RANSOM_FAKEGLOBE.THABEH

 Analysis by: Mio Fidel Villena

 ALIASES:

Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Crypren.aedo (KASPERSKY), Ransom:Win32/Genosom (MICROSOFT), Win32/Filecoder.FV trojan (NOD32)

 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:

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:

337,920 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

24 Jan 2018

Payload:

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 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.)

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
BrowserUpdateCheck = %Application Data%\{Malware name}.exe

Ransomware Routine

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

  • {Malware name}
  • how_to_back_files.html
  • {GUID}

It avoids encrypting files found in the following folders:

  • Windows
  • Microsoft
  • Microsoft Help
  • Windows App Certification Kit
  • Windows Defender
  • ESET
  • COMODO
  • Windows NT
  • Windows Kits
  • Windows Mail
  • Windows Media Player
  • Windows Multimedia Platform
  • Windows PhoneKits
  • Windows Phone Silverlight Kits
  • Windows Photo Viewer
  • WindowsPortable Devices
  • Windows Sidebar
  • WindowsPowerShell
  • NVIDIA Corporation
  • Microsoft.NET
  • Internet Explorer
  • Kaspersky Lab
  • McAfee
  • Avira
  • spytech software
  • Sysconfig
  • Avast
  • Dr.Web
  • Symantec
  • Symantec_Client_Security
  • system volume information
  • AVG
  • Microsoft Shared
  • Common Files
  • Outlook Express
  • Movie Maker
  • Chrome
  • Mozilla Firefox
  • Opera
  • YandexBrowser
  • Ntldr
  • Wsus
  • ProgramData

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

  • .crypted!

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

  • {Encrypted file directory}\how_to_back_files.html

NOTES:

This ransomware displays the following ransom notes:

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

13.926.04

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

25 Jan 2018

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

13.927.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

26 Jan 2018

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

Step 5

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.
  • %System Root%\Users\Public\{Random hex strings}
  • %Application Data%\{Malware name}.exe
  • {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.THABEH. 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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