RANSOM_PENDOR.A

June 17, 2018
 Analysis by: Carl Maverick Pascual
 ALIASES:

Trojan:Win32/Bitrep.B (Microsoft) ; HEUR:Trojan.Win32.Generic (Kaspersky)

 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 connects to certain websites to send and receive information.

It encrypts files with specific file extensions. It encrypts files found in specific folders.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

499,200 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

15 Jun 2018

Payload:

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 files:

  • {Directory of malicious file}\nope.bin
  • {Directory of malicious file}\pendor.exe -> Used as the decryptor
  • {Directory of malicious file}\error.ico -> Icon for encrypted files
  • {Directory of malicious file}\instruction.txt -> Ransom note
  • {Directory of malicious file}\pendor_key.txt -> Contains UniqueID of victim
  • {Directory of malicious file}\scvhsot.exe -> connects to the C&C server
  • %UserProfile%\K3Log.txt -> Installation date

Other System Modifications

This Ransomware adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Pendor\DefaultIcon
{Default} = {Directory of malicious file}\error.ico

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Pendor\shell\
open\command
{Default} = "{Directory of malicious file}\pendor.exe" "%1"

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Pendor
{Default} =

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.PNR
{Default} = Pendor

Other Details

This Ransomware connects to the following website to send and receive information:

  • http://{BLOCKED}fnxh.onion/gt.php?h={Unique ID}&k={Unique Key}

It does the following:

  • The ransom note can also be viewed by running the {Directory of malicious file}\pendor.exe


  • This Ransomware executes the following commands:
    • {Directory of malicious file}\svchsot.exe "http://pendor4cys5ofnxh.onion/gt.php?h={Unique ID}&k={Unique Key}"
    • {Directory of malicious file}\pendor.exe "kill "{Directory of malicious file}\{Malware filename}.exe""
    • taskkill /F /IM {Directory of malicious file}\scvhsot.exe

Ransomware Routine

This Ransomware encrypts files with the following extensions:

  • .doc
  • .docx
  • .xls
  • .xlsx
  • .ppt
  • .pptx
  • .pst
  • .ost
  • .msg
  • .eml
  • .vsd
  • .vsdx
  • .csv
  • .rtf
  • .wks
  • .wk1
  • .pdf
  • .dwg
  • .onetoc2
  • .snt
  • .jpeg
  • .jpg
  • .docb
  • .docm
  • .dot
  • .dotm
  • .dotx
  • .xlsm
  • .xlsb
  • .xlw
  • .xlt
  • .xlm
  • .xlc
  • .xltx
  • .xltm
  • .pptm
  • .pot
  • .pps
  • .ppsm
  • .ppsx
  • .ppam
  • .potx
  • .potm
  • .edb
  • .hwp
  • .sxi
  • .sti
  • .sldx
  • .sldm
  • .vdi
  • .vmdk
  • .vmx
  • .gpg
  • .aes
  • .ARC
  • .PAQ
  • .bz2
  • .tbk
  • .bak
  • .tar
  • .tgz
  • .gz
  • .7z
  • .rar
  • .zip
  • .backup
  • .iso
  • .vcd
  • .bmp
  • .png
  • .gif
  • .raw
  • .cgm
  • .tif
  • .tiff
  • .nef
  • .psd
  • .ai
  • .svg
  • .djvu
  • .m4u
  • .m3u
  • .mid
  • .wma
  • .flv
  • .3g2
  • .mkv
  • .3gp
  • .mp4
  • .mov
  • .avi
  • .asf
  • .mpeg
  • .vob
  • .mpg
  • .wmv
  • .fla
  • .swf
  • .wav
  • .mp3
  • .sh
  • .class
  • .jar
  • .java
  • .rb
  • .asp
  • .php
  • .jsp
  • .brd
  • .sch
  • .dch
  • .dip
  • .pl
  • .vb
  • .vbs
  • .ps1
  • .bat
  • .cmd
  • .js
  • .asm
  • .h
  • .pas
  • .cpp
  • .ÿÿÿÿ
  • .c
  • .cs
  • .suo
  • .sln
  • .ldf
  • .mdf
  • .ibd
  • .myi
  • .myd
  • .frm
  • .odb
  • .dbf
  • .db
  • .mdb
  • .accdb
  • .sql
  • .sqlitedb
  • .sqlite3
  • .asc
  • .lay6
  • .lay
  • .mml
  • .sxm
  • .otg
  • .odg
  • .uop
  • .std
  • .sxd
  • .otp
  • .odp
  • .wb2
  • .slk
  • .dif
  • .stc
  • .sxc
  • .ots
  • .ods
  • .3dm
  • .max
  • .3ds
  • .uot
  • .stw
  • .sxw
  • .ott
  • .odt
  • .pem
  • .p12
  • .csr
  • .crt
  • .key
  • .pfx
  • .der

It encrypts files found in the following folders:

  • %UserProfile%
  • {All fixed and remote drives except for System Root}

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

  • .pnr

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

13.668.08

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

19 Sep 2017

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

13.669.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

20 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

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_CLASSES_ROOT\.PNR
    • {Default} = Pendor
  • In HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Pendor
    • {Default} = ""

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.
  • %UserProfile%\K3Log.txt
  • {Directory of malicious file}\nope.bin
  • {Directory of malicious file}\scvhsot.exe
  • {Directory of malicious file}\pendor.exe
  • {Directory of malicious file}\error.ico
  • {Directory of malicious file}\instruction.txt
  • {Directory of malicious file}\pendor_key.txt

Step 5

Restore encrypted files from backup.

Step 6

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as RANSOM_PENDOR.A. 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:


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