What is Topinambour? How to remove Topinambour Trojan from your PC or Mac?
The Topinambour Trojan is a dangerous malware threat which is designed for Microsoft Windows computers. It can be acquired from various sources, every attack campaign can focus on one specific tactic. Usually virus infections like this one are made by interacting with an infected file — this can be either a macro-infected document or a hacker-made software installer. They are often made by taking the legitimate files from their official sources and modifying them with the necessary virus code. Other data can also be affected. All kinds of other data may be used as well — this includes malicious plugins for web browsers and etc. In other cases the hackers can use a direct attacks that will look for system vulnerabilities and weaknesses. If any are found then the Topinambour Trojan will be installed.
This particular threat is known for being spread using a multitude of weaknesses. It is set against both end users and servers. After the infection has been made the Topinambour Trojan can download other threats, launch multiple dangerous modules and install a cryptocurrency miner which will run a sequence of performance-demanding tasks.
Threat Summary
| Name | Topinambour Trojan |
| Type | Malware, Trojan, Miner |
| Short Description | A dangerous malware which can launch a miner and start a Trojan module. |
| Symptoms | The victims may notice performance issues and can get infected with other malware. |
| Distribution Method | Common distribution tactics and direct web attacks. |
| Detection Tool |
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User Experience | Join Our Forum to Discuss Topinambour Trojan. |
Topinambour Trojan – How Did I Get It
The Topinambour Trojan is a Trojan horse infection which comes from the Turla hacking collective, one of the active criminal collectives which are believed to originate from Russia. They are known for conducting large-scale attacks against high-profile targets — they can range from government organisations to private enterprises located across the former Soviet Union nations, the Middle East, Europe, Asia and The Americas. The collective is known for conducting attacks its own tools which they develop from scratch. The newest one is called the Topinambour Trojan which is alternatively called Sunchoke. It has been used in attacks since the beginning of this year.
The main method which is used by the Turla group is to include the dangerous virus installation code in bundle installers of popular applications — they will take the legitimate bundles from their official sources and add in the necessary installation code. The necessary dropper will also include a small .NET-based shell which is used to command the infected host into running certain commands and also installing any third-party modules over the SMB protocol. The reason why this is chosen is because this protocol is widely used for sharing files over internal networks. The virus files can easily be hosted on rented virtual private servers (VPS). The latest samples appear to be hosted on a server located in South Africa.
Other prospective strategies used to deliver the Topinambour Trojan can be the following:
- Email Phishing Messages — The criminals can send messages to the target end users by posing as notifications that have been sent in by popular services or companies. The type of messages that they can include are templates of common emails: password reset reminders, update notifications, login prompts and etc. In any of them the associated infiltration code can be placed.
- Hacker-Made Sites — The criminals can create numerous sites which can lead to the malware infection. They can copy down the design and contents of well-known portals or landing pages and to further confuse visitors into thinking that they are safe the scam pages may be hosted on similar sounding domain names.
Alternatively the Topinambour Trojan may be carried by other malware infections or payload droppers. This would allow the hackers to infect only certain computers which adhere to specific conditions.
Topinambour Trojan – What Does It Do
When the Topinambour Trojan has impacted a given host it will immediately start to execute its built-in sequence of commands. They may be either programmed to do so according to the instructions given by the hackers or after the infection engine has examined the contents and certain operating system values. The Trojan can interact with various modules that can be built on top of JavaScript, .NET or PowerShell code. The main operations can be guided from them — the first actions can be to deliver the required elements in order to manipulate the given host.
The base code is able to establish the basic file operations attributed to most Trojans — downloading of other malicious components and the establishments of a secure connection to a given hacker-controlled server. This gives the hackers the ability to take over control of the given hosts and facilitate other malware actions as well.
To make sure that the Topinambour Trojan will institute all dangerous actions as instructed by its developers it will run every 30 minutes and recheck its configuration file. Some of the interesting characteristics that make it a formidable threat include the following:
- Stealth Deployment — Using a preset command the Topinambour Trojan can spread itself onto the host. This is done by dropping it to to a system location with a suitable name in order to mask the malware as part of the operating system.
- Masquerade Function — The dropped files can appear to the system as being activated by another process.
- Remote Shell Function — The made infections can be programmed to establish a secure tunnel connection to the target hosts. This allows the hackers to conduct all kinds of dangerous activity without making the victims aware.
Having such a Trojan infection will also leads to the execution of a data harvesting process — it can be used to collect sensitive information about both the victims and their machines. The extracted data can be used to carry out crimes such as identity theft and financial abuse.
How to Remove Topinambour Trojan
In order to fully remove Topinambour from your computer system, we recommend that you follow the removal instructions underneath this article. If the first two manual removal steps do not seem to work and you still see Topinambour or programs, related to it, we suggest what most security experts advise – to download and run a scan of your comptuer with a reputable anti-malware program. Downloading this software will not only save you some time, but will remove all of Topinambour files and programs related to it and will protect your computer against such intrusive apps and malware in the future.
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.
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Preparation before removing Topinambour Trojan.
Before starting the actual removal process, we recommend that you do the following preparation steps.
- Make sure you have these instructions always open and in front of your eyes.
- Do a backup of all of your files, even if they could be damaged. You should back up your data with a cloud backup solution and insure your files against any type of loss, even from the most severe threats.
- Be patient as this could take a while.
- Scan for Malware
- Fix Registries
- Remove Virus Files
Step 1: Scan for Topinambour Trojan with SpyHunter Anti-Malware Tool
Step 2: Clean any registries, created by Topinambour 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 Topinambour 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.Step 3: Find virus files created by Topinambour Trojan on your PC.
1.For Windows 8, 8.1 and 10.
For Newer Windows Operating Systems
1: On your keyboard press + R and write explorer.exe in the Run text box and then click on the Ok button.
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.
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 navigation box to fill up in case the PC is looking for the file and hasn't found it yet.
2.For Windows XP, Vista, and 7.
For Older Windows Operating Systems
In older Windows OS's the conventional approach should be the effective one:
1: Click on the Start Menu icon (usually on your bottom-left) and then choose the Search preference.
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.
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.
Topinambour Trojan FAQ
What Does Topinambour Trojan Trojan Do?
The Topinambour Trojan Trojan is a malicious computer program designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to a computer system. It can be used to steal sensitive data, gain control over a system, or launch other malicious activities.
Can Trojans Steal Passwords?
Yes, Trojans, like Topinambour Trojan, can steal passwords. These malicious programs are designed to gain access to a user's computer, spy on victims and steal sensitive information such as banking details and passwords.
Can Topinambour Trojan Trojan Hide Itself?
Yes, it can. A Trojan can use various techniques to mask itself, including rootkits, encryption, and obfuscation, to hide from security scanners and evade detection.
Can a Trojan be Removed by Factory Reset?
Yes, a Trojan can be removed by factory resetting your device. This is because it will restore the device to its original state, eliminating any malicious software that may have been installed. Bear in mind that there are more sophisticated Trojans that leave backdoors and reinfect even after a factory reset.
Can Topinambour Trojan Trojan Infect WiFi?
Yes, it is possible for a Trojan to infect WiFi networks. When a user connects to the infected network, the Trojan can spread to other connected devices and can access sensitive information on the network.
Can Trojans Be Deleted?
Yes, Trojans can be deleted. This is typically done by running a powerful anti-virus or anti-malware program that is designed to detect and remove malicious files. In some cases, manual deletion of the Trojan may also be necessary.
Can Trojans Steal Files?
Yes, Trojans can steal files if they are installed on a computer. This is done by allowing the malware author or user to gain access to the computer and then steal the files stored on it.
Which Anti-Malware Can Remove Trojans?
Anti-malware programs such as SpyHunter are capable of scanning for and removing Trojans from your computer. It is important to keep your anti-malware up to date and regularly scan your system for any malicious software.
Can Trojans Infect USB?
Yes, Trojans can infect USB devices. USB Trojans typically spread through malicious files downloaded from the internet or shared via email, allowing the hacker to gain access to a user's confidential data.
About the Topinambour Trojan Research
The content we publish on SensorsTechForum.com, this Topinambour Trojan how-to removal guide included, is the outcome of extensive research, hard work and our team’s devotion to help you remove the specific trojan problem.
How did we conduct the research on Topinambour Trojan?
Please note that our research is based on an independent investigation. We are in contact with independent security researchers, thanks to which we receive daily updates on the latest malware definitions, including the various types of trojans (backdoor, downloader, infostealer, ransom, etc.)
Furthermore, the research behind the Topinambour Trojan threat is backed with VirusTotal.
To better understand the threat posed by trojans, please refer to the following articles which provide knowledgeable details.