Ransom.Win32.SODINOKIBI.AUWUJDET

November 05, 2020
 Analysis by: Mohammed Malubay
 ALIASES:

N/A;

 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:

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 avoids encrypting files with the following file extensions.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

268,521 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

30 Oct 2020

Payload:

Drops files, Encrypts files, Collects system information, Displays message/message boxes, Displays graphics/image

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:

  • %User Temp%\{random characters}.bmp → used as wallpaper

(Note: %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

Other System Modifications

This Ransomware adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\BlackLivesMatter
K6a = {hex values}

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\BlackLivesMatter
kZpZ = {hex values}

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\BlackLivesMatter
28XOs = {hex values}

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\BlackLivesMatter
mlEdtU = {hex values}

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\BlackLivesMatter
SUdOP6A = .{appended extension}

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\BlackLivesMatter
etdwNrNw = {hex values}

It changes the desktop wallpaper by modifying the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
Wallpaper = %User Temp%\{random characters}.bmp

It sets the system's desktop wallpaper to the following image:

Process Termination

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

  • AcronisAgent
  • AcrSch2Svc
  • ARSM
  • avbackup
  • backup
  • BackupExecAgentAccelerator
  • BackupExecAgentBrowser
  • BackupExecDiveciMediaService
  • BackupExecJobEngine
  • BackupExecManagementService
  • BackupExecRPCService
  • BackupExecVSSProvider
  • bedbg
  • CAARCUpdateSvc
  • CASAD2DWebSvc
  • GxBlr
  • GxClMgrS
  • GxCVD
  • GxFWD
  • GXMMM
  • GxVssHWProv
  • memtas
  • mepocs
  • MSExchange
  • MSExchange$
  • MSSQL
  • MSSQL$
  • MVArmor
  • MVarmor64
  • PDVFSService
  • QBCFMonitorService
  • QBDBMgrN
  • QBIDPService
  • SAP
  • SAP$
  • SAPD$
  • SAPHostControl
  • SAPHostExec
  • SAPService
  • sophos
  • sql
  • stc_raw_agent
  • svc$
  • teamviewer
  • veeam
  • VeeamDeploymentService
  • VeeamNFSSvc
  • VeeamTransportSvc
  • VSNAPVSS
  • vss
  • WSBExchange

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

  • agntsvc
  • avagent
  • avscc
  • bedbh
  • benetns
  • bengien
  • beserver
  • CagService
  • cvd
  • cvfwd
  • CVMountd
  • CVODS
  • dbeng50
  • dbsnmp
  • DellSystemDetect
  • disk+work
  • encsvc
  • EnterpriseClient
  • excel
  • firefox
  • infopath
  • isqlplussvc
  • msaccess
  • mspub
  • mydesktopqos
  • mydesktopservice
  • ocautoupds
  • ocomm
  • ocssd
  • onenote
  • oracle
  • outlook
  • powerpnt
  • pvlsvr
  • QBCFMonitorService
  • QBDBMgrN
  • QBIDPService
  • raw_agent_svc
  • SAP
  • saphostexec
  • saposcol
  • sapstartsrv
  • sqbcoreservice
  • sql
  • steam
  • synctime
  • tbirdconfig
  • TeamViewer.exe
  • TeamViewer_Service.exe
  • thebat
  • thunderbird
  • tv_w32.exe
  • tv_x64.exe
  • VeeamDeploymentSvc
  • VeeamNFSSvc
  • VeeamTransportSvc
  • visio
  • vsnapvss
  • vxmon
  • winword
  • wordpad
  • xfssvccon

Information Theft

This Ransomware gathers the following data:

  • Computer name
  • Disk Size
  • Operating System name
  • System Architecture
  • Username
  • Volume Serial-ID
  • Workgroup

Other Details

This Ransomware adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\BlackLivesMatter

It does the following:

  • It will terminate itself if the affected system's keyboard layout is any of the following:
    • Arabic-Syria
    • Armenian-Armenia
    • Azerbaijani (Cyrillic)-Azerbaijan
    • Azerbaijani (Latin)-Azerbaijan
    • Belarusian
    • Georgian-Georgia
    • Kazakh-Kazakhstan
    • Kyrgyz-Kyrgyzstan
    • Romanian-Moldova
    • Russian
    • Russian-Moldova
    • Tajik
    • Tatar-Russia
    • Turkmen-Turkmenistan
    • Ukrainian
    • Uzbek (Cyrillic) - Uzbekistan
    • Uzbek (Latin)-Uzbekistan
  • It checks if its privilege level is on SYSTEM level. If it is, it will impersonate the user that ran the first explorer.exe it has found.
  • It removes the access control list permissions.

It accepts the following parameters:

  • -silent → skips the following:
    • Termination of blacklisted processes and services
    • Removal of shadow copies
  • -path → specifies directory to be encrypted
  • -nolocal → avoids encrypting fixed and removable drives
  • -nolan → avoids encrypting network and shared drives
  • -fast → fast encryption mode

Ransomware Routine

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

  • autorun.inf
  • boot.ini
  • bootfont.bin
  • bootsect.bak
  • desktop.ini
  • iconcache.db
  • ntldr
  • ntuser.dat
  • ntuser.dat.log
  • ntuser.ini
  • thumbs.db

It avoids encrypting files found in the following folders:

  • $recycle.bin
  • $windows.~bt
  • $windows.~ws
  • appdata
  • application data
  • boot
  • google
  • intel
  • mozilla
  • msocache
  • perflogs
  • program files
  • program files (x86)
  • programdata
  • system volume information
  • tor browser
  • windows.old

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

  • .{random characters}

It leaves text files that serve as ransom notes containing the following text:

  • {encrypted directory}\{appended extension}-readme.txt

It avoids encrypting files with the following file extensions:

  • .386
  • .adv
  • .ani
  • .bat
  • .bin
  • .cmd
  • .com
  • .cpl
  • .cur
  • .deskthemepack
  • .diagcab
  • .diagcfg
  • .diagpkg
  • .dll
  • .drv
  • .exe
  • .hlp
  • .hta
  • .icl
  • .icns
  • .ico
  • .ics
  • .idx
  • .key
  • .ldf
  • .lnk
  • .lock
  • .mod
  • .mpa
  • .msc
  • .msi
  • .msp
  • .msstyles
  • .msu
  • .nls
  • .nomedia
  • .ocx
  • .prf
  • .ps1
  • .rom
  • .rtp
  • .scr
  • .shs
  • .spl
  • .sys
  • .theme
  • .themepack
  • .wpx

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.800

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

16.318.04

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

30 Oct 2020

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

16.319.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

31 Oct 2020

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.XXPE50FSX003
    •

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

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 5

Delete this registry value

[ 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\BlackLivesMatter
    • K6a = {hex values}
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\BlackLivesMatter
    • kZpZ = {hex values}
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\BlackLivesMatter
    • 28XOs = {hex values}
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\BlackLivesMatter
    • mlEdtU = {hex values}
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\BlackLivesMatter
    • SUdOP6A = .{appended extension}
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\BlackLivesMatter
    • etdwNrNw = {hex values}

Step 6

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\BlackLivesMatter
    • =

Step 7

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.
  • {encrypted directory}\{appended extension}-readme.txt
  • %User Temp%\{random characters}.bmp

Step 8

Reset your Desktop properties

[ Learn More ]

Step 9

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as Ransom.Win32.SODINOKIBI.AUWUJDET. 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.

Step 10

Restore encrypted files from backup.

Step 11

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as Ransom.Win32.SODINOKIBI.AUWUJDET. 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:


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