Ransom.Win64.GHOSTLOCKER.THKBOBC

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 found in specific folders. It drops files as ransom note. It avoids encrypting files with the following file extensions.

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 adds the following processes:

• sc stop C:\
• cmd start /c %Desktop%\RansomNote.html

(Note: %Desktop% is the current user's desktop, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{User Name}\Desktop on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\Desktop on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

Autostart Technique

This Ransomware drops the following file(s) in the Windows User Startup folder to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

• %User Startup%\{Malware Filename and Extension} → copy of itself

(Note: %User Startup% is the current user's Startup folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Profiles\{user name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\Profiles\{user name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows NT, C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows 2003(32-bit), XP and 2000(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit), 10(64-bit).)

Other Details

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

• using HTTP POST:
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.246/incrementLaunch
    Information sent:
    • username : {Hard-coded username value}
  
  
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.246/addInfection
    Information sent:
    • id : {Generated ID}
    • identifier : {Hard-coded identifier value}
    • infection_date : {Date executed}
    • ip : "your_ip" → Hard-coded value
    • key : {Generated Key}
    • ransom_amount : "0.00138" → Hard-coded value
    • status : "your_status" → Hard-coded value
    • username : {Hard-coded username value}
• It prints the response from the C2 to the commandline.
• If no response is received, execution is terminated.

It does the following:

• It uploads files and its full file path information to the C2.
  • File extensions:
    • .doc
    • .docx
    • .xls
    • .xlsx
  • Using HTTP POST:
    • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.246/upload
  • Information sent:
    • {Hard-coded username}
    • {Generated ID}
    • {Full File Path}
    • {File Contents}
• It displays a console that logs the status of the execution and encryption.
  

Ransomware Routine

This Ransomware encrypts files found in the following folders:

• C:\

It avoids encrypting files found in the following folders:

• C:\Windows

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

• .ghost

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

• %Desktop%\RansomNote.html
  

It avoids encrypting files with the following file extensions:

• .ghost
• .doc
• .docx
• .xls
• .xlsx