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RANSOM_HAKUNA.RA

April 04, 2017
 Analysis by: Warren Adam Sto. Tomas
 Modified by: Cris Nowell Pantanilla
 ALIASES:

Ransom:Win32/Haknata(Microsoft)

 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 is capable of encrypting files in the affected system.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

1,427,968 bytes

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

03 Apr 2017

Payload:

Terminates processes, 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.

Installation

This Ransomware drops the following files:

  • {folder of encrypted files}\Recovers files yako.html ← ransom note

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Timon and Pumbaa = “{malware path and name} supermetroidrules”

Other Details

This Ransomware renames encrypted files using the following names:

  • {original file name}.HakunaMatata

It does the following:

  • It encrypts files in all available drives and network shares.
  • It stops certain services by executing the following commands:
    • WMIC SERVICE WHERE 'caption LIKE '%BACKP%'' CALL ChangeStartMode 'Disabled'
    • WMIC SERVICE WHERE 'caption LIKE '%BACKP%'' CALL STOPSERVICE
    • WMIC SERVICE WHERE 'caption LIKE '%Exchange%'' CALL ChangeStartMode 'Disabled'
    • WMIC SERVICE WHERE 'caption LIKE '%Exchange%'' CALL STOPSERVICE
    • WMIC SERVICE WHERE 'caption LIKE '%Firebird%'' CALL ChangeStartMode 'Disabled'
    • WMIC SERVICE WHERE 'caption LIKE '%Firebird%'' CALL STOPSERVICE
    • WMIC SERVICE WHERE 'caption LIKE '%MSSQL%'' CALL ChangeStartMode 'Disabled'
    • WMIC SERVICE WHERE 'caption LIKE '%MSSQL%'' CALL STOPSERVICE
    • WMIC SERVICE WHERE 'caption LIKE '%SBS%'' CALL ChangeStartMode 'Disabled'
    • WMIC SERVICE WHERE 'caption LIKE '%SBS%'' CALL STOPSERVICE
    • WMIC SERVICE WHERE 'caption LIKE '%SQL%'' CALL ChangeStartMode 'Disabled'
    • WMIC SERVICE WHERE 'caption LIKE '%SQL%'' CALL STOPSERVICE
    • WMIC SERVICE WHERE 'caption LIKE '%SharePoint%'' CALL STOPSERVICE
    • WMIC SERVICE WHERE 'caption LIKE '%SharePoint%'CALL ChangeStartMode 'Disabled'
    • WMIC SERVICE WHERE 'caption LIKE '%postgresql%'' CALL ChangeStartMode 'Disabled'
    • WMIC SERVICE WHERE 'caption LIKE '%postgresql%'' CALL STOPSERVICE
    • WMIC SERVICE WHERE 'caption LIKE '%tomcat%'' CALL ChangeStartMode 'Disabled'
    • WMIC SERVICE WHERE 'caption LIKE '%tomcat%'' CALL STOPSERVICE
    • WMIC SERVICE WHERE 'caption LIKE '%wsbex%'' CALL ChangeStartMode 'Disabled'
    • WMIC SERVICE WHERE 'caption LIKE '%wsbex%'' CALL STOPSERVICE
    • net stop MSSQLSERVER
    • net stop postgresql-9.0
    • net stop FirebirdServerDefaultInstance
    • net stop MSExchangeAB
    • net stop MSExchangeADTopology
    • net stop MSExchangeAntispamUpdate
    • net stop MSExchangeEdgeSync
    • net stop MSExchangeFBA
    • net stop MSExchangeIS
    • net stop MSExchangeImap4
    • net stop MSExchangeMailSubmission
    • net stop MSExchangeMailboxAssistants
    • net stop MSExchangeMailboxReplication
    • net stop MSExchangeMonitoring
    • net stop MSExchangePop3
    • net stop MSExchangeProtectedServiceHost
    • net stop MSExchangeRPC
    • net stop MSExchangeRepl
    • net stop MSExchangeSA
    • net stop MSExchangeSearch
    • net stop MSExchangeServiceHost
    • net stop MSExchangeThrottling
    • net stop MSExchangeTransport
    • net stop MSExchangeTransportLogSearch
    • net stop MSSQL$SQLEXPRESS
    • net stop wsbexchange
    • sc config FirebirdServerDefaultInstance start= disabled
    • sc config MSExchangeAB start= disabled
    • sc config MSExchangeADTopology start= disabled
    • sc config MSExchangeAntispamUpdate start= disabled
    • sc config MSExchangeEdgeSync start= disabled
    • sc config MSExchangeFBA start= disabled
    • sc config MSExchangeFDS start= disabled
    • sc config MSExchangeIS start= disabled
    • sc config MSExchangeImap4 start= disabled
    • sc config MSExchangeMailSubmission start= disabled
    • sc config MSExchangeMailboxAssistants start= disabled
    • sc config MSExchangeMailboxReplication start= disabled
    • sc config MSExchangeMonitoring start= disabled
    • sc config MSExchangePop3 start= disabled
    • sc config MSExchangeProtectedServiceHost start= disabled
    • sc config MSExchangeRPC start= disabled
    • sc config MSExchangeRepl start= disabled
    • sc config MSExchangeSA start= disabled
    • sc config MSExchangeSearch start= disabled
    • sc config MSExchangeServiceHost start= disabled
    • sc config MSExchangeThrottling start= disabled
    • sc config MSExchangeTransport start= disabled
    • sc config MSExchangeTransportLogSearch start= disabled
    • sc config MSSQL$SQLEXPRESS start= disabled
    • sc config MSSQLSERVER start= disabled
    • sc config postgresql-9.0 start= disabled
    • sc config wsbexchange start= disabled
  • It delets shadow copies by executing the following commands:
    • vssadmin.exe Delete Shadows /All /Quiet
  • It terminates the following process by executing the following commands:
    • taskkill /IM fb_inet_server.exe /F
    • taskkill /IM pg_ctl.exe /F
    • taskkill /IM sqlservr.exe /F
  • It executes the following command to clear events logs:
    • wevtutil cl Application
    • wevtutil cl security
    • wevtutil cl setup
    • wevtutil cl system
  • It avoids encrypting files with the following strings:
    • *.exe
    • *.dll
    • *.lnk
    • *.bat
    • *.ini
    • *.msi
    • *.scf
    • *pagefile.sys*
    • *NTUSER.DAT*
    • *Atheros*
    • *Realtek*
    • *bootmgr*
    • *boot*
    • *boot*
    • *CONFIG.SYS*
    • *IO.SYS*
    • *MSDOS.SYS*
    • *NTDETECT.COM*
    • *ntldr*
    • *chrome*
    • *opera*
    • *firefox*
    • *AppData*
    • *\winrar\*
    • *\Internet Explorer\*
    • *\java\*
    • *\TeamViewer\*
    • *\windows\*
    • *\ESET\*
    • *\AVG\*
    • *\AVIRA\*
    • *\AVAST Software\*

It is capable of encrypting files in the affected system.

NOTES:

The dropped ransom note contains the following:

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

13.309.50

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

30 Mar 2017

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

13.310.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

31 Mar 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

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 4

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\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • Timon and Pumbaa = “{malware path and name} supermetroidrules”

Step 5

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.  
  • {folder of encrypted files}\Recovers files yako.html

Step 6

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as RANSOM_HAKUNA.RA. 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 7

Restore encrypted files from backup.


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