Ransom.MSIL.THANOS.THFOFBB

March 28, 2023
 Analysis by: Kim Cyrus Folloso
 ALIASES:

Ransom:MSIL/Hakbit.SK!MTB (MICROSOFT)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 DAMAGE POTENTIAL:
 DISTRIBUTION POTENTIAL:
 REPORTED INFECTION:
 INFORMATION EXPOSURE:

  • Threat Type: Ransomware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Dropped by other malware

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 encrypts files with specific file extensions. It avoids encrypting files with the following file extensions.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

134,144 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

06 Jun 2022

Payload:

Drops files, Terminates processes, Deletes files, Modifies system registry, 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 adds the following processes:

  • taskkill /F /IM RaccineSettings.exe
  • reg delete "HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run" /V "Raccine Tray" /F
  • reg delete HKCU\Software\Raccine /F
  • schtasks /DELETE /TN "Raccine Rules Updater" /F
  • cmd.exe /c rd /s /q %SYSTEMDRIVE%\$Recycle.bin
  • Sc.exe config Dnscache start= auto
  • Sc.exe config FDResPub start= auto
  • Sc.exe config SSDPSRV start= auto
  • Sc.exe config upnphost start= auto
  • Sc.exe config SQLTELEMETRY start= disabled
  • Sc.exe config SQLTELEMETRY$ECWDB2 start= disabled
  • Sc.exe config SQLWriter start= disabled
  • Sc.exe config SstpSvc start= disabled
  • taskkill.exe /IM mspub.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM mydesktopqos.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM mydesktopservice.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM mysqld.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM sqbcoreservice.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM firefoxconfig.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM agntsvc.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM thebat.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM steam.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM encsvc.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM excel.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM CNTAoSMgr.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM sqlwriter.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM tbirdconfig.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM dbeng50.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM thebat64.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM ocomm.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM infopath.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM mbamtray.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM zoolz.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM thunderbird.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM dbsnmp.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM xfssvccon.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM mspub.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM Ntrtscan.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM isqlplussvc.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM onenote.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM PccNTMon.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM msaccess.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM outlook.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM tmlisten.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM msftesql.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM powerpnt.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM mydesktopqos.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM visio.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM mydesktopservice.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM winword.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM mysqld-nt.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM wordpad.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM mysqld-opt.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM ocautoupds.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM ocssd.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM oracle.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM sqlagent.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM sqlbrowser.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe IM sqlservr.exe /F
  • taskkill.exe /IM synctime.exe /F
  • powershell.exe & Get-WmiObject Win32_Shadowcopy | ForEach-Object { $_Delete(); }
  • notepad.exe %Desktop%\RESTORE_FILES_INFO.txt
  • cmd.exe /C ping 127.0.0.7 -n 3 > Nul & fsutil file setZeroData offset=0 length=524288 “%s” & Del /f /q “%s”
  • cmd.exe "/C choice /C Y /N /D Y /T 3 & Del "{Malware Path}\{Malware Filename}.exe

(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).)

It adds the following mutexes to ensure that only one of its copies runs at any one time:

  • Global\8a3cd836-e8bb-428d-9e0b-d62e18cfe2d4

It loads the following configuration files:

  • {Malware Path}\Config.enc

Autostart Technique

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

  • %Programs%\Startup\reload1.lnk

(Note: %Programs% is the folder that contains the user’s program groups, which is usually C:\Windows\Start Menu\Programs or C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu\Programs on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs on Windows Vista, 7, and 8.)

Other System Modifications

This Ransomware deletes the following files:

  • {Malware Path}\Config.enc

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\KEYID\
myKeyID
ID1 = {Random}

It modifies the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
Control\FileSystem
LongPathsEnabled = 1

Process Termination

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

  • http analyzer stand-alone
  • fiddler
  • effetech http sniffer
  • firesheep
  • IEWatch Professional
  • dumpcap
  • wireshark
  • wireshark portable
  • sysinternals tcpview
  • NetworkMiner
  • NetworkTrafficView
  • HTTPNetworkSniffer
  • tcpdump
  • intercepter
  • Intercepter-NG
  • ollydbg
  • x64dbg
  • x32dbg
  • dnspy
  • dnspy-x86
  • de4dot
  • ilspy
  • dotpeek
  • dotpeek64
  • ida64
  • RDG Packer Detector
  • CFF Explorer
  • PEiD
  • protection_id
  • LordPE
  • pe-sieve
  • MegaDumper
  • UnConfuserEx
  • Universal_Fixer
  • NoFuserEx
  • cheatengine

Other Details

This Ransomware does the following:

  • It encrypts all available drives (except for CDROMs).
  • It empties the recycle bin.
  • It deletes the following subkeys under {HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options}
    • vssadmin.exe
    • wmic.exe
    • wbadmin.exe
    • bcdedit.exe
    • powershell.exe
    • diskshadow.exe
    • net.exe

Ransomware Routine

This Ransomware encrypts files with the following extensions:

  • dat
  • txt
  • jpeg
  • gif
  • jpg
  • png
  • php
  • cs
  • cpp
  • rar
  • zip
  • html
  • htm
  • xlsx
  • xls
  • avi
  • mp4
  • ppt
  • doc
  • docx
  • sxi
  • sxw
  • odt
  • hwp
  • tar
  • bz2
  • mkv
  • eml
  • msg
  • ost
  • pst
  • edb
  • sql
  • accdb
  • mdb
  • dbf
  • odb
  • myd
  • php
  • java
  • cpp
  • pas
  • asm
  • key
  • pfx
  • pem
  • p12
  • csr
  • gpg
  • aes
  • vsd
  • odg
  • raw
  • nef
  • svg
  • psd
  • vmx
  • vmdk
  • vdi
  • lay6
  • sqlite3
  • sqlitedb
  • java
  • class
  • mpeg
  • djvu
  • tiff
  • backup
  • pdf
  • cert
  • docm
  • xlsm
  • dwg
  • bak
  • qbw
  • nd
  • tlg
  • lgb
  • pptx
  • mov
  • xdw
  • ods
  • wav
  • mp3
  • aiff
  • flac
  • m4a
  • csv
  • sql
  • ora
  • mdf
  • ldf
  • ndf
  • dtsx
  • rdl
  • dim
  • mrimg
  • qbb
  • rtf
  • 7z

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

  • autoexec.bat
  • desktop.ini
  • autorun.inf
  • ntuser.dat
  • NTUSER.DAT
  • iconcache.db
  • bootsect.bak
  • boot.ini
  • ntuser.dat.log
  • thumbs.db
  • bootmgr
  • pagefile.sys
  • config.sys
  • ntuser.ini
  • Builder_Log
  • RSAKeys
  • Config.enc
  • RESTORE_FILES_INFO
  • Recycle.Bin
  • reload1.lnk
  • Debug_Log.txt
  • UserName={UserName}_MachineName={MachineName}_.txt

It avoids encrypting files with the following strings in their file path:

  • C:\Program Files\
  • C:\Program Files (x86)\
  • :\Windows\
  • Perflogs
  • internet explorer
  • :\ProgramData\
  • \AppData\
  • msocache
  • system volume information
  • boot
  • tor browser
  • mozilla
  • appdata
  • google chrome
  • application data
  • Microsoft SQL Server

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

  • .NARUMI

It leaves text files that serve as ransom notes containing the following text:

  • %Desktop%\RESTORE_FILES_INFO.txt
  • %UserTemp%\RESTORE_FILES_INFO.txt
  • {Encrypted Directory}\RESTORE_FILES_INFO.txt
    ransomnote

It avoids encrypting files with the following file extensions:

  • exe
  • dll
  • EXE
  • DLL
  • .NARUMI

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.800

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

17.610.04

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

06 Jun 2022

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

17.611.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

07 Jun 2022

Step 1

Trend Micro Predictive Machine Learning detects and blocks malware at the first sign of its existence, before it executes on your system. When enabled, your Trend Micro product detects this malware under the following machine learning name:

    • TSPY.Win32.TRX.XXPE50FFF057

Step 2

Before doing any scans, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 users must disable System Restore to allow full scanning of their computers.

Step 3

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 4

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 5

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.

    • HKCU\Software\KEYID\myKeyID ID1 = {Random}

Step 6

Restore this modified 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.

    • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\FileSystem LongPathsEnabled = 1

Step 7

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.
  • %Programs%\Startup\reload1.lnk
  • %UserTemp%\RESTORE_FILES_INFO.txt
  • %Desktop%\RESTORE_FILES_INFO.txt
  • {Encrypted Directory}\RESTORE_FILES_INFO.txt

Step 8

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as Ransom.MSIL.THANOS.THFOFBB. 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 9

Restore encrypted files from backup.


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