Ransom.Win32.SUGARCRYPT.YXCBC

February 18, 2022
 Analysis by: Nathaniel Gregory Ragasa
 ALIASES:

BScope.TrojanRansom.Cryptor(VBA32), Gen:Variant.Ransom.Sugar.22(BITDEFENDER)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Ransomware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

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

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

143,360 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Payload:

Connects to URLs/IPs, Drops files, Encrypts files, Displays message/message boxes

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 processes:

  • "notepad.exe" %Desktop%\BackFiles_encoded01.txt

(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).)

Other System Modifications

This Ransomware adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\9F42BF46A4453FD39BB6BBD8BEFFBE21
1 = 1

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\9F42BF46A4453FD39BB6BBD8BEFFBE21
1 = 1

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\9F42BF46A4453FD39BB6BBD8BEFFBE21
2 = +MI/icAn8e2FnCZTEPQ3Gy/r9GQ0PeuvwoWTYt0dK2Zk4Vl3ggpHJFBxX3BG2gTEQF7Vj6B1ikvGT0pDv4iOQ7vKeOLHjr6kAlnphbSHvVBI3lOE8uP7t5kKbUda/qIpg9vOU8/dHXZ12VLkg+tSN0vx1i3NB5Qdm/S1Kc8/qixJXkZIanOgXb6EJZ298

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\9F42BF46A4453FD39BB6BBD8BEFFBE21
3 = EWm26Hx+MeXQwSz0UG9SzqPKB92RJWQqWwCYYg==

Dropping Routine

This Ransomware drops the following files:

  • %Desktop%\BackFiles_encoded01.txt

(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).)

Download Routine

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

  • http://cdn2546713.{BLOCKED}afiles.com/data23072021_1.dat

Other Details

This Ransomware adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE
9F42BF46A4453FD39BB6BBD8BEFFBE21 =

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software
9F42BF46A4453FD39BB6BBD8BEFFBE21 =

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

  • http://{BLOCKED}myipaddress.com/

It connects to the following website to send and receive information:

  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.195/ → Used HTTP POST request

It accesses the following URL(s) to get the affected system's location:

  • http://www.{BLOCKED}ation.com/

Ransomware Routine

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

  • BOOTNXT
  • bootmgr
  • pagefile

It avoids encrypting files found in the following folders:

  • \windows
  • \DRIVERS
  • \PerfLogs
  • \temp
  • \boot

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

  • .encoded01

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

  • {Encrypted Directory}\BackFiles_encoded01.txt

It avoids encrypting files with the following file extensions:

  • .exe
  • .dll
  • .sys
  • .lnk
  • .bat
  • .cmd
  • .ttf
  • .manifest
  • .ttc
  • .cat
  • .msi

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.800

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

17.358.06

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

03 Feb 2022

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

17.359.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

03 Feb 2022

Step 1

Trend Micro Predictive Machine Learning detects and blocks malware at the first sign of its existence, before it executes on your system. When enabled, your Trend Micro product detects this malware under the following machine learning name:

     
    • Troj.Win32.TRX.XXPE50FFF053

Step 2

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 3

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 4

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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\9F42BF46A4453FD39BB6BBD8BEFFBE21
    • 1 = 1
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\9F42BF46A4453FD39BB6BBD8BEFFBE21
    • 1 = 1
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\9F42BF46A4453FD39BB6BBD8BEFFBE21
    • 2 = 6OI+MI/icAn8e2FnCZTEPQ3Gy/r9GQ0PeuvwoWTYt0dK2Zk4Vl3ggpHJFBxX3BG2gTEQF7Vj6B1ikvGT0pDv4iOQ7vKeOLHjr6kAlnphbSHvVBI3lOE8uP7t5kKbUda/qIpg9vOU8/dHXZ12VLkg+tSN0vx1i3NB5Qdm/S1Kc8/qixJXkZIanOgXb6EJZ298
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\9F42BF46A4453FD39BB6BBD8BEFFBE21
    • 3 = EWm26Hx+MeXQwSz0UG9SzqPKB92RJWQqWwCYYg==

Step 5

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\
    • 9F42BF46A4453FD39BB6BBD8BEFFBE21
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\
    • 9F42BF46A4453FD39BB6BBD8BEFFBE21

Step 6

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.
  • %Desktop%\BackFiles_encoded01.txt
  • {Encrypted Directory}\BackFiles_encoded01.txt

Step 7

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as Ransom.Win32.SUGARCRYPT.YXCBC. 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 8

Restore encrypted files from backup.


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