behind, and that can lead to unstable work of your PC, errors with the file type associations and other unpleasant activities. The proper way to get a program off your computer is to Uninstall it. To do that:
Follow the instructions above and you will successfully uninstall most programs.
Step 3: Clean any registries, created by CobInt Trojan on your computer.
The usually targeted registries of Windows machines are the following:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
You can access them by opening the Windows registry editor and deleting any values, created by CobInt Trojan there. This can happen by following the steps underneath:
Tip: To find a virus-created value, you can right-click on it and click "Modify" to see which file it is set to run. If this is the virus file location, remove the value.
Before starting "Step 4", please boot back into Normal mode, in case you are currently in Safe Mode.
This will enable you to install and use SpyHunter 5 successfully.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Get rid of CobInt Trojan from Mac OS X.
Step 1: Uninstall CobInt Trojan and remove related files and objects
1. Hit the ⇧+⌘+U keys to open Utilities. Another way is to click on “Go” and then click “Utilities”, like the image below shows:
- Go to Finder.
- In the search bar type the name of the app that you want to remove.
- Above the search bar change the two drop down menus to “System Files” and “Are Included” so that you can see all of the files associated with the application you want to remove. Bear in mind that some of the files may not be related to the app so be very careful which files you delete.
- If all of the files are related, hold the ⌘+A buttons to select them and then drive them to “Trash”.
In case you cannot remove CobInt Trojan via Step 1 above:
In case you cannot find the virus files and objects in your Applications or other places we have shown above, you can manually look for them in the Libraries of your Mac. But before doing this, please read the disclaimer below:
You can repeat the same procedure with the following other Library directories:
→ ~/Library/LaunchAgents
/Library/LaunchDaemons
Tip: ~ is there on purpose, because it leads to more LaunchAgents.
Step 2: Scan for and remove CobInt Trojan files from your Mac
When you are facing problems on your Mac as a result of unwanted scripts and programs such as CobInt Trojan, the recommended way of eliminating the threat is by using an anti-malware program. SpyHunter for Mac offers advanced security features along with other modules that will improve your Mac’s security and protect it in the future.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Remove CobInt Trojan from Google Chrome.
Step 1: Start Google Chrome and open the drop menu
Step 2: Move the cursor over "Tools" and then from the extended menu choose "Extensions"
Step 3: From the opened "Extensions" menu locate the unwanted extension and click on its "Remove" button.
Step 4: After the extension is removed, restart Google Chrome by closing it from the red "X" button at the top right corner and start it again.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Erase CobInt Trojan from Mozilla Firefox.
Step 1: Start Mozilla Firefox. Open the menu window
Step 2: Select the "Add-ons" icon from the menu.
Step 3: Select the unwanted extension and click "Remove"
Step 4: After the extension is removed, restart Mozilla Firefox by closing it from the red "X" button at the top right corner and start it again.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Uninstall CobInt Trojan from Microsoft Edge.
Step 1: Start Edge browser.
Step 2: Open the drop menu by clicking on the icon at the top right corner.
Step 3: From the drop menu select "Extensions".
Step 4: Choose the suspected malicious extension you want to remove and then click on the gear icon.
Step 5: Remove the malicious extension by scrolling down and then clicking on Uninstall.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Remove CobInt Trojan from Safari.
Step 1: Start the Safari app.
Step 2: After hovering your mouse cursor to the top of the screen, click on the Safari text to open its drop down menu.
Step 3: From the menu, click on "Preferences".
Step 4: After that, select the 'Extensions' Tab.
Step 5: Click once on the extension you want to remove.
Step 6: Click 'Uninstall'.
A pop-up window will appear asking for confirmation to uninstall the extension. Select 'Uninstall' again, and the CobInt Trojan will be removed.
Windows Mac OS X Google Chrome Mozilla Firefox Microsoft Edge Safari Internet Explorer
Eliminate CobInt Trojan from Internet Explorer.
Step 1: Start Internet Explorer.
Step 2: Click on the gear icon labeled 'Tools' to open the drop menu and select 'Manage Add-ons'
Step 3: In the 'Manage Add-ons' window.
Step 4: Select the extension you want to remove and then click 'Disable'. A pop-up window will appear to inform you that you are about to disable the selected extension, and some more add-ons might be disabled as well. Leave all the boxes checked, and click 'Disable'.
Step 5: After the unwanted extension has been removed, restart Internet Explorer by closing it from the red 'X' button located at the top right corner and start it again.
