RANSOM_REYPTSON.A

 Analysis by: John Kevin Sanchez
 Modified by: Christian Noel Olalia

 ALIASES:

Ransom:MSIL/Reyptson.A (Microsoft), Trojan.Ransom.Reyptson (ALYac)

 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 connects to certain websites to send and receive information.

It encrypts files with specific file extensions. It encrypts files found in specific folders. It drops files as ransom note.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

342,528 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

17 Jul 2017

Payload:

Connects to URLs/IPs, 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 the following copies of itself into the affected system and executes them:

  • %Application Data%\Spotify\SpotifyWebHelper\SpotifyWebHelper.exe

(Note: %Application Data% is the Application Data folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming 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 the following files:

  • %Application Data%\Spotify\SpotifyWebHelper\Spotify.vbs - script to run SpotifyWebHelper.exe
  • %Application Data%\Spotify\SpotifyWebHelper\dat - contains user ID
  • %Application Data%\{0-19999}.basu - contains 1024 “x”
  • %Application Data%\fin - contains “fin”
  • %Application Data%\Spotify\SpotifyWebHelper\{Malware Name}.pdf - decoy document

(Note: %Application Data% is the Application Data folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming 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:

  • %Application Data%\Spotify
  • %Application Data%\Spotify\SpotifyWebHelper

(Note: %Application Data% is the Application Data folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming 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 adds the following mutexes to ensure that only one of its copies runs at any one time:

  • -=Reyptson=-

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Spotify Web Helper v1.0 = %Application Data%\Spotify\SpotifyWebHelper\Spotify.vbs

Other Details

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

  • 37z2akkbd3vqphw5.{BLOCKED}n.to

It does the following:

  • Executes the following command:
    • cmd.exe /c ping 127.0.0.1 -n 3 && "%Application Data%\Spotify\SpotifyWebHelper\SpotifyWebHelper.exe”

(Note: %Application Data% is the Application Data folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming 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.)

Ransomware Routine

This Ransomware encrypts files with the following extensions:

  • .doc
  • .dot
  • .wbk
  • .docx
  • .docm
  • .dotx
  • .dotm
  • .docb
  • .xls
  • .xlt
  • .xlm
  • .xlsx
  • .xlsm
  • .xltx
  • .xltm
  • .xlsb
  • .xla
  • .xlam
  • .xll
  • .xlw
  • .ppt
  • .pot
  • .pps
  • .pptx
  • .pptm
  • .potx
  • .potm
  • .ppam
  • .ppsx
  • .ppsm
  • .sldx
  • .sldm
  • .accdb
  • .db
  • .accde
  • .accdt
  • .accdr
  • .pdf
  • .ani
  • .anim
  • .apng
  • .art
  • .bmp
  • .bpg
  • .bsave
  • .cal
  • .cin
  • .cpc
  • .cpt
  • .dds
  • .dpx
  • .ecw
  • .exr
  • .fits
  • .flic
  • .flif
  • .fpx
  • .gif
  • .hdri
  • .hevc
  • .icer
  • .icns
  • .ico
  • .cur
  • .ics
  • .ilbm
  • .jbig
  • .jbig2
  • .jng
  • .jpeg
  • .jpeg
  • .2000
  • .jpeg-ls
  • .jpeg
  • .xr
  • .kra
  • .mng
  • .miff
  • .nrrd
  • .ora
  • .pam
  • .pbm
  • .pgm
  • .ppm
  • .pnm
  • .pcx
  • .pgf
  • .pictor
  • .png
  • .psd
  • .psb
  • .psp
  • .qtvr
  • .ras
  • .rbe
  • .jpeg-hdr
  • .logluv
  • .tiff
  • .sgi
  • .tga
  • .tiff
  • .tiff
  • .ufo
  • .ufp
  • .wbmp
  • .webp
  • .xbm
  • .xcf
  • .xpm
  • .xwd
  • .cpp
  • .h
  • .cs
  • .sln
  • .idb
  • .txt

It encrypts files found in the following folders:

  • {Drive Letter}:\

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

  • Windows
  • Windows.old
  • C:\Users\Default
  • C:\Users\All Users
  • C:\Users\Public
  • C:\Program Files
  • C:\Recycle Bin
  • C:\Program Files (x86)
  • C:\ProgramData
  • C:\System Volume Information
  • %User Profile%\AppData

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

  • .REYPTSON

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

  • {Encrypted File Path}\Como_Recuperar_Tus_Ficheros.txt

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

13.538.07

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

17 Jul 2017

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

13.539.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

18 Jul 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_REYPTSON.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

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 5

Delete this registry key

[ Learn More ]

=Important: Editing the Windows Registry incorrectly can lead to irreversible system malfunction. Please do this only if you know how to or you can seek your system administrator’s help. You may also check out this Microsoft article first before modifying your computer's registry.

 
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • Spotify Web Helper v1.0 = %Application Data%\Spotify\SpotifyWebHelper\Spotify.vbs

Step 6

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.
  • %Application Data%\Spotify\SpotifyWebHelper\SpotifyWebHelper.exe
  • %Application Data%\Spotify\SpotifyWebHelper\dat
  • %Application Data%\{0-19999}.basu
  • %Application Data%\fin
  • %Application Data%\Spotify\SpotifyWebHelper\{Malware Name}.pdf

Step 7

Search and delete this folder

[ 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.
  • %Application Data%\Spotify\SpotifyWebHelper\
  • %Application Data%\Spotify\

Step 8

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as RANSOM_REYPTSON.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 this Knowledge Base page for more information.

Step 9

Restore encrypted files from backup.


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