Analysis by: Carlos Villegas Madrid

ALIASES:

Trojan.Crypmod (IKARUS)

 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: 59,904 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: No
Initial Samples Received Date: 22 Aug 2022
Payload: 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 adds the following processes:

  • %System%\vssadmin.exe delete shadows /all /quiet → deletes shadow copies
  • powershell.exe Set-MpPreference -DisableRealtimeMonitoring $true → disables Microsoft Defender real-time protection
  • "%System%\WindowsPowershell\v1.0\powershell.exe" rm {Malware filename} → deletes itself after successful system encryption

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

Process Termination

This Ransomware terminates the following services if found on the affected system:

  • vss
  • sql
  • svc$
  • memtas
  • mepocs
  • sophos
  • veeam
  • backup
  • GxVss
  • GxBlr
  • GxFWD
  • GxCVD
  • GxCIMgr
  • DefWatch
  • ccEvtMgr
  • ccSetMgr
  • SavRoam
  • RTVscan
  • QBFCService
  • QBIDPService
  • Intuit.QuickBooks.FCS
  • QBCFMonitorService
  • YooBackup
  • YooIT
  • zhudongfangyu
  • sophos
  • stc_raw_agent
  • VSNAPVSS
  • VeeamTransportSvc
  • VeeamDeploymentService
  • VeeamNFSSvc
  • veeam
  • PDVFSService
  • BackupExecVSSProvider
  • BackupExecAgentAccelerator
  • BackupExecAgentBrowser
  • BackupExecDiveciMediaService
  • BackupExecJobEngine
  • BackupExecManagementService
  • BackupExecRPCService
  • AcrSch2Svc
  • AcronisAgent
  • CASAD2DWebSvc
  • CAARCUpdateSvc

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

  • sql.exe
  • oracle.exe
  • ocssd.exe
  • dbsnmp.exe
  • synctime.exe
  • agntsvc.exe
  • isqlplussvc.exe
  • xfssvccon.exe
  • mydesktopservice.exe
  • ocautoupds.exe
  • encsvc.exe
  • firefox.exe
  • tbirdconfig.exe
  • mydesktopqos.exe
  • ocomm.exe
  • dbeng50.exe
  • sqbcoreservice.exe
  • excel.exe
  • infopath.exe
  • msaccess.exe
  • mspub.exe
  • onenote.exe
  • outlook.exe
  • powerpnt.exe
  • steam.exe
  • thebat.exe
  • thunderbird.exe
  • visio.exe
  • winword.exe
  • wordpad.exe
  • notepad.exe

Other Details

This Ransomware does the following:

  • It checks if the file size is greater than 2GB if so, it will call a function to perform faster file encryption
  • It does not append any extension on encrypted files
  • It can infect other machines on the same network

Ransomware Routine

This Ransomware avoids encrypting files with the following strings in their file name:

  • Boot
  • Windows
  • Windows.old
  • Tor Browser
  • Tox
  • Admin
  • local
  • $Recycle.Bin
  • autorun.inf
  • boot.ini
  • bootfont.bin
  • bootsect.bak
  • bootmgr
  • bootmgr.efi
  • bootmgfw.efi
  • desktop.ini
  • ntldr
  • ntuser.dat
  • ntuser.dat.log
  • ntuser.ini
  • iconcache.db
  • thumbs.db
  • #recycle
  • !!!READ TO RECOVER YOUR DATA!!!.txt

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

  • /boot
  • /bin
  • /usr
  • /lib
  • /snap
  • /run
  • /tmp
  • /proc
  • /etc
  • Z:\boot
  • Z:\bin
  • Z:\usr
  • Z:\lib
  • Z:\snap
  • Z:\run
  • Z:\tmp
  • Z:\proc
  • Z:\etc

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

  • {Encrypted Directory}\!!!READ TO RECOVER YOUR DATA!!!.txt

It avoids encrypting files with the following file extensions:

  • .pem
  • .der
  • .rsa
  • .exe
  • .dll
  • .ocx
  • .drv
  • .sys
  • .ttf
  • .otf
  • .log
  • .reg
  • .list

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.800
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 17.766.04
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 22 Aug 2022
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 17.767.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 23 Aug 2022

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.XXPE50FFF059

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

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 4

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.
  • {Encrypted Directory}\!!!READ TO RECOVER YOUR DATA!!!.txt

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as Ransom.MSIL.MOISHA.THHBBBB. 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 6

Restore encrypted files from backup.


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