Ransom.Win32.LIVEDE.THLBHBC

 Analysis by: Raighen Sanchez

 ALIASES:

Trojan:Win32/Filecoder.ARA!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:

Downloaded from the Internet, 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 drops files as ransom note. It avoids encrypting files with the following file extensions.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

1,783,094 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

28 Dec 2023

Payload:

Displays graphics/image, Drops files, 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 the following files:

  • {malware directory}\libgobject-2.0-0.dll
  • {malware directory}\libiconv-2.dll
  • {malware directory}\libintl-8.dll
  • {malware directory}\libpcre2-8-0.dll
  • {malware directory}\livelocked.exe
  • {malware directory}\windows_encryptor_180870197840.exe
  • {malware directory}\libffi-8.dll
  • {malware directory}\libglib-2.0-0.dll

It adds the following processes:

  • bcdedit /set {current} recoveryenabled no
  • bcdedit /set {default} recoveryenabled no
  • bcdedit /set {current} bootstatuspolicy ignoreallfailures
  • bcdedit /set {default} bootstatuspolicy ignoreallfailures
  • vssadmin Delete Shadows /All /Quiet
  • wbadmin DELETE BACKUP -keepVersions:0 -quiet
  • taskkill /F /IM {process name}
  • net stop {service name} /y
  • wevtutil cl application
  • wevtutil cl security
  • wevtutil cl system

Other System Modifications

This Ransomware sets the system's desktop wallpaper to the following image:

Other Details

This Ransomware does the following:

  • The file is a self-extracting archive.
  • Clears event logs to hide its malicious behaviors.
  • It encrypts drives from A:\ to Z:\

It accepts the following parameters:

  • -s, --self
  • -h, --help, -help, /?
  • -d, --directory
  • -dr, --deleteRestorePoints {true, false}
  • -ss, --stopServices {true, false}
  • -sp, --stopProcesses {true, false}
  • -dn, --dropNote {true, false}
  • -cw, --changeWallpaper {false}

Ransomware Routine

This Ransomware avoids encrypting files found in the following folders:

  • C:\Program Files
  • C:\Program Files(x86)
  • C:\ProgramData
  • C:\Windows
  • C:\msys64
  • C:\Users\All Users

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

  • {original filename}.{original extension}.live

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

  • {encrypted directory}\FILE RECOVERY_ID_393FB90.txt

It avoids encrypting files with the following file extensions:

  • exe
  • dll
  • ini
  • tmp
  • url
  • lnk
  • ps1
  • nls
  • shs
  • themepack
  • bin
  • msp
  • wpx
  • bat
  • sys
  • spl
  • scr
  • icl
  • rom
  • msc
  • ico
  • LIVE

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.800

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

18.916.02

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

02 Jan 2024

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

18.917.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

03 Jan 2024

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.XXPE50FSX045

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

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.
  • {encrypted directory}\FILE RECOVERY_ID_393FB90.txt

Step 4

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


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