Analysis by: Carlos Villegas Madrid
ALIASES:

Ransom:Win32/Play.PAA!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: 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.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 469,504 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: No
Initial Samples Received Date: 15 Mar 2023
Payload: 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.

File Infection

This Ransomware avoids infecting files that contain the following strings in their names:

  • ReadMe.txt
  • bootmgr

Other Details

This Ransomware does the following:

  • It avoids encrypting files found in the following drive types:
    • CD-ROM Drive
    • RAM Disk
  • It encrypts all files except for the following files having the following extensions:
    • .exe
    • .dll
    • .lnk
    • .sys

It accepts the following parameters:

  • -mc → Execute normal functionality. Same as no command-line argument.
  • -d → Encrypt a specific drive
  • -ip → Encrypt network shared resource
  • -p → Encrypt a specific folder/file

It does not proceed to its malicious routine if it detects that it is being debugged.

Ransomware Routine

This Ransomware appends the following extension to the file name of the encrypted files:

  • .PLAY

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

  • {All Available Drives}:\ReadMe.txt

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.800
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 18.594.05
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 26 Jul 2023
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 18.595.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 27 Jul 2023

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.XXPE50FFF067

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.
  • {All Available Drives}:\ReadMe.txt

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as Ransom.Win32.PLAYDE.I. 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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