Ransom.Win32.ROYAL.D

May 12, 2023
 Analysis by: Kim Cyrus Folloso
 ALIASES:

Trojan:Win32/RoyalRansom!ic (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, 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. It avoids encrypting files with the following file extensions.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

2,237,952 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

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:

  • %System%\vssadmin.exe delete shadows /all /quiet
  • If -disablesafeboot is passed as an argument:
    • %System%\bcdedit.exe /deletevalue {current} safeboot
    • shutdown.exe /r /t 0

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.)

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

  • {32 byte characters} → Victim ID

Other Details

This Ransomware does the following:

  • It encrypts files found in the following drives:
    • Fixed Drives
    • Removable Drives
    • Remote Drives
  • It avoids encrypting the following network shares:
    • ADMIN$
    • IPC$
  • It uses Windows Restart Manager to unlock files it will encrypt.
  • When encrypting network shares, it will check if the IP address starts with the following to ensure that it is encrypting local and non-internet systems:
    • 192.
    • 10.
    • 100.
    • 172.

It accepts the following parameters:

  • -id {32 byte characters} → Victim ID
  • -ep {int 0-100} → define encryption parameter
  • -path {Path to Encrypt} -→ Directory to encrypt
  • -disablesafeboot → used to disable safeboot
  • -noprotect → used to disable mutex creation

Ransomware Routine

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

  • $recycle.bin
  • $windows.~ws
  • $windows.~bt
  • google
  • perflogs
  • mozilla
  • tor browser
  • boot
  • windows
  • windows.~ws
  • windows.old
  • royal
  • README.TXT

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

  • .royal_w

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

  • {Encrypted Directory}:\README.TXT
  • {Drive}:\README.TXT

It avoids encrypting files with the following file extensions:

  • .exe
  • .dll
  • .bat
  • .lnk

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.800

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

18.440.03

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

12 May 2023

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

18.441.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

13 May 2023

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:

     
    • Troj.Win32.TRX.XXPE50FFF068

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

Identify and terminate files detected as Ransom.Win32.ROYAL.D

[ Learn More ]
  1. Windows Task Manager may not display all running processes. In this case, please use a third-party process viewer, preferably Process Explorer, to terminate the malware/grayware/spyware file. You may download the said tool here.
  2. If the detected file is displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer but you cannot delete it, restart your computer in safe mode. To do this, refer to this link for the complete steps.
  3. If the detected file is not displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer, continue doing the next steps.

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.
  • {Encrypted Directory}:\README.TXT
  • {Drive}:\README.TXT

Step 6

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as Ransom.Win32.ROYAL.D. 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:

Step 7

Restore encrypted files from backup.


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