Ransom.Win32.EMPIRE.THAOBBD

This Ransomware arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

It encrypts files with specific file extensions. It encrypts files found in specific folders. It drops files as ransom note.

Arrival Details

This Ransomware arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

Installation

This Ransomware adds the following processes:

• Notepad %Desktop%\HOW-TO-DECRYPT.txt
• "vssadmin.exe" delete shadows /all /quiet
• "Wbadmin.exe" DELETE SYSTEMSTATEBACKUP
• "Wbadmin.exe" DELETE SYSTEMSTATEBACKUP -deleteOldest
• "cmd.exe" /c vssadmin delete shadows /all /quiet
• Cmd.exe /c wmic shadowcopy delete
• Cmd.exe /c bcdedit /set {default} bootstatuspolicy ignoreallfailures
• Cmd.exe /c bcdedit /set {default} recoveryenabled no
• Cmd.exe /c wbadmin delete catalog -quiet
• Cmd.exe /C choice /C Y /N /D Y /T 1 & Del {Malware File Path}

(Note: %Desktop% is the current user's desktop, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{User Name}\Desktop on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\Desktop on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

It adds the following mutexes to ensure that only one of its copies runs at any one time:

• ntyUBXFQTHyHkrn

Other System Modifications

This Ransomware adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
System
DisableRegistryTools = 1

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
System
DisableTaskMgr = 1

Other Details

This Ransomware adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\
System

It does the following:

• After its encryption, it display its ransom note
• Delete System Restore point
• Terminates itself if mutex is not created
• Connects to the following URL to send Keys(Password, Hwid, Salt):
  • https://{BLOCKED}54.xsph.ru/one.php
• It also encrypt removable and fixed drives

Ransomware Routine

This Ransomware encrypts files with the following extensions:

• .txt
• .TXT
• .jar
• .exe
• .dat
• .contact
• .settings
• .doc
• .docx
• .xls
• .xlsx
• .ppt
• .pptx
• .odt
• .jpg
• .png
• .jpeg
• .gif
• .csv
• .py
• .sql
• .mdb
• .sln
• .php
• .asp
• .aspx
• .html
• .htm
• .css
• .md
• .rtf
• .yaml
• .conf
• .json5
• .xml
• .psd
• .pdf
• .dll
• .c
• .cs
• .vb
• .vbs
• .p12
• .mp3
• .mp4
• .f3d
• .dwg
• .cpp
• .h
• .chm
• .chw
• .msi
• .zip
• .rar
• .mov
• .rtf
• .bmp
• .mkv
• .avi
• .apk
• .lnk
• .iso
• .7z
• .ace
• .arj
• .bz2
• .cab
• .gzip
• .gz
• .tgz
• .tar.gz
• .tbz2
• .tar.bz2
• .txz
• .tar.xz
• .bkf
• .tar.zip
• .tar.7z
• .tib
• .gho
• .bak
• .ab
• .vbk
• .scr
• .fbl
• .dmp
• .tmp
• .wps
• .com
• .bat
• .cmd
• .msp
• .cpl
• .ps1
• .vbs
• .js
• .wsf
• .cmdx
• .lzh
• .tar
• .uue
• .xz
• .z
• .001
• .mpeg
• .mp3
• .mpg
• .core
• .crproj
• .pdb
• .ico
• .pas
• .db
• .torrent
• .sqlite
• .mysql
• .dbf
• .json
• .postgresql
• .oracle
• .nosql
• .wim
• .cur
• .sdb
• .xsd
• .mui
• .log
• .rsm

It encrypts files found in the following folders:

• %User Profile%

(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

It drops the following file(s) as ransom note:

• %Desktop%\HOW-TO-DECRYPT.txt