RANSOM_SATANA.G

 Analysis by: Carl Maverick Pascual
 Modified by: Maureen Reyes

 ALIASES:

Artemis!6E44ABB2B449 (McAfee), Ransom.SatanCryptor (Malwarebytes)

 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


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.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

2,545,664 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

15 Jun 2018

Payload:

Encrypts files, Connects to URLs/IPs, 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:

  • %Program Data%\blue.exe - detected as TROJ_EQUATED.LZCMT
  • %Program Data%\blue.fb
  • %Program Data%\blue.xml
  • %Program Data%\cnli-1.dll
  • %Program Data%\coli-0.dll
  • %Program Data%\crli-0.dll
  • %Program Data%\dmgd-4.dll
  • %Program Data%\down64.dll
  • %Program Data%\exma-1.dll
  • %Program Data%\libeay32.dll
  • %Program Data%\libxml2.dll
  • %Program Data%\posh-0.dll
  • %Program Data%\ssleay32.dll
  • %Program Data%\star.exe - detected as BKDR_EQUATED.LZCMU
  • %Program Data%\star.fb
  • %Program Data%\star.xml
  • %Program Data%\tibe-2.dll
  • %Program Data%\trch-1.dll
  • %Program Data%\trfo-2.dll
  • %Program Data%\tucl-1.dll
  • %Program Data%\ucl.dll
  • %Program Data%\xdvl-0.dll
  • %Program Data%\zlib1.dll
  • %Program Data%\uname.tmp
  • %Program Data%\upass.tmp
  • %System Root%\Users\All Users\uname
  • %System Root%\Users\All Users\upass
  • %Temp%\KSession

It drops and executes the following files:

  • %Program Data%\mmkt.exe - detected as TROJ_GEN.R002C0OE518
  • %System Root%\Satan.exe - detected as Ransom_NATAS.THFAEAH

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

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

  • SATAN_SCAN_APP
  • DBGRERAPP

Other Details

This Ransomware connects to the following URL(s) to check for an Internet connection:

  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.63.16
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.19.216:8080
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.84.136
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.63.5
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.63.6
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.63.7
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.63.8
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.63.11
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.63.16
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.63.19
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.63.20
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.63.22
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.63.27
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.63.28
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.63.29
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.63.30
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.63.31
  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.63.32

Ransomware Routine

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

  • boot.ini
  • bootmgr
  • blue.exe
  • cnli-1.dll
  • coli-0.dll
  • crli-0.dll
  • dmgd-4.dll
  • down64.dll
  • exma-1.dll
  • libeay32.dll
  • libxml2.dll
  • posh-0.dll
  • ssleay32.dll
  • star.exe
  • tibe-2.dll
  • trch-1.dll
  • trfo-2.dll
  • tucl-1.dll
  • ucl.dll
  • xdvl-0.dll
  • zlib1.dll
  • mmkt.exe
  • Satan.exe
  • {Malware filename}.exe

It renames encrypted files using the following names:

  • [{BLOCKED}@protonmail.com ]{Filename}.dbger

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

  • {Drive Letter}:\_How_to_decrypt_files.txt

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

14.334.06

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

22 Jun 2018

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

14.335.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

23 Jun 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_SATANA.G

[ 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.  
  • %Program Data%\blue.exe
  • %Program Data%\blue.fb
  • %Program Data%\blue.xml
  • %Program Data%\cnli-1.dll
  • %Program Data%\coli-0.dll
  • %Program Data%\crli-0.dll
  • %Program Data%\dmgd-4.dll
  • %Program Data%\down64.dll
  • %Program Data%\exma-1.dll
  • %Program Data%\libeay32.dll
  • %Program Data%\libxml2.dll
  • %Program Data%\posh-0.dll
  • %Program Data%\ssleay32.dll
  • %Program Data%\star.exe
  • %Program Data%\star.fb
  • %Program Data%\star.xml
  • %Program Data%\tibe-2.dll
  • %Program Data%\trch-1.dll
  • %Program Data%\trfo-2.dll
  • %Program Data%\tucl-1.dll
  • %Program Data%\ucl.dll
  • %Program Data%\xdvl-0.dll
  • %Program Data%\zlib1.dll
  • %Program Data%\mmkt.exe
  • %Program Data%\uname.tmp
  • %Program Data%\upass.tmp
  • %System Root%\Users\All Users\uname
  • %System Root%\Users\All Users\upass
  • %System Root%\Satan.exe

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as RANSOM_SATANA.G. 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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