TROJ_RANSOM.ERA
Trojan:Win32/Ransom.FO (Microsoft), W32/Xorist.ER!tr (Fortinet), a variant of Win32/Filecoder.Q trojan (ESET)
Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003
![](/vinfo/imgFiles/legend.jpg)
Threat Type: Trojan
Destructiveness: No
Encrypted: No
In the wild: Yes
OVERVIEW
This Trojan arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
13,312 bytes
EXE
No
25 Jan 2014
Arrival Details
This Trojan 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 Trojan drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:
- %User Temp%\hfqKbCfdb5R9xA9.exe
(Note: %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista and 7.)
Autostart Technique
This Trojan adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Alcmeter = "%User Temp%\hfqKbCfdb5R9xA9.exe"
Other System Modifications
This Trojan adds the following registry keys:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.LOCKED
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TMDCHXKKVCVJWNI
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\hfqKbCfdb5R9xA9.exe
It adds the following registry entries:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TMDCHXKKVCVJWNI\DefaultIcon
(Default) = "%User Temp%\hfqKbCfdb5R9xA9.exe,0"
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TMDCHXKKVCVJWNI
(Default) = "LOCKED"
Other Details
This Trojan encrypts files with the following extensions:
- .zip
- .rar
- .7z
- .tar
- .gzip
- .jpg
- .jpeg
- .tif
- .psd
- .cdr
- .dwg
- .max
- .bmp
- .gif
- .png
- .doc
- .docx
- .xls
- .xlsx
- .ppt
- .pptx
- .txt
- .djvu
- .htm
- .html
- .mdb
- .cer
- .p12
- .pfx
- .kwm
- .pwm
- .1cd
- .md
- .mdf
- .dbf
- .odt
- .vob
- .iso
- .ifo
- .csv
- .torrent
- .mov
- .m2v
- .3gp
- .mpeg
- .mpg
- .flv
- .avi
- .mp4
- .wmv
- .divx
- .mkv
- .mp3
- .wav
- .flac
- .ape
- .wma
- .ac3
- .epub
- .eps
- .ai
- .pps
- .pptm
- .accdb
- .pst
- .dwg
- .dxf
- .dxg
- .wpd
- .dcr
- .kdc
- .p7b
- .p7c
- .raw
- .cdr
- .qbb
- .indd
- .qbw
It renames encrypted files using the following names:
- {original file name and extension}.LOCKED
NOTES:
This Trojan adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution every time an encrypted file (files using .LOCKED extension) is opened:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.LOCKED
(Default) = "TMDCHXKKVCVJWNI"
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TMDCHXKKVCVJWNI\shell\open\command
(Default) = "%User Temp%\hfqKbCfdb5R9xA9.exe"
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\hfqKbCfdb5R9xA9.exe
(Default) = "%User Temp%\hfqKbCfdb5R9xA9.exe
Once a user opens an encrypted file, it opens the following image:
It drops README TO UNLOCK.TXT[ to all drives, folders and sub-folders. The contents of the said file is the same as the text that appears in the image above.
SOLUTION
9.300
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
Identify and terminate files detected as TROJ_RANSOM.ERA
- 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.
- 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.
- If the detected file is not displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer, continue doing the next steps.
Step 3
Delete this registry key
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_CLASSES_ROOT
- .LOCKED
- .LOCKED
- In HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
- TMDCHXKKVCVJWNI
- TMDCHXKKVCVJWNI
- In HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications
- hfqKbCfdb5R9xA9.exe
- hfqKbCfdb5R9xA9.exe
Step 4
Delete this registry value
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
- Alcmeter = "%User Temp%\hfqKbCfdb5R9xA9.exe"
- Alcmeter = "%User Temp%\hfqKbCfdb5R9xA9.exe"
Step 5
Search and delete these files
- README TO UNLOCK.txt
Step 6
Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as TROJ_RANSOM.ERA. 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 this file from backup only Microsoft-related files will be restored. If this malware/grayware also deleted files related to programs that are not from Microsoft, please reinstall those programs on you computer again.
- {file name}.{file extension}.LOCKED
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