RANSOM_MATRIX.E
Win32/Filecoder.NKD trojan (NOD32)
Windows

Threat Type: Ransomware
Destructiveness: No
Encrypted: Yes
In the wild: Yes
OVERVIEW
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 connects to certain websites to send and receive information.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
445,440 bytes
EXE
Yes
28 Mar 2017
Connects to URLs/IPs, Encrypts files, Displays message/message boxes
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 files:
- {malware path}\{8 random characters}.cmd ← contains commands to delete all .exe and .cmd files in the malware path
- {folder of encrypted files}\ReadMe.rtf ← ransom note
- %Application Data%\{16 random characters}.pek
- %Application Data%\{16 random characters}.sek
- %Application Data%\{random}.ast
- %Application Data%\errlog.txt ← contains error logs while encrypting files
- %Application Data%\{random}.hta ← screen ransom note
(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.)
It adds the following mutexes to ensure that only one of its copies runs at any one time:
- OurBrother2ProcessMutex6
- OurBrother1ProcessMutex7
- OurMainProcessMutex8
- OurStarterProcessMutex9
Autostart Technique
This Ransomware adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
{Random 2} = "%Application Data%\{Random 1}\{Random 2}.exe"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
{Random 2} = "%Application Data%\{Random 1}\{Random 2}.exe"
It drops the following file(s) in the Windows Startup folder to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:
- %All User Profile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\{Random}.lnk
- %User Profile%\{Random}.lnk
(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista and 7.)
Other Details
This Ransomware connects to the following website to send and receive information:
- http://bluetablet9643.s76.{BLOCKED}3.com.ua
It encrypts files with the following extensions:
- 000
- 1CD
- AFN
- ANI
- AST
- BAT
- BIN
- CAB
- CFG
- CHK
- CHM
- CMD
- COM
- CUR
- DAT
- DBF
- DBS
- DBX
- DEV
- DLL
- DMP
- DOC
- DRV
- DT
- DUN
- EFI
- EXE
- GIF
- HLP
- HTA
- HTM
- ICO
- INF
- INI
- ISP
- ISW
- JA
- JPG
- JS
- LNG
- LNK
- LOG
- MBR
- MDB
- MDF
- MP3
- MSI
- MSU
- MUI
- NFO
- ODS
- ODT
- OGG
- PEK
- PIF
- REG
- RTF
- SDF
- SEK
- SYS
- TMP
- TTF
- TXT
- VBS
- WMA
- XLS
- XML
It does the following:
- It executes the following command to delete shadow copies of itself:
- cmd.exe /c vssadmin.exe delete shadows /all /quiet & bcdedit.exe /set {default} recoveryenabled no & bcdedit.exe /set {default} bootstatuspolicy ignoreallfailures
- It drops the following ransom note on all affected folders:
- It displays the following note on the screen:
SOLUTION
9.850
13.304.07
28 Mar 2017
13.305.00
29 Mar 2017
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
Restart in Safe Mode
Step 3
Delete this registry value
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\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
- {Random 2} = "%Application Data%\{Random 1}\{Random 2}.exe"
- {Random 2} = "%Application Data%\{Random 1}\{Random 2}.exe"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
- {Random 2} = "%Application Data%\{Random 1}\{Random 2}.exe"
- {Random 2} = "%Application Data%\{Random 1}\{Random 2}.exe"
Step 4
Search and delete this file
Step 5
Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as RANSOM_MATRIX.E. 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 this Knowledge Base page for more information.
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