PE_FINALDO.C-O

 Analysis by: Homer Pacag

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: File infector

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: Yes

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Downloaded from the Internet, Dropped by other malware, Infects files


This file infector arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

478,208 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

20 Jan 2015

Payload:

Locks screen, Infects files

Arrival Details

This file infector 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 file infector drops the following files:

  • %All Users%\eykockkg\smUoUwQc
  • %User Profile%\REokYokM\toYYgMUU
  • %User Temp%\file.vbs
  • %User Temp%\{random}.bat
  • %All Users%\{random}.txt - contains the list of all infected files for ransom

(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista and 7.. %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)

It drops and executes the following files:

  • %User Profile%\REokYokM\toYYgMUU.exe - PE_FINALDO.A-O
  • %All Users%\eykockkg\smUoUwQc.exe - PE_FINALDO.A-O

(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista and 7.)

It creates the following folders:

  • %All Users%\eykockkg
  • %User Profile%\REokYokM

(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista and 7.)

Autostart Technique

This file infector adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
toYYgMUU.exe = %User Profile%\REokYokM\toYYgMUU.exe

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
smUoUwQc.exe = %All User%\eykockkg\smUoUwQc.exe

Other System Modifications

This file infector modifies the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Advanced
Hidden = 2

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 1.)

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Advanced
HideFileExt = 1

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is 0.)

File Infection

This file infector infects the following file types:

  • MS Office Files (.doc, .xls, .ppt, .mdb)
  • Adobe PDF Files (.pdf)
  • Archive Files(.zip, .rar)
  • Program Application Files (.exe)
  • Image Files (.gif, .png, .bmp, .jpg )
  • Media Files (.mp3, .wma)

Other Details

This file infector connects to the following URL(s) to check for an Internet connection:

  • google.com

NOTES:

This malware retains the icons of the infected files. The infected files are renamed to {file name}.{original file extension}.exe. Once the malware is installed, it locks the screen and displays the following image:

It commands the user to pay in order to unlock the infected computer.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.700

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

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

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_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • toYYgMUU.exe = "%User Profile%\REokYokM\toYYgMUU.exe"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • smUoUwQc.exe = "%All User%\eykockkg\smUoUwQc.exe"

Step 4

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.

  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
    • From: Hidden = 2
      To: Hidden = 1
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced
    • From: HideFileExt = 1
      To: HideFileExt = 0

Step 5

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.
%All Users%\eykockkg
%User Profile%\REokYokM

Step 6

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.
%User Temp%\file.vbs
%User Temp%\{random}.bat
%All Users%\eykockkg\smUoUwQc
%User Profile%\REokYokM\toYYgMUU

Step 7

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as PE_FINALDO.C-O. 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

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as PE_FINALDO.C-O. 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.


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