TROJ_ARTIEF.RTN
Threat Scorecard
EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecard
EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecards are assessment reports for different malware threats which have been collected and analyzed by our research team. EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecards evaluate and rank threats using several metrics including real-world and potential risk factors, trends, frequency, prevalence, and persistence. EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecards are updated regularly based on our research data and metrics and are useful for a wide range of computer users, from end users seeking solutions to remove malware from their systems to security experts analyzing threats.
EnigmaSoft Threat Scorecards display a variety of useful information, including:
Ranking: The ranking of a particular threat in EnigmaSoft’s Threat Database.
Severity Level: The determined severity level of an object, represented numerically, based on our risk modeling process and research, as explained in our Threat Assessment Criteria.
Infected Computers: The number of confirmed and suspected cases of a particular threat detected on infected computers as reported by SpyHunter.
See also Threat Assessment Criteria.
| Threat Level: | 90 % (High) |
| Infected Computers: | 14 |
| First Seen: | December 11, 2012 |
| Last Seen: | June 7, 2021 |
| OS(es) Affected: | Windows |
The TROJ_ARTIEF.RTN Trojan is one of the many malware infections that take advantage of the holiday season. As Christmas and the New Year are approaching, ESG security researchers have noticed a marked increase in malware that takes advantage of the holiday celebrations. For example, ESG malware analysts recently uncovered a social engineering scam that involved fake Christmas eCards which prompted the victim to download a bogus update for Flash Player (a typical delivery mechanism for numerous well known backdoor Trojans). TROJ_ARTIEF.RTN is just one of the many malware threats that carry out this scam. As government offices and companies celebrate their annual Christmas party, email messages containing details on the supposed Christmas party may not seem suspicious. Criminals use this fact to disguise TROJ_ARTIEF.RTN as a fake Christmas Party proposal in order to scam inexperienced computer users.
The most common sample of TROJ_ARTIEF.RTN is contained in a DOC file named 'PROPOSED CHRISTMAS PARTY 2012' which uses known vulnerabilities in the Microsoft Office suite in order to execute malicious code on the infected computer. When this DOC file is opened, it drops another file which is actually TROJ_ARTIEF.RTN itself. Variants of TROJ_ARTIEF.RTN scam use social engineering email messages inviting the victim to an office Christmas party or supposedly containing details on a proposed holiday celebration.
How the TROJ_ARTIEF.RTN Trojan Takes over a Computer
Once installed, TROJ_ARTIEF.RTN can be used to steal information from the infected computer or to execute malicious commands on the victim's machine. Some of the ways TROJ_ARTIEF.RTN can be used include the following:
- TROJ_ARTIEF.RTN can download malicious files from a remote server, giving TROJ_ARTIEF.RTN the potential to install additional malware on the infected computer.
- TROJ_ARTIEF.RTN can gather information on the infected computer's name, network, operating system, running processes and installed files.
- TROJ_ARTIEF.RTN establishes an unauthorized opening in the infected computer system's security (commonly referred to as a 'backdoor') that criminals can use to gain unauthorized access to the infected machine.
Due to the social engineering component of this attack, the best way to prevent a TROJ_ARTIEF.RTN infection is to avoid opening unsolicited email attachments. This is especially true during the holiday season which tends to mark an increase in social engineering attacks.
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