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RANSOM_CYPHERPY.A

March 02, 2018
 Analysis by: Patrick Angelo Roderno
 ALIASES:

Ransom:Python/CypherPy.A (MICROSOFT); Python/Filecoder.X trojan (NOD32); Ransom.Gen (SYMANTEC)

 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:

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.

However, due to errors in its code, it fails to perform its intended routine.

It encrypts files with specific file extensions. It encrypts files found in specific folders. It drops files as ransom note.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

6,030 bytes

File Type:

PY

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

28 Sep 2017

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.

Other Details

However, due to errors in its code, it fails to perform its intended routine.

It does the following:

  • Parallelizes the encryption routine by using four subprocesses
  • Checks if the malware is being run in a Linux machine. If yes and the user currently has root privileges, it tries to execute the following command:
    • dd if=boot.bin of=/dev/hda bs=512 count=1 && exit
    Otherwise, it tries to execute the following commnad:
    • sudo dd if=boot.bin of=/dev/hda bs=512 count=1 && exit

Ransomware Routine

This Ransomware encrypts files with the following extensions:

  • .3g2
  • .3gp
  • .asf
  • .asx
  • .avi
  • .flv
  • .m2ts
  • .mkv
  • .mov
  • .mp4
  • .mpg
  • .mpe
  • .rm
  • .swf
  • .vob
  • .wmv
  • .docx
  • .pdf
  • .rar
  • .jpg
  • .jpeg
  • .png
  • .tiff
  • .zip
  • .7z
  • .exe
  • .tar.gz
  • .tar
  • .mp3
  • .sh
  • .c
  • .cpp
  • .h
  • .gif
  • .txt
  • .py
  • .pyc
  • .jar
  • .sql
  • .bundle
  • .sqlite3
  • .html
  • .php
  • .log
  • .bak
  • .deb

It encrypts files found in the following folders:

  • %System Root%

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

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

  • .crypt

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

  • %Desktop%\README

(Note: %Desktop% is the desktop folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Desktop in Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\Desktop in 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.)

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

14.104.01

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

02 Mar 2018

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

14.105.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

03 Mar 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_CYPHERPY.A

[ 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

Search and delete this file

[ 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.  
  • %Desktop%\README

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as RANSOM_CYPHERPY.A. 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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