RANSOM_BRICKR.A


 ALIASES:

Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Crypmodadv.xis (KASPERSKY); Trojan.Gen.2 (NORTON); Troj/Ransom-ENK (SOPHOS_LITE)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 DAMAGE POTENTIAL:
 DISTRIBUTION POTENTIAL:
 REPORTED INFECTION:
 INFORMATION EXPOSURE:

  • Threat Type: Ransomware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: Yes

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Dropped by other malware, Downloaded from the Internet

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 drops files as ransom note.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

114,176 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

31 May 2017

Payload:

Connects to URLs/IPs, Displays graphics/image, Displays message/message boxes, Encrypts files

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.

Autostart Technique

This Ransomware adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
WidnowsNetworkingSvc = {Malware Path}\{Malware Name}

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
WidnowsNetworkingSvcn = %Desktop%\READ_DECRYPT_FILES.txt

Other System Modifications

This Ransomware adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
SystemCertificates\AuthRoot\Certificates\
DAC9024F54D8F6DF94935FB1732638CA6AD77C13
Blob = {hex code}

It changes the desktop wallpaper by modifying the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
Wallpaper = %User Profile%\Pictures\626.jpg

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
Wallpaper = %User Temp%\BGInfo.bmp

Download Routine

This Ransomware connects to the following URL(s) to download its component file(s):

  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}chive.com/icons/alecive/flatwoken/512/Apps-Lock-icon.png

Other Details

This Ransomware drops the following file(s)/component(s):

  • %Application Data%\id.bin - contains ID

(Note: %Application Data% is the Application Data folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)

It does the following:

  • Displays the following window:
  • Desktop wallpaper displays the following:

Ransomware Routine

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

  • .cfg
  • .chm
  • .config
  • .dll
  • .exe
  • .hlp
  • .ini
  • .pdb

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

  • .BRICKR

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

  • %User Profile%\Downloads\READ_DECRYPT_FILES.txt
  • %User Profile%\Pictures\READ_DECRYPT_FILES.txt
  • %User Profile%\Videos\READ_DECRYPT_FILES.txt
  • %User Profile%\Music\READ_DECRYPT_FILES.txt
  • %Desktop%\READ_DECRYPT_FILES.txt

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

13.440.04

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

31 May 2017

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

13.441.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

01 Jun 2017

Step 1

Before doing any scans, Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7 users must disable System Restore to allow full scanning of their computers.

Step 2

Note that not all files, folders, and registry keys and entries are installed on your computer during this malware's/spyware's/grayware's execution. This may be due to incomplete installation or other operating system conditions. If you do not find the same files/folders/registry information, please proceed to the next step.

Step 3

Identify and terminate files detected as RANSOM_BRICKR.A

[ Learn More ]
  1. Windows Task Manager may not display all running processes. In this case, please use a third-party process viewer, preferably Process Explorer, to terminate the malware/grayware/spyware file. You may download the said tool here.
  2. If the detected file is displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer but you cannot delete it, restart your computer in safe mode. To do this, refer to this link for the complete steps.
  3. If the detected file is not displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer, continue doing the next steps.

Step 4

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 5

Delete this registry value

[ Learn More ]

Important: Editing the Windows Registry incorrectly can lead to irreversible system malfunction. Please do this step only if you know how or you can ask assistance from your system administrator. Else, check this Microsoft article first before modifying your computer's registry.

 
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • WidnowsNetworkingSvc = {Malware Path}\{Malware Name}
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • WidnowsNetworkingSvcn = %Desktop%\READ_DECRYPT_FILES.txt

Step 6

Delete this registry key

[ Learn More ]

Important: Editing the Windows Registry incorrectly can lead to irreversible system malfunction. Please do this step only if you know how or you can ask assistance from your system administrator. Else, check this Microsoft article first before modifying your computer's registry.

  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SystemCertificates\AuthRoot\Certificates\DAC9024F54D8F6DF94935FB1732638CA6AD77C13
    • Blob = {hex code}

Step 7

Search and delete these files

[ Learn More ]
There may be some files that are hidden. Please make sure you check the Search Hidden Files and Folders checkbox in the "More advanced options" option to include all hidden files and folders in the search result.
  • %Application Data%\id.bin
  • %User Profile%\Downloads\READ_DECRYPT_FILES.txt
  • %User Profile%\Pictures\READ_DECRYPT_FILES.txt
  • %User Profile%\Videos\READ_DECRYPT_FILES.txt
  • %User Profile%\Music\READ_DECRYPT_FILES.txt
  • %Desktop%\READ_DECRYPT_FILES.txt
  • %User Profile%\Pictures\626.jpg

Step 8

Reset your Desktop properties

[ Learn More ]

Step 9

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as RANSOM_BRICKR.A. If the detected files have already been cleaned, deleted, or quarantined by your Trend Micro product, no further step is required. You may opt to simply delete the quarantined files. Please check this Knowledge Base page for more information.

Step 10

Restore encrypted files from backup.


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