Analysis by: John Rainier Navato

 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, 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 encrypts files found in specific folders. It drops files as ransom note.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 2,510,673 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: No
Initial Samples Received Date: 20 May 2024
Payload: Drops files, Encrypts files, Displays graphics/image, Displays windows

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:

  • netsh firewall set opmode mode=disable profile=all
  • vssadmin Delete Shadows /all /quiet
  • bcdedit /set {default} bootstatuspolicy ignoreallfailures
  • bcdedit /set {default} recoveryenabled no
  • wmic shadowcopy delete
  • wbadmin delete catalog –quiet
  • rundll32.exe user32.dll,UpdatePerUserSystemParameters
  • %Desktop%\GlitchByte_Decryptor.exe

(Note: %Desktop% is the current user's desktop, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{User Name}\Desktop on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\Desktop on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

Other System Modifications

This Ransomware adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\{76 Random Characters}
{76 Random Characters} = {Random Characters}

It changes the desktop wallpaper by modifying the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
Wallpaper = %Application Data%\GlitchByte.bmp

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

  • %Application Data%\GlitchByte.bmp

Dropping Routine

This Ransomware drops the following files:

  • %Application Data%\GlitchByte.bmp

(Note: %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

Other Details

This Ransomware encrypts files with the following extensions:

  • .accdb
  • .bas
  • .bmp
  • .dib
  • .doc
  • .docx
  • .jpeg
  • .jpg
  • .log
  • .mp
  • .mp3
  • .mp4
  • .png
  • .ppt
  • .pptx
  • .pub
  • .rtf
  • .txt
  • .vbe
  • .vbs
  • .wav
  • .xsl
  • .xslx

It does the following:

  • It modifies the following files:
    • %System%\drivers\etc\hosts
    • to block access to the following URLs:

      • www.malwarebytes.com
      • malwarebytes.com
      • www.bitdefender.com
      • bitdefender.com
      • www.avast.com
      • avast.com
      • www.symantec.com
      • symantec.com
      • www.avast.com
      • avast.com
      • www.virustotal.com
      • virustotal.com
      • www.tria.ge
      • tria.ge
      • www.cuckoo.cert.ee
      • cuckoo.cert.ee
      • www.hybrid-analysis.com
      • hybrid-analysis.com
      • www.crowdstrike.com
      • crowdstrike.com
      • www.go.crowdstrike.com
      • go.crowdstrike.com
  • It displays the following on its console:

Ransomware Routine

This Ransomware encrypts files found in the following folders:

  • C:\

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

  • .GLBT

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

  • %Desktop%\GlitchByte_Decryptor.exe → detected as Ransom.Win32.GLBYTE.THEBCBD.note

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.800
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 19.358.01
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 22 May 2024
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 19.359.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 23 May 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.XXPE50FFF082

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

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\{76 Random Characters}
    • {76 Random Characters} = {Random}

Step 5

Delete this registry key

[ 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
    • {76 Random Characters}

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%\GlitchByte.bmp
  • %Desktop%\GlitchByte_Decryptor.exe

Step 7

Restore this file from backup only Microsoft-related files will be restored. If this malware/grayware also deleted files related to programs that are not from Microsoft, please reinstall those programs on you computer again.

  • %System%\drivers\etc\hosts

Step 8

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as Ransom.Win32.GLBYTE.THEBCBD. 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 9

Restore encrypted files from backup.

Step 10

Reset your Desktop properties

[ Learn More ]


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