Ransom.Win32.MAKOP.SM

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 uses a user interface (UI).

It drops files as ransom note. It avoids encrypting files with the following file extensions.

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 folders:

• {Drive Letter}\YOUR_FILES_ARE_ENCRYPTED → if the selected folder to be encrypted is a drive

It adds the following processes:

• %System%\cmd.exe
• vssadmin delete shadows /all /quiet
• wbadmin delete catalog – quiet
• wmic shadowcopy delete
• {Malware File Path}\{Malware File Name} → if executed with administrator privileges.

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.)

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

• Local\ZonesLockedCacheCounterMutex

Process Termination

This Ransomware terminates the following processes if found running in the affected system's memory:

• msftesql.exe
• sqlagent.exe
• sqlbrowser.exe
• sqlservr.exe
• sqlwriter.exe
• oracle.exe
• ocssd.exe
• dbsnmp.exe
• synctime.exe
• agntsrvc.exe
• mydesktopqos.exe
• isqlplussvc.exe
• xfssvccon.exe
• mydesktopservice.exe
• ocautoupds.exe
• encsvc.exe
• firefoxconfig.exe
• tbirdconfig.exe
• ocomm.exe
• mysqld.exe
• mysqld-nt.exe
• mysqld-opt.exe
• dbeng50.exe
• sqbcoreservice.exe
• excel.exe
• infopath.exe
• msaccess.exe
• mspub.exe
• onenote.exe
• outlook.exe
• powerpnt.exe
• steam.exe
• thebat.exe
• thebat64.exe
• thunderbird.exe
• visio.exe
• winword.exe
• wordpad.exe

Download Routine

This Ransomware accesses the following websites to download files:

• {BLOCKED}ndowsupdate.com/msdownload/update/v3/static/trustedr/en/disallowedcertstl.cab?2bf7d05eae99c881

Other Details

This Ransomware connects to the following URL(s) to get the affected system's IP address:

• {BLOCKED}er.org/1xdAe7

It uses the following user interface:

It does the following:

• It scans specific database-related file extensions:
  • 4dd
  • 4dl
  • abs
  • abx
  • accdb
  • accdc
  • accde
  • adb
  • adf
  • ckp
  • db
  • db-journal
  • db-shm
  • db-wal
  • db2
  • db3
  • dbc
  • dbf
  • dbs
  • dbt
  • dbv
  • dcb
  • doc
  • docx
  • dp1
  • eco
  • edb
  • epim
  • fcd
  • gdb
  • mdb
  • mdf
  • ldf
  • myd
  • ndf
  • nwdb
  • nyf
  • sqlitedb
  • sqlite3
  • sqlite
  • xls
  • xlsx
  • xlsm

Ransomware Routine

This Ransomware avoids encrypting files with the following strings in their file name:

• boot.ini
• bootfont.bin
• ntldr
• ntdetect.com
• io.sys
• readme-warning.txt
• desktop.ini

It avoids encrypting files found in the following folders:

• google
• Users\Public
• %ProgramData%\microsoft\windows\caches
• %System Root%\Users\All Users\Microsoft\Windows\Caches

(Note: %ProgramData% is a version of the Program Files folder where any user on a multi-user computer can make changes to programs. This contains application data for all users. This is usually C:\ProgramData on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit), or C:\Documents and Settings\All Users on Windows Server 2003(32-bit), 2000(32-bit) and XP.. %System Root% is the Windows root folder, where it usually is C:\ on all Windows operating system versions.)

It appends the following extension to the file name of the encrypted files:

• {Original File Name}.{Original File Extension}.[{Victim ID}].[{BLOCKED}pher@cock.li ].makop

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

• {Drive Letter}\YOUR_FILES_ARE_ENCRYPTED\readme-warning.txt → if the selected folder is a drive
• {Encrypted Directory}\readme-warning.txt
  

It avoids encrypting files with the following file extensions:

• .makop
• .CARLOS
• .Shootlock
• .Shootlock2
• .1recoesufV8Sv6g
• .1recocr8M4YJskJ7
• .btc
• .KJHslgjkjdfg
• .exe
• .dll