Ransom.Win32.ZILLA.A

July 02, 2019
 Analysis by: Henry Alarcon Jr.
 ALIASES:

Trojan.Ransom.FileCryptor (ALYac), Artemis!CC774D4D12FB (McAfee)

 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:

Downloaded from the Internet, 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.

It connects to certain websites to send and receive information.

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

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

306,176 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

02 Jul 2019

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.

Installation

This Ransomware drops the following files:

  • %User Profile%\Documents\Pass{User Name}.txt
  • {Encrypted File Directory}\OkuBeni.txt ← ransom notes

(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).)

Other Details

This Ransomware connects to the following website to send and receive information:

  • http://{BLOCKED}ware.tk/ransomware/ransom.php

Ransomware Routine

This Ransomware encrypts files with the following extensions:

  • .mp4
  • .mp3
  • .txt
  • .ppt
  • .pptx
  • .rar
  • .pdf
  • .jpg
  • .png
  • .xls
  • .xlsx
  • .doc
  • .docx

It encrypts files found in the following folders:

  • %Desktop%
  • %User Profile%\Documents
  • %User Profile%\Music
  • %User Profile%\Pictures
  • %User Profile%\Videos
  • %User Profile%\Downloads

(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).. %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 appends the following extension to the file name of the encrypted files:

  • .zilla

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

  • {Encrypted File Directory}\OkuBeni.txt

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

15.210.04

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

02 Jul 2019

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

15.211.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

03 Jul 2019

Step 1

Before doing any scans, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 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.Win32.ZILLA.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 this file

[ 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.  
  • %User Profile%\Documents\Pass{User Name}.txt
  • {Encrypted File Directory}\OkuBeni.txt

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as Ransom.Win32.ZILLA.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

Restore encrypted files from backup.


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