Ransom.Win64.THREEAM.THDAIBD

 Analysis by: Melvin Jhun Palbusa

 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 drops files as ransom note.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

545,792 bytes

File Type:

, EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

19 Apr 2024

Payload:

Disables AV, Encrypts files, Modifies system registry

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:

  • "netsh.exe" advfirewall firewall set rule "group="Network Discovery"" new enable=Yes
  • "wbadmin.exe" delete systemstatebackup -keepVersions:0 -quiet
  • "wbadmin.exe" DELETE SYSTEMSTATEBACKUP
  • "wbadmin.exe" DELETE SYSTEMSTATEBACKUP -deleteOldest
  • "bcdedit.exe" /set {default} recoveryenabled No"bcdedit.exe" /set {default} bootstatuspolicy ignoreallfailures
  • "wmic.exe" SHADOWCOPY DELETE /nointeractive
  • "cmd.exe" /c wevtutil cl security
  • "cmd.exe" /c wevtutil cl system
  • "cmd.exe" /c wevtutil cl application
  • "vssadmin.exe" delete shadows /all /quiet

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
3AMTheTimeOfMysticismIsntIt? = {Malware File Path}\{Malware File name}

Other System Modifications

This Ransomware adds the following registry entries as part of its installation routine:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\LanmanServer\Parameters
MaxMpxCt = 0x0000fffff(65535)

Process Termination

This Ransomware terminates the following services if found on the affected system:

  • vmcomp
  • vmwp
  • veeam
  • Back
  • xchange
  • backup
  • Backup
  • acronis
  • AcronisAgent
  • AcrSch2Svc
  • sql
  • Enterprise
  • Veeam
  • VeeamTransportSvc
  • VeeamNFSSvc
  • AcrSch
  • bedbg
  • DCAgent
  • EPSecurity
  • EPUpdate
  • Eraser
  • EsgShKernel
  • FA_Scheduler
  • IISAdmin
  • IMAP4
  • MBAM
  • Endpoint
  • Afee
  • McShield
  • task
  • mfemms
  • mfevtp
  • mms
  • MsDts
  • Exchange
  • ntrt
  • PDVF
  • POP3
  • Report
  • RESvc
  • Monitor
  • Smcinst
  • SmcService
  • SMTP
  • SNAC
  • swi_
  • CCSF
  • ccEvtMgr
  • ccSetMgr
  • TrueKey
  • tmlisten
  • UIODetect
  • W3S
  • WRSVC
  • NetMsmq
  • ekrn
  • EhttpSrv
  • ESHASRV
  • AVP
  • klnagent
  • wbengine
  • KAVF
  • mfefire
  • svc$
  • memtas
  • mepocs
  • GxVss
  • GxCVD
  • GxBlr
  • GxFWD
  • GxCIMgr
  • BackupExecVSSProvider
  • BackupExecManagementService
  • BackupExecJobEngine
  • BackupExecDiveciMediaService
  • BackupExecAgentBrowser
  • BackupExecAgentAccelerator
  • vss
  • BacupExecRPCService
  • CASAD2WebSvc
  • CAARCUpdateSvc
  • YooBackup
  • YooIT

It terminates the following processes if found running in the affected system's memory:

  • backup.exe
  • Backup.exe
  • calc.exe
  • CNTAoSMgr.exe
  • dbeng.exe
  • dbeng50.exe
  • dbsnmp.exe
  • ekrn.exe
  • encsvc.exe
  • excel.exe
  • firefox.exe
  • firefoxconfig.exe
  • infopath.exe
  • isqlplussvc.exe
  • mbamtray.exe
  • msaccess.exe
  • mspub.exe
  • mydesktop.exe
  • mydesktopqos.exe
  • mydesktopservice.exe
  • notepad.exe
  • Ntrtscan.exe
  • ocautoupds.exe
  • ocomm.exe
  • ocssd.exe
  • onenote.exe
  • oracle.exe
  • outlook.exe
  • PccNTMon.exe
  • powerpnt.exe
  • raccine.exe
  • Raccine.exe
  • sqbcoreservice.exe
  • sql.exe
  • sqlbcoreservice.exe
  • steam.exe
  • synctime.exe
  • tbirdconfig.exe
  • thebat.exe
  • thunderbird.exe
  • tmlisten.exe
  • veeam.exe
  • virtual.exe
  • visio.exe
  • vmcomp.exe
  • vmwp.exe
  • winword.exe
  • word.exe
  • wordpad.exe
  • xchange.exe
  • xfssvccon.exe
  • zoolz.exe

Other Details

This Ransomware checks for the presence of the following process(es):

  • vmsrvc.exe
  • tcpview.exe
  • wireshark.exe
  • fiddler.exe
  • vmware.exe
  • VirtualBox.exe
  • procexp.exe
  • autoit.exe
  • vboxtray.exe
  • vmtoolsd.exe
  • vmrawdsk.sys
  • vmusbmouse.sys
  • df5serv.exe
  • vboxservice.exe
  • OllyDbg.exe
  • x64dbg
  • x32dbg
  • WinDbg
  • ProcessHacker.exe

It does the following:

  • It empties the Recycled Bin
  • It checks if the following file exists:
    • view.lock
  • It uses the Windows Restart Manager API to close processes or shut down Windows services that may be keeping a file open and preventing encryption.
  • When encrypting network shares it will check if the IP address starts with the following to ensure that it is encrypting local, non-internet, systems:
    • 172.
    • 192.168.
    • 10.
    • 169.
  • It looks for database storage files by looking for the following strings in their file path:
    • .4dd
    • .4dl
    • .accdb
    • .accdc
    • .accde
    • .accdr
    • .accdt
    • .accft
    • .adb
    • .ade
    • .adf
    • .adp
    • .arc
    • .ora
    • .alf
    • .ask
    • .btr
    • .bdf
    • .cat
    • .cdb
    • .ckp
    • .cma
    • .cpd
    • .dacpac
    • .dad
    • .dadiagrams
    • .daschema
    • .db
    • .db-shm
    • .db-wal
    • .db3
    • .dbc
    • .dbf
    • .dbs
    • .dbt
    • .dbv
    • .dbx
    • .dcb
    • .dct
    • .dcx
    • .ddl
    • .dlis
    • .dp1
    • .dqy
    • .dsk
    • .dsn
    • .dtsx
    • .dxl
    • .eco
    • .edb
    • .epim
    • .exb
    • .fcd
    • .fdb
    • .fic
    • .fmp
    • .fmp12
    • .fmpsl
    • .fol
    • .fp3
    • .fp4
    • .fp5
    • .fp7
    • .fpt
    • .frm
    • .gdb
    • .grdb
    • .gwi
    • .hdb
    • .his
    • .ib
    • .idb
    • .ihx
    • .itdb
    • .itw
    • .jet
    • .jtx
    • .kdb
    • .kexi
    • .kexic
    • .kexis
    • .lgc
    • .lwx
    • .maf
    • .maq
    • .mar
    • .mas
    • .mav
    • .mdb
    • .mdf
    • .mpd
    • .mrg
    • .mud
    • .mwb
    • .myd
    • .ndf
    • .nnt
    • .nrmlib
    • .ns2
    • .ns3
    • .ns4
    • .nsf
    • .nv
    • .nv2
    • .nwdb
    • .nyf
    • .odb
    • .oqy
    • .orx
    • .owc
    • .p96
    • .p97
    • .pan
    • .pdb
    • .pdm
    • .pnz
    • .qry
    • .qvd
    • .rbf
    • .rctd
    • .rod
    • .rodx
    • .rpd
    • .rsd
    • .sas7bdat
    • .sbf
    • .scx
    • .sdb
    • .sdc
    • .sdf
    • .sis
    • .sqlite
    • .sqlite3
    • .sqlitedb
    • .te
    • .temx
    • .tmd
    • .tps
    • .trc
    • .trm
    • .udb
    • .udl
    • .usr
    • .v12
    • .vis
    • .vpd
    • .vvv
    • .wdb
    • .wmdb
    • .wrk
    • .xdb
    • .xld
    • .xmlff
    • .abcddb
    • .abs
    • .abx
    • .accdw
    • .adn
    • .db2
    • .fm5
    • .hjt
    • .icg
    • .icr
    • .kdb
    • .lut
    • .maw
    • .mdn
    • .mdt
  • It looks for disk image files by looking for the following file extensions in their file path:
    • .vdi
    • .vhd
    • .vmdk
    • .pvm
    • .vmem
    • .vmsn
    • .vmsd
    • .nvram
    • .vmx
    • .raw
    • .qcow2
    • .subvol
    • .bin
    • .vsv
    • .avhd
    • .vmrs
    • .vhdx
    • .avdx
    • .vmcx
    • .iso

It accepts the following parameters:

  • -k → Access key
  • -p →
  • -h →
  • -s → determines file offsets to manage encryption speed (expressed in decimal digits).
  • -m → Specify mode of encryption
    • net → encrypt local drives
    • local → encrypt only shared drives

Ransomware Routine

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

  • desktop.ini
  • autorun.inf
  • ntldr
  • bootsect.bak
  • thumbs.db
  • boot.ini
  • ntuser.dat
  • iconcache.db
  • ntuser.ini
  • ntuser.dat.log
  • recover-files.txt

It avoids encrypting files found in the following folders:

  • vpn
  • boot
  • windows
  • $windows.~bt
  • winnt
  • application data
  • $windows.~ws
  • $recycle.bin
  • recycle.bin
  • windows.old
  • system volume information
  • tor browser
  • opera
  • windows journal
  • windows defender
  • windows security
  • windows photo viewer
  • windowsapp
  • windowspowershell
  • usoshared
  • intel
  • perflogs
  • msocache
  • sysvol
  • ntds
  • sysvol
  • netlogon
  • windows nt
  • msbuild
  • common files
  • temp
  • thumb
  • rsa
  • ntdetect.com
  • ntldr
  • bootmgr
  • programdata
  • appdata
  • program files
  • microsoft
  • sophos
  • mozilla
  • internet explorer
  • microsoft.net
  • microsoft shared
  • public
  • default
  • config.msi
  • google
  • trend micro
  • all users

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

  • .threeamtime

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

  • {Encrypted Directory}\RECOVER-FILES.txt

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.800

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

19.330.02

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

09 May 2024

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

19.331.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

10 May 2024

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.XXPE50FFF080

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

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.
  • {Encrypted Directory}\RECOVER-FILES.txt

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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • 3AMTheTimeOfMysticismIsntIt? = {Malware File Path}\{Malware File name}
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\LanmanServer\Parameters
    • MaxMpxCt = 0x0000fffff(65535)

Step 6

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as Ransom.Win64.THREEAM.THDAIBD. 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 7

Restore encrypted files from backup.


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