RANSOM_FAKEGLOBE.ASUUE

September 18, 2017
 Analysis by: Rheniel Rhay Ramos
 ALIASES:

Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Purgen.mm (Kaspersky); Ransom:Win32/Ergop.A (Microsoft); Ransom.GlobeImposter (Symantec)

 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, 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 drops files as ransom note.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

69,632 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

09 Sep 2017

Payload:

Drops files, 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 copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %Application Data%\{Malware name}.exe

(Note: %Application Data% is the Application Data folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)

It drops the following files:

  • %System Root%\Users\Public\{e29ac6c0-7037-11de-816d-806e6f6e6963}

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

It drops and executes the following files:

  • %User Temp%\tmp{random values}.tmp.bat

(Note: %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
CertificatesCheck = %Application Data%\{Malware name}.exe

Process Termination

This Ransomware terminates processes or services that contain any of the following strings if found running in the affected system's memory:

  • sql
  • outlook
  • ssms
  • postgre
  • excel
  • word
  • 1c

Other Details

This Ransomware does the following:

  • Execute the following commands using the dropped batch file:
    • vssadmin.exe Delete Shadows /All /Quiet
    • reg delete "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Terminal Server Client\Default" /va /f
    • reg delete "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Terminal Server Client\Servers" /f
    • reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Terminal Server Client\Servers"
    • cd %userprofile%\documents\
    • attrib Default.rdp -s -h
    • del Default.rdp
    • for /F "tokens=*" %1 in ('wevtutil.exe el') DO wevtutil.exe cl "%1"

Ransomware Routine

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

  • {Malware name}
  • how_to_back_files.html
  • {e29ac6c0-7037-11de-816d-806e6f6e6963}

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

  • .needkeys

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

  • {Encrypted file directory}\how_to_back_files.html

NOTES:

The html file displays the following ransom note:

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

13.652.07

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

09 Sep 2017

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

13.653.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

10 Sep 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 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_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
    • CertificatesCheck = %Application Data%\{Malware name}.exe

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.
  • %Application Data%\{Malware name}.exe
  • %System Root%\Users\Public\{e29ac6c0-7037-11de-816d-806e6f6e6963}
  • %User Temp%\tmp{random values}.tmp.bat
  • {Encrypted file directory}\how_to_back_files.html

Step 6

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as RANSOM_FAKEGLOBE.ASUUE. 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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