RANSOM_GENOBOT.A

 Analysis by: Michael Jhon Ofiaza

 ALIASES:

Troj/Cryptear-A (Sophos-Lite) , Ransom.HiddenTear!g1 (Norton) , HEUR:Trojan.Win32.Generic (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:

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 steals certain information from the system and/or the user.

It connects to certain websites to send and receive information.

It encrypts files with specific file extensions. It encrypts files found in specific folders.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

391,680 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

20 Dec 2017

Payload:

Connects to URLs/IPs, Displays graphics/image, Displays message/message boxes, 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 drops a copy of itself in the following folders using different file names:

  • %User Profile%\Rand123\lsass.exe

(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:

  • %User Profile%\Rand123

(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.)

Other System Modifications

This Ransomware adds the following registry entries as part of its installation routine:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
Wallpaper = %User Profile%\ransom.jpg

It sets the system's desktop wallpaper to the following image:

Download Routine

This Ransomware accesses the following websites to download files:

  • https://i.{BLOCKED}r.com/vMGeXh7.jpg

It saves the files it downloads using the following names:

  • %User Profile%/ransom.jpg - to be use as wallpaper

(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.)

Information Theft

This Ransomware steals the following information:

  • Computer Name
  • Username
  • Generated encryption key

Other Details

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

  • https://www.google.com

It connects to the following website to send and receive information:

  • https://{BLOCKED}eats.eu/Server/write.php

Ransomware Routine

This Ransomware encrypts files with the following extensions:

  • .txt
  • .jar
  • .exe
  • .dat
  • .contact
  • .settings
  • .doc
  • .docx
  • .xls
  • .xlsx
  • .ppt
  • .pptx
  • .odt
  • .jpg
  • .png
  • .csv
  • .py
  • .sql
  • .mdb
  • .sln
  • .php
  • .asp
  • .aspx
  • .html
  • .htm
  • .xml
  • .psd
  • .pdf
  • .dll
  • .c
  • .cs
  • .mp3
  • .mp4
  • .f3d
  • .dwg
  • .cpp
  • .zip
  • .rar
  • .mov
  • .rtf
  • .bmp
  • .mkv
  • .avi
  • .apk
  • .lnk
  • .iso
  • .7-zip
  • .ace
  • .arj
  • .bz2
  • .cab
  • .gzip
  • .lzh
  • .tar
  • .uue
  • .xz
  • .z
  • .001
  • .mpeg
  • .mp3
  • .mpg
  • .core
  • .crproj
  • .pdb
  • .ico
  • .pas
  • .db
  • .torrent

It encrypts files found in the following folders:

  • %User Profile%\Desktop
  • %User Profile%\Links
  • %User Profile%\Contacts
  • %User Profile%\Documents
  • %User Profile%\Downloads
  • %User Profile%\Pictures
  • %User Profile%\Music
  • %User Profile%\OneDrive
  • %User Profile%\Saved Games
  • %User Profile%\Favorites
  • %User Profile%\Searches
  • %User Profile%\Videos

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

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

13.866.03

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

26 Dec 2017

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

13.867.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

27 Dec 2017

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

Identify and terminate files detected as RANSOM_GENOBOT.A

[ 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 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 Profile%\Rand123

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.
  • %User Profile%\ransom.jpg

Step 6

Reset your Desktop properties

[ Learn More ]

Step 7

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as RANSOM_GENOBOT.A. 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 8

Restore encrypted files from backup.


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