RANSOM_GAMEOVER.THGAIAH

 Analysis by: Noel Anthony Llimos

 ALIASES:

Generic.Ransom.WCryG.DADAEB97 (Bitdefender)

 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 infects by overwriting certain sections of target files with its code.

It encrypts files with specific file extensions.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

119,296 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

19 Jul 2018

Payload:

Terminates processes, Connects to URLs/IPs, 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:

  • {All Available Drives}\{Executed Malware Name}.exe

It creates the following folders:

  • %System Root%\ghost

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

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\Run
gameover = {Executed Malware Directory}

File Infection

This Ransomware infects the following file types:

  • .exe

It infects by overwriting certain sections of target files with its code.

It searches for target files in the following folders:

  • %System Root%
  • %System Root%\Games
  • %System Root%\GoG Games

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

Process Termination

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

  • ISafe
  • ITMRTSVC
  • QOELoader
  • cctray
  • CAVRID
  • capfasem
  • VetMsg
  • MSASCui
  • avp
  • SSU
  • Ad-Aware
  • SpySweeperUI
  • capfsem
  • CAPPActiveProtection
  • ccprovsp
  • PPCtlPriv
  • cmdagent
  • aswUpdSv
  • SpySweeper
  • bdagent
  • livesrv
  • CAGlobalLight
  • AAWService
  • ashServ
  • sched
  • avguard
  • pctsAuxs
  • pctsSvc
  • avmailc
  • AVWEBGRD
  • ashMaiSv
  • ashMaiSv
  • AAWTray
  • Mcafeeupdate
  • cfp
  • pctsTray
  • egui
  • WEXTRACT
  • ccApp
  • osCheck
  • isPwdSvc
  • nod32
  • mcmscsvc
  • TeaTimer
  • noadware5
  • persfw
  • CAGlobal
  • xcommsvr
  • ccprovsp
  • UmxPol
  • UmxFwHlp
  • UmxCfg
  • UmxAgent
  • avgwdsvc
  • mcagent
  • avgrsx
  • avgemc
  • VetMsg
  • ISafe
  • mcshield
  • mcproxy
  • mcsysmon
  • MsMpEng
  • avgcc
  • mbamservice
  • mbamgui
  • avgemc
  • avgupsvc
  • avgamsvr
  • explorer
  • ashDisp
  • SUPERAntiSpyware
  • RegFirewall
  • HiJackThis
  • MPFSrv
  • MskSrver
  • mcagent
  • mcsysmon
  • McSACore
  • avp
  • persfw
  • kavtray
  • aawservice
  • kavfsscs
  • ccSetMgr
  • SNDSrvc
  • SPBBCSvc
  • ccEvtMgr
  • blackd
  • navapsvc
  • NPFMntor
  • rapapp
  • symlcsvc
  • NAVAPW32
  • BLACKICE
  • rtsserv
  • blackice
  • navapw32
  • wextact
  • itmrtsvc
  • isafe
  • cavrid
  • avgamsvr
  • avgupsvc
  • avgemc
  • avgcc
  • zlclient
  • FPAVServer
  • fssf
  • FProtTray
  • nvvsvc
  • avgwdsvc
  • pctsAuxs
  • pctsSvc
  • avgrsx
  • avgnsx
  • pctsTray
  • avgcsrvx
  • avgemc
  • avgtray
  • Dwm
  • WUDFHost
  • MSACUI
  • MsMpEng
  • MSASCui
  • wscntfy
  • egui
  • smc
  • TrayNotify

Other Details

This Ransomware does the following:

  • It executes the following command to ping the specified URL with a specific buffer size:
    • ping -n 4294967265 -l 65500 {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.204.222:80
  • It displays the following ransom note after restarting the system:
  • This ransomware is still in development, it is not capable of its intended routine.

Ransomware Routine

This Ransomware encrypts files with the following extensions:

  • .3g2
  • .3gp
  • .asf
  • .asx
  • .avi
  • .flv
  • .m2ts
  • .mkv
  • .mov
  • .mp4
  • .mpg
  • .mpeg
  • .rm
  • .swf
  • .vob
  • .wmv
  • .docx
  • .pdf
  • .rar
  • .jpg
  • .jpeg
  • .png
  • .tiff
  • .zip
  • .7z
  • .tar
  • .gz
  • .tar
  • .mp3
  • .sh
  • .c
  • .gif
  • .txt
  • .py
  • .pyc
  • .jar
  • .sql
  • .bundle
  • .sqlite3
  • .html
  • .php
  • .log
  • .pptx
  • .xlsx
  • .ppt
  • .accdb
  • .pub
  • .js
  • .bat
  • .vbs
  • .jse
  • .vbe
  • .cs
  • .vbproj
  • .csproj
  • .htm
  • .rpa
  • .pyo
  • .pyd
  • .db
  • .cpp
  • .cmd
  • .ocx
  • .sln
  • .vb
  • .sb2
  • .asm
  • .aes
  • .der
  • .pfx
  • .key
  • .crt
  • .csr
  • .pem
  • .odt
  • .ott
  • .sxw
  • .stw
  • .uot
  • .max
  • .ods
  • .sxc
  • .stc
  • .slk
  • .odp
  • .otp
  • .sxd
  • .std
  • .uop
  • .odg
  • .xdata
  • .otg
  • .sxm
  • .mml
  • .lay
  • .lay6
  • .asc
  • .sqlitedb
  • .sql
  • .mdp
  • .dbf
  • .odp
  • .frm
  • .myd
  • .myi
  • .ibd
  • .mdf
  • .lbd
  • .suo
  • .pas
  • .dip
  • .dch
  • .sch
  • .brd
  • .wma
  • .mid
  • .midi
  • .djvu
  • .svg
  • .nef
  • .cgm
  • .raw
  • .vcd
  • .iso
  • .backup
  • .bak
  • .tbk
  • .PAQ
  • .ARC
  • .gpg
  • .vmx
  • .vdmk
  • .vdi
  • .sldm
  • .sldx
  • .sti
  • .sxi
  • .hwp
  • .snt
  • .ppsx
  • .ppsm
  • .pps
  • .pot
  • .pptm
  • .xltm
  • .xltx
  • .xlc
  • .xlm
  • .xlt
  • .xlw
  • .xlsb
  • .xlsm
  • .xls
  • .dotx
  • .dot
  • .docm
  • .docb
  • .doc
  • .onetoc2
  • .dwg
  • .wks
  • .csv
  • .vsdx
  • .vsd
  • .edb
  • .eml
  • .msg
  • .ost
  • .pst
  • .potm
  • .potx
  • .ppam
  • .wncry

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

  • .gameover

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

14.390.02

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

19 Jul 2018

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

14.391.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

20 Jul 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\Run
    • gameover = {Executed Malware Directory}

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.  
  • {All Available Drives}\{Executed Malware Name}.exe

Step 6

Search and delete these folders

[ Learn More ]
Please make sure you check the Search Hidden Files and Folders checkbox in the More advanced options option to include all hidden folders in the search result.
  • %System Root%\ghost

Step 7

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as RANSOM_GAMEOVER.THGAIAH. 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 8

Restore encrypted files from backup.


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