Analysis by: Kiyoshi Obuchi
ALIASES:

Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Crusis.to (Kaspersky), Ransom:Win32/Wadhrama (Microsoft)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 DAMAGE POTENTIAL:
 DISTRIBUTION POTENTIAL:
 REPORTED INFECTION:
 INFORMATION EXPOSURE:

  • Threat Type: Ransomware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: Yes

  • 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 encrypts files with specific file extensions. It drops files as ransom note.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 676,864 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: No
Initial Samples Received Date: 29 May 2018
Payload: Terminates processes, 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:

  • %Application Data%\{Malware Filename}.exe
  • %System%\{Malware Filename}.exe -> if run as admin

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

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

  • Global\syncronize_O5F0KXA
  • Global\syncronize_O5F0KXU

Autostart Technique

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

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
{Malware Filename}.exe = "%System%\{Malware name}.exe"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
{Malware Filename}.exe = "%Application Data%\{Malware Filename}.exe"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
{Malware Filename}.exe = "%Application Data%\{Malware Filename}.exe"

It drops the following file(s) in the Windows User Startup folder to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

  • %Start Menu%\{Malware filename}.exe

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

Process Termination

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

  • FirebirdGuardianDefaultInstance
  • FirebirdServerDefaultInstance
  • sqlwriter
  • mssqlserver
  • sqlserveradhelper

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

  • 1c8.exe
  • 1cv77.exe
  • outlook.exe
  • postgres.exe
  • mysqld-nt.exe
  • mysqld.exe
  • sqlserver.exe

Other Details

This Ransomware does the following:

  • It displays the currently active code page by executing the following command:
    cmd.exe /c mode con cp select=1251
  • It deletes shadow copies by executing the following command:
    cmd.exe /c vssadmin delete shadows /all /quiet

Ransomware Routine

This Ransomware encrypts files with the following extensions:

  • .1cd
  • .3ds
  • .3fr
  • .3g2
  • .3gp
  • .7z
  • .accda
  • .accdb
  • .accdc
  • .accde
  • .accdt
  • .accdw
  • .adb
  • .adp
  • .ai
  • .ai3
  • .ai4
  • .ai5
  • .ai6
  • .ai7
  • .ai8
  • .anim
  • .arw
  • .as
  • .asa
  • .asc
  • .ascx
  • .asm
  • .asmx
  • .asp
  • .aspx
  • .asr
  • .asx
  • .avi
  • .avs
  • .backup
  • .bak
  • .bay
  • .bd
  • .bin
  • .bmp
  • .bz2
  • .c
  • .cdr
  • .cer
  • .cf
  • .cfc
  • .cfm
  • .cfml
  • .cfu
  • .chm
  • .cin
  • .class
  • .clx
  • .config
  • .cpp
  • .cr2
  • .crt
  • .crw
  • .cs
  • .css
  • .csv
  • .cub
  • .dae
  • .dat
  • .db
  • .dbf
  • .dbx
  • .dc3
  • .dcm
  • .dcr
  • .der
  • .dib
  • .dic
  • .dif
  • .divx
  • .djvu
  • .dng
  • .doc
  • .docm
  • .docx
  • .dot
  • .dotm
  • .dotx
  • .dpx
  • .dqy
  • .dsn
  • .dt
  • .dtd
  • .dwg
  • .dwt
  • .dx
  • .dxf
  • .edml
  • .efd
  • .elf
  • .emf
  • .emz
  • .epf
  • .eps
  • .epsf
  • .epsp
  • .erf
  • .exr
  • .f4v
  • .fido
  • .flm
  • .flv
  • .frm
  • .fxg
  • .geo
  • .gif
  • .grs
  • .gz
  • .h
  • .hdr
  • .hpp
  • .hta
  • .htc
  • .htm
  • .html
  • .icb
  • .ics
  • .iff
  • .inc
  • .indd
  • .ini
  • .iqy
  • .j2c
  • .j2k
  • .java
  • .jp2
  • .jpc
  • .jpe
  • .jpeg
  • .jpf
  • .jpg
  • .jpx
  • .js
  • .jsf
  • .json
  • .jsp
  • .kdc
  • .kmz
  • .kwm
  • .lasso
  • .lbi
  • .lgf
  • .lgp
  • .log
  • .m1v
  • .m4a
  • .m4v
  • .max
  • .md
  • .mda
  • .mdb
  • .mde
  • .mdf
  • .mdw
  • .mef
  • .mft
  • .mfw
  • .mht
  • .mhtml
  • .mka
  • .mkidx
  • .mkv
  • .mos
  • .mov
  • .mp3
  • .mp4
  • .mpeg
  • .mpg
  • .mpv
  • .mrw
  • .msg
  • .mxl
  • .myd
  • .myi
  • .nef
  • .nrw
  • .obj
  • .odb
  • .odc
  • .odm
  • .odp
  • .ods
  • .oft
  • .one
  • .onepkg
  • .onetoc2
  • .opt
  • .oqy
  • .orf
  • .p12
  • .p7b
  • .p7c
  • .pam
  • .pbm
  • .pct
  • .pcx
  • .pdd
  • .pdf
  • .pdp
  • .pef
  • .pem
  • .pff
  • .pfm
  • .pfx
  • .pgm
  • .php
  • .php3
  • .php4
  • .php5
  • .phtml
  • .pict
  • .pl
  • .pls
  • .pm
  • .png
  • .pnm
  • .pot
  • .potm
  • .potx
  • .ppa
  • .ppam
  • .ppm
  • .pps
  • .ppsm
  • .ppt
  • .pptm
  • .pptx
  • .prn
  • .ps
  • .psb
  • .psd
  • .pst
  • .ptx
  • .pub
  • .pwm
  • .pxr
  • .py
  • .qt
  • .r3d
  • .raf
  • .rar
  • .raw
  • .rdf
  • .rgbe
  • .rle
  • .rqy
  • .rss
  • .rtf
  • .rw2
  • .rwl
  • .safe
  • .sct
  • .sdpx
  • .shtm
  • .shtml
  • .slk
  • .sln
  • .sql
  • .sr2
  • .srf
  • .srw
  • .ssi
  • .st
  • .stm
  • .svg
  • .svgz
  • .swf
  • .tab
  • .tar
  • .tbb
  • .tbi
  • .tbk
  • .tdi
  • .tga
  • .thmx
  • .tif
  • .tiff
  • .tld
  • .torrent
  • .tpl
  • .txt
  • .u3d
  • .udl
  • .uxdc
  • .vb
  • .vbs
  • .vcs
  • .vda
  • .vdr
  • .vdw
  • .vdx
  • .vrp
  • .vsd
  • .vss
  • .vst
  • .vsw
  • .vsx
  • .vtm
  • .vtml
  • .vtx
  • .wb2
  • .wav
  • .wbm
  • .wbmp
  • .wim
  • .wmf
  • .wml
  • .wmv
  • .wpd
  • .wps
  • .x3f
  • .xl
  • .xla
  • .xlam
  • .xlk
  • .xlm
  • .xls
  • .xlsb
  • .xlsm
  • .xlsx
  • .xlt
  • .xltm
  • .xltx
  • .xlw
  • .xml
  • .xps
  • .xsd
  • .xsf
  • .xsl
  • .xslt
  • .xsn
  • .xtp
  • .xtp2
  • .xyze
  • .xz
  • .zip

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

  • %Windows%
  • boot.ini
  • bootfont.bin
  • ntldr
  • ntdetect.com
  • io.sys
  • FILES ENCRYPTED.txt
  • Info.hta
  • {Malware Filename}.exe

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

  • id-{ID}.[{BLOCKED}1c6rwhite@aol.com].bip

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

  • %Application Data%\Info.hta
  • %System%\Info.hta

  • {All Drives}\FILES ENCRYPTED.txt

  • %Desktop%\FILES ENCRYPTED.txt

NOTES:

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.850
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 14.342.03
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 29 May 2018
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 14.343.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 30 May 2018

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_CRYSIS.TICOABD

[ 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

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_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • {Malware Filename}.exe = "%System%\{Malware name}.exe"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • {Malware Filename}.exe = "%Application Data%\{Malware Filename}.exe"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • {Malware Filename}.exe = "%Application Data%\{Malware Filename}.exe"

Step 5

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%\Info.hta
  • %System%\Info.hta
  • {All Drives}\FILES ENCRYPTED.txt
  • %Desktop%\FILES ENCRYPTED.txt

Step 6

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as RANSOM_CRYSIS.TICOABD. 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 7

Restore encrypted files from backup.

NOTES:
Enabling Volume Shadow Service:

Run the command prompt (cmd.exe) as administrator.

Enable Volume Shadow Service by typing the following command:

net start vss


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