RANSOM_HALLOWARE.A

 Analysis by: Johnlery Triunfante
 Modified by: Patrick Angelo Roderno

 ALIASES:

Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Gen.gch (KASPERSKY); Trojan.Seaduke (NORTON); Trojan:Win32/Tiggre!rfn (MICROSOFT)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Ransomware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: No

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Dropped by other malware

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.

As of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.

It encrypts files with specific file extensions. It encrypts files found in specific folders.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

6,542,330 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

30 Nov 2017

Payload:

Connects to URLs/IPs, 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.

Download Routine

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

  • http://{BLOCKED}r9706.{BLOCKED}e.com/wall.jpg
  • http://{BLOCKED}r9706.{BLOCKED}e.com/gif.gif

It saves the files it downloads using the following names:

  • %System Root%\wall.jpg -> used as wallpaper
  • %System Root%\gif.gif -> used as an image of a message box

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

As of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.

Other Details

This Ransomware does the following:

  • Prepends the string "(Lucifer)" to encrypted files

Ransomware Routine

This Ransomware encrypts files with the following extensions:

  • .3dm
  • .3g2
  • .3gp
  • .7zip
  • .aaf
  • .accdb
  • .aep
  • .aepx
  • .aet
  • .ai
  • .aif
  • .as
  • .as3
  • .asf
  • .asp
  • .asp
  • .aspx
  • .asx
  • .avi
  • .bmp
  • .c
  • .class
  • .cpp
  • .cs
  • .csv
  • .csv
  • .dat
  • .db
  • .dbf
  • .doc
  • .doc
  • .docb
  • .docm
  • .docx
  • .docx
  • .dot
  • .dotm
  • .dotx
  • .dwg
  • .dxf
  • .efx
  • .eps
  • .fla
  • .flv
  • .gif
  • .h
  • .html
  • .idml
  • .iff
  • .indb
  • .indd
  • .indl
  • .indt
  • .inx
  • .jar
  • .java
  • .jpeg
  • .jpeg
  • .jpg
  • .jpg
  • .js
  • .m3u
  • .m3u8
  • .m4u
  • .max
  • .mdb
  • .mdb
  • .mid
  • .mkv
  • .mov
  • .mp3
  • .mp4
  • .mpa.wma
  • .mpeg
  • .mpg
  • .msg
  • .odt
  • .pdb
  • .pdf
  • .php
  • .php
  • .plb
  • .pmd
  • .png
  • .pot
  • .potm
  • .potx
  • .ppam
  • .ppj
  • .pps
  • .ppsm
  • .ppsx
  • .ppt
  • .ppt
  • .pptm
  • .pptx
  • .pptx
  • .prel
  • .prproj
  • .ps
  • .psd
  • .psd
  • .py
  • .ra
  • .rar
  • .raw
  • .rb
  • .rtf
  • .sdf
  • .ses
  • .sldm
  • .sldx
  • .sln
  • .sql
  • .sql
  • .svg
  • .swf
  • .tif
  • .txt
  • .txt
  • .vcf
  • .vob
  • .wav
  • .wmv
  • .wpd
  • .wps
  • .xla
  • .xlam
  • .xll
  • .xlm
  • .xls
  • .xls
  • .xlsb
  • .xlsm
  • .xlsx
  • .xlsx
  • .xlt
  • .xltm
  • .xltx
  • .xlw
  • .xml
  • .xml
  • .xqx
  • .xqx
  • .zip

It encrypts files found in the following folders:

  • C:\

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

  • tncybersqard.py

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

13.822.05

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

04 Dec 2017

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

13.823.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

05 Dec 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_HALLOWARE.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

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.  
  • %System Root%\wall.jpg
  • %System Root%\gif.gif

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as RANSOM_HALLOWARE.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 the following Trend Micro Support pages for more information:

Step 6

Reset your Desktop properties

[ Learn More ]

Step 7

Restore encrypted files from backup.


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