RANSOM_CERBER.AUSJB

 Analysis by: John Anthony Banes

 ALIASES:

Ransom:Win32/Cerber (Microsoft); Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Zerber.aiwh (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 deletes the initially executed copy of itself.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

278,307 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

25 Nov 2016

Payload:

Connects to URLs/IPs, Encrypts files, Displays message/message boxes

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:

  • {folder of encrypted files}\_README_.hta - ransom note
  • %Desktop%\_README_.hta
  • %User Temp%\tmp{random numbers}.bmp - ransom note wallpaper
  • %User Temp%\{random characters}\{random characters}.tmp
  • %User Temp%\_README_.hta - ransom note

(Note: %Desktop% is the desktop folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Desktop in Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\Desktop in 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.. %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 creates the following folders:

  • %User Temp%\{random characters}

(Note: %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.)

Other System Modifications

This Ransomware adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
Wallpaper = %User Temp%\tmp{random numbers}.bmp

Process Termination

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

  • agntsvc.exe
  • dbeng50.exe
  • dbsnmp.exe
  • encsvc.exe
  • firefoxconfig.exe
  • isqlplussvc.exe
  • msftesql.exe
  • mydesktopqos.exe
  • mydesktopservice.exe
  • mysqld.exe
  • mysqld-nt.exe
  • mysqld-opt.exe
  • ocautoupds.exe
  • ocomm.exe
  • ocssd.exe
  • oracle.exe
  • sqbcoreservice.exe
  • sqlagent.exe
  • sqlbrowser.exe
  • sqlservr.exe
  • sqlwriter.exe
  • synctime.exe
  • tbirdconfig.exe
  • xfssvccon.exe

Other Details

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

  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.11.0/27
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.12.0/27
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.16.0/22

It encrypts files with the following extensions:

  • .1cd
  • .3dm
  • .3ds
  • .3fr
  • .3g2
  • .3gp
  • .3pr
  • .7z
  • .7zip
  • .aac
  • .ab4
  • .abd
  • .acc
  • .accdb
  • .accde
  • .accdr
  • .accdt
  • .ach
  • .acr
  • .act
  • .adb
  • .adp
  • .ads
  • .agdl
  • .ai
  • .aiff
  • .ait
  • .al
  • .aoi
  • .apj
  • .apk
  • .arw
  • .ascx
  • .asf
  • .asm
  • .asp
  • .aspx
  • .asset
  • .asx
  • .atb
  • .avi
  • .awg
  • .back
  • .backup
  • .backupdb
  • .bak
  • .bank
  • .bay
  • .bdb
  • .bgt
  • .bik
  • .bin
  • .bkp
  • .blend
  • .bmp
  • .bpw
  • .bsa
  • .c
  • .cash
  • .cdb
  • .cdf
  • .cdr
  • .cdr3
  • .cdr4
  • .cdr5
  • .cdr6
  • .cdrw
  • .cdx
  • .ce1
  • .ce2
  • .cer
  • .cfg
  • .cfn
  • .cgm
  • .cib
  • .class
  • .cls
  • .cmt
  • .config
  • .contact
  • .cpi
  • .cpp
  • .cr2
  • .craw
  • .crt
  • .crw
  • .cry
  • .cs
  • .csh
  • .csl
  • .css
  • .csv
  • .d3dbsp
  • .dac
  • .das
  • .dat
  • .db
  • .db_journal
  • .db3
  • .dbf
  • .dbx
  • .dc2
  • .dcr
  • .dcs
  • .ddd
  • .ddoc
  • .ddrw
  • .dds
  • .def
  • .der
  • .des
  • .design
  • .dgc
  • .dgn
  • .dit
  • .djvu
  • .dng
  • .doc
  • .docm
  • .docx
  • .dot
  • .dotm
  • .dotx
  • .drf
  • .drw
  • .dtd
  • .dwg
  • .dxb
  • .dxf
  • .dxg
  • .edb
  • .eml
  • .eps
  • .erbsql
  • .erf
  • .exf
  • .fdb
  • .ffd
  • .fff
  • .fh
  • .fhd
  • .fla
  • .flac
  • .flb
  • .flf
  • .flv
  • .flvv
  • .forge
  • .fpx
  • .fxg
  • .gbr
  • .gho
  • .gif
  • .gray
  • .grey
  • .groups
  • .gry
  • .h
  • .hbk
  • .hdd
  • .hpp
  • .html
  • .ibank
  • .ibd
  • .ibz
  • .idx
  • .iif
  • .iiq
  • .incpas
  • .indd
  • .info
  • .info_
  • .iwi
  • .jar
  • .java
  • .jnt
  • .jpe
  • .jpeg
  • .jpg
  • .js
  • .json
  • .k2p
  • .kc2
  • .kdbx
  • .kdc
  • .key
  • .kpdx
  • .kwm
  • .laccdb
  • .lbf
  • .lck
  • .ldf
  • .lit
  • .litemod
  • .litesql
  • .lock
  • .ltx
  • .lua
  • .m
  • .m2ts
  • .m3u
  • .m4a
  • .m4p
  • .m4v
  • .ma
  • .mab
  • .mapimail
  • .max
  • .mbx
  • .md
  • .mdb
  • .mdc
  • .mdf
  • .mef
  • .mfw
  • .mid
  • .mkv
  • .mlb
  • .mmw
  • .mny
  • .money
  • .moneywell
  • .mos
  • .mov
  • .mp3
  • .mp4
  • .mpeg
  • .mpg
  • .mrw
  • .msf
  • .msg
  • .mts
  • .myd
  • .nd
  • .ndd
  • .ndf
  • .nef
  • .nk2
  • .nop
  • .nrw
  • .ns2
  • .ns3
  • .ns4
  • .nsd
  • .nsf
  • .nsg
  • .nsh
  • .nvram
  • .nwb
  • .nx2
  • .nxl
  • .nyf
  • .oab
  • .obj
  • .odb
  • .odc
  • .odf
  • .odg
  • .odm
  • .odp
  • .ods
  • .odt
  • .ogg
  • .oil
  • .omg
  • .one
  • .orf
  • .ost
  • .otg
  • .oth
  • .otp
  • .ots
  • .ott
  • .p12
  • .p7b
  • .p7c
  • .pab
  • .pages
  • .pas
  • .pat
  • .pbf
  • .pcd
  • .pct
  • .pdb
  • .pdd
  • .pdf
  • .pef
  • .pfx
  • .php
  • .pif
  • .pl
  • .plc
  • .plus_muhd
  • .pm
  • .pm!
  • .pmi
  • .pmj
  • .pml
  • .pmm
  • .pmo
  • .pmr
  • .pnc
  • .pnd
  • .png
  • .pnx
  • .pot
  • .potm
  • .potx
  • .ppam
  • .pps
  • .ppsm
  • .ppsx
  • .ppt
  • .pptm
  • .pptx
  • .prf
  • .private
  • .ps
  • .psafe3
  • .psd
  • .pspimage
  • .pst
  • .ptx
  • .pub
  • .pwm
  • .py
  • .qba
  • .qbb
  • .qbm
  • .qbr
  • .qbw
  • .qbx
  • .qby
  • .qcow
  • .qcow2
  • .qed
  • .qtb
  • .r3d
  • .raf
  • .rar
  • .rat
  • .raw
  • .rdb
  • .re4
  • .rm
  • .rtf
  • .rvt
  • .rw2
  • .rwl
  • .rwz
  • .s3db
  • .safe
  • .sas7bdat
  • .sav
  • .save
  • .say
  • .sd0
  • .sda
  • .sdb
  • .sdf
  • .secret
  • .sh
  • .sldm
  • .sldx
  • .slm
  • .sql
  • .sqlite
  • .sqlite3
  • .sqlitedb
  • .sqlite-shm
  • .sqlite-wal
  • .sr2
  • .srb
  • .srf
  • .srs
  • .srt
  • .srw
  • .st4
  • .st5
  • .st6
  • .st7
  • .st8
  • .stc
  • .std
  • .sti
  • .stl
  • .stm
  • .stw
  • .stx
  • .svg
  • .swf
  • .sxc
  • .sxd
  • .sxg
  • .sxi
  • .sxm
  • .sxw
  • .tax
  • .tbb
  • .tbk
  • .tbn
  • .tex
  • .tga
  • .thm
  • .tif
  • .tiff
  • .tlg
  • .tlx
  • .txt
  • .upk
  • .usr
  • .vbox
  • .vdi
  • .vhd
  • .vhdx
  • .vmdk
  • .vmsd
  • .vmx
  • .vmxf
  • .vob
  • .vpd
  • .vsd
  • .wab
  • .wad
  • .wallet
  • .war
  • .wav
  • .wb2
  • .wma
  • .wmf
  • .wmv
  • .wpd
  • .wps
  • .x11
  • .x3f
  • .xis
  • .xla
  • .xlam
  • .xlk
  • .xlm
  • .xlr
  • .xls
  • .xlsb
  • .xlsm
  • .xlsx
  • .xlt
  • .xltm
  • .xltx
  • .xlw
  • .xml
  • .xps
  • .xxx
  • .ycbcra
  • .yuv
  • .zip

It renames encrypted files using the following names:

  • {10 Random Characters}.{4 Random Characters}

It does the following:

  • It terminates itself if found running in any of the following countries:
    • Armenia
    • Azerbaijan
    • Belarus
    • Georgia
    • Kazakhstan
    • Kyrgyzstan
    • Moldova
    • Russia
    • Tajikistan
    • Turkmenistan
    • Ukraine
    • Uzbekistan
  • It avoids encrypting files in the following paths:
    • {drive letter}:\$recycle.bin
    • {drive letter}:\$windows.~bt
    • {drive letter}:\boot
    • {drive letter}:\documents and settings\all users
    • {drive letter}:\documents and settings\default user
    • {drive letter}:\documents and settings\localservice
    • {drive letter}:\documents and settings\networkservice
    • {drive letter}:\program files
    • {drive letter}:\program files (x86)
    • {drive letter}:\programdata
    • {drive letter}:\recovery
    • {drive letter}:\recycler
    • {drive letter}:\users\all users
    • {drive letter}:\windows
    • {drive letter}:\windows.old
    • \appdata\local
    • \appdata\locallow
    • \appdata\roaming\adobe\flash player
    • \appData\roaming\apple computer\safari
    • \appdata\roaming\ati
    • \appdata\roaming\intel
    • \appdata\roaming\intel corporation
    • \appdata\roaming\google
    • \appdata\roaming\macromedia\flash player
    • \appdata\roaming\mozilla
    • \appdata\roaming\nvidia
    • \appdata\roaming\opera
    • \appdata\roaming\opera software
    • \appdata\roaming\microsoft\internet explorer
    • \appdata\roaming\microsoft\windows
    • \application data\microsoft
    • \local settings
    • \public\music\sample music
    • \public\pictures\sample pictures
    • \public\videos\sample videos
    • \tor browser
  • It avoids encrypting the following files:
    • bootsect.bak
    • iconcache.db
    • ntuser.dat
    • thumbs.db
  • It speaks the following text using text-to-speech application:
    • Attention! Attention! Attention! Your documents, photos, databases and other important files have been encrypted!
  • It is configured to target related files under the following folders:
    • {drive letter}:\documents and settings\all users\documents\
    • \appdata\roaming\microsoft\office\
    • \excel\
    • \microsoft sql server\
    • \onenote\
    • \outlook\
    • \powerpoint\
    • \steam\
    • \the bat!\
    • \thunderbird\
  • It deletes all shadow copies by executing the following in the command prompt:
    %System%\wbem\WMIC.exe shadowcopy delete

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

It deletes the initially executed copy of itself

NOTES:

This ransomware changes the wallpaper to the following image:

It displays the ransom note with the following content:

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

12.920.06

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

25 Nov 2016

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

12.921.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

26 Nov 2016

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_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
    • Wallpaper = %User Temp%\tmp{random numbers}.bmp

Step 4

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.
  • %User Temp%\{random characters}

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.  
  • {folder of encrypted files}\_README_.hta
  • %Desktop%\_README_.hta
  • %User Temp%\_README_.hta
  • %User Temp%\tmp{random numbers}.bmp
  • %User Temp%\{random characters}\{random characters}.tmp

Step 6

Reset your Desktop properties

[ Learn More ]

Step 7

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as RANSOM_CERBER.AUSJB. 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

Restore encrypted files from backup.


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