| Name | Infostealer.Centerpos |
| Type | Trojan Horse |
| Short Description | The Trojans scans the system for banking and card information. |
| Symptoms | Registry entries are added, a subkey is added as well. |
| Distribution Method | Not clear yet, but possibly spam, unsafe browsing, etc. |
| Detection tool | Download Malware Removal Tool, to See If Your System Has Been Affected By Infostealer.Centerpos |
Trojans are malicious programs that enter the computer in a stealth manner and steal information from it. There are even cases of Trojan horses residing silently in the system and waiting for a signal to be executed. The only way to stay protected against such threats is having enhanced security – an active AV solution, a firewall. In addition, using legitimate programs instead of counterfeit software is another way to keep the system guarded against malicious intruders. However, even the most tech-savvy users can make a mistake and end up with a Trojan. What is more, the presence of Trojan horses in the malware world has been stronger than ever before. Infostealer.Centerpos is a fresh example of a Trojan attack that is currently active in the wild.
Infostealer.Centerpos Technical Details
Information stealers such as Centerpos are usually designed to affect a range of operating systems. In the present case, as reported by Symantec, the following Windows versions can be attacked by the Trojan:
→Windows 2000, Windows 7, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, Windows XP
Infostealer.Centerpos Distribution and Payload
Once Infostealer.Centerpos is executed, it will connect to a remote location such as:
→https://www.dropbox.com/s/ibir4isxow5h9ei/CenterP
Then, several malicious files will be downloaded onto the system as part of the Trojan’s payload:
- %Windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\CenterPoint.exe
- %Windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\V3.0\CenterPoint.exe
- %Windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\V3.5\CenterPoint.exe
- %Windir%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\V4.0.30319\CenterPoint.exe
Trojans horses typically add new registry entries to the Windows registry to make sure they run undisrupted.
Here is a list of some of the values added by Infostealer.Centerpos:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\Root\LEGACY_CENTERPOINT\”NextInstance” = “1”
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\Root\LEGACY_CENTERPOINT\0000\”Service” = “CenterPoint”
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\Root\LEGACY_CENTERPOINT\0000\”Legacy” = “1”
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\Root\LEGACY_CENTERPOINT\0000\”ConfigFlags” = “0”
A registry subkey to register itself as a service is also created:
→ HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\CenterPoint
Finally, Infostealer.Centerpos will scan all of the running processes on the affected system to locate payment card data. Once the valuable data is found, it will be send to a remote server.
Infostealer.Centerpos Removal Options
As you may have guessed, the most secure way to deal with such threats is by using legitimate and powerful anti-malware software. An AV program will immediately locate the Trojan and remove it. However, our research team has created a removal guide that applies to Trojan horses. You can find it below.
Step 1: Start Your PC in Safe Mode to Remove Infostealer.Centerpos.
Removing Infostealer.Centerpos from Windows XP, Vista, 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.
Removing Infostealer.Centerpos from Windows 8, 8.1 and 10 systems:
Substep 1:
Open the Start Menu
Substep 2:
Whilst holding down Shift button, click on Power and then click on Restart.
Substep 3:
After reboot, the aftermentioned menu will appear. From there you should choose Troubleshoot.
Substep 4:
You will see the Troubleshoot menu. From this menu you can choose Advanced Options.
Substep 5:
After the Advanced Options menu appears, click on Startup Settings.
Substep 6:
Click on Restart.
Substep 7:
A menu will appear upon reboot. You should choose Safe Mode by pressing its corresponding number and the machine will restart and boot into Safe Mode so you can scan for and remove Infostealer.Centerpos.
Step 2: Remove Infostealer.Centerpos automatically by downloading an advanced anti-malware program.
To clean your computer you should download an updated anti-malware program on a safe PC and then install it on the affected computer in offline mode. After that you should boot into safe mode and scan your computer to remove all Infostealer.Centerpos associated objects.
