Analysis by: Mc Justine De Guzman
ALIASES:

Ransom:Win64/NightSky.PA!MTB (MICROSOFT)

 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 drops files as ransom note. It avoids encrypting files with the following file extensions.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 9,768,448 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: No
Initial Samples Received Date: 12 Jan 2022
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.

Installation

This Ransomware adds the following mutexes to ensure that only one of its copies runs at any one time:

  • tset123155465463213

Other Details

This Ransomware does the following:

  • It empties the recycle bin before encryption

Ransomware Routine

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

  • #recycle
  • $Recycle.Bin
  • All Users
  • AppData
  • autorun.inf
  • Boot
  • boot.ini
  • bootfont.bin
  • bootmgfw.efi
  • bootmgr
  • bootmgr.efi
  • bootsect.bak
  • desktop.ini
  • Google
  • iconcache.db
  • Internet Explorer
  • Mozilla
  • Mozilla Firefox
  • ntldr
  • ntuser.dat
  • ntuser.dat.log
  • ntuser.ini
  • Opera
  • Opera Software
  • Program Files
  • Program Files (x86)
  • ProgramData
  • thumbs.db
  • Tor Browser
  • Windows
  • Windows.old

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

  • .nightsky

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

  • {Encrypted folder}\NightSkyReadMe.hta

It avoids encrypting files with the following file extensions:

  • .exe
  • .dll
  • .nightsky

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.800

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.XXPE50FFF056

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

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as Ransom.Win64.NIGHTSKY.YXCAGZ. 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 5

Restore encrypted files from backup.


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