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RANSOM_CYCLONE.A

March 02, 2018
 Analysis by: Mio Fidel Villena
 ALIASES:

Python/Filecoder.AC!tr (FORTINET); TR/Ransom.okrpr (ANTIVIR);

 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:

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 encrypts files with specific file extensions.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

9,852,657 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

14 Dec 2017

Payload:

Encrypts files, Terminates processes, Drops 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 adds the following folders:

  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762

(Note: %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp 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 drops the following component file(s):

  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\Crypto.Cipher._AES.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\Crypto.Cipher._DES.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\Crypto.Cipher._DES3.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\Crypto.Hash._SHA256.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\Crypto.Random.OSRNG.winrandom.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\Crypto.Util._counter.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\Crypto.Util.strxor.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\Main.exe.manifest
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\Microsoft.VC90.CRT.manifest
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\_hashlib.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\_socket.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\_ssl.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\bz2l.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\msvcm90.dll
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\msvcp90.dll
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\msvcr90.dll
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\pyexpat.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\python27.dll
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\pywintypes27.dll
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\select..pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\unicodedata.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\win32api.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\win32event.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\win32file.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\wx._controls_.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\wx._core_.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\wx._gdi_.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\wx._misc_.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\wx._windows_.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\wx._xrc_.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\wxbase30u_net_vc90.dll
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\wxbase30u_vc90.dll
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\wxbase30u_xml_vc90.dll
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\wxmsw30u_adv_vc90.dll
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\wxmsw30u_core_vc90.dll
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\wxmsw30u_html_vc90.dll
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\wxmsw30u_xrc_vc90.dll
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\Include\pyconfig.h
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\bitcoin.bmp
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\lock.bmp
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\lock.ico
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\runtime.cfg
  • %Application Data%\encrypted_files.txt

(Note: %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp 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.. %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 processes:

  • vssadmin Delete Shadows /All /Quiet

Autostart Technique

This Ransomware creates the following registry entries to enable automatic execution of dropped component at every system startup:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Crypter = {malware path}\{malware name}

Other Details

This Ransomware does the following:

  • Disables Task Manager
  • Encrypts files with less than 2,048 Mb size

Ransomware Routine

This Ransomware encrypts files with the following extensions:

  • .dat
  • .keychain
  • .sdf
  • .vcf
  • .jpg
  • .png
  • .tiff
  • .tif
  • .gif
  • .jpeg
  • .jif
  • .jfif
  • .jp2
  • .jpx
  • .j2k
  • .j2c
  • .fpx
  • .pcd
  • .bmp
  • .svg
  • .3dm
  • .3ds
  • .max
  • .obj
  • .dds
  • .psd
  • .tga
  • .thm
  • .tif
  • .tiff
  • .yuv
  • .ai
  • .eps
  • .ps
  • .svg
  • .indd
  • .pct
  • .mp4
  • .avi
  • .mkv
  • .3g2
  • .3gp
  • .asf
  • .flv
  • .m4v
  • .mov
  • .mpg
  • .rm
  • .srt
  • .swf
  • .vob
  • .wmv
  • .doc
  • .docx
  • .txt
  • .pdf
  • .log
  • .msg
  • .odt
  • .pages
  • .rtf
  • .tex
  • .wpd
  • .wps
  • .csv
  • .ged
  • .key
  • .pps
  • .ppt
  • .pptx
  • .xml
  • .json
  • .xlsx
  • .xlsm
  • .xlsb
  • .xls
  • .mht
  • .mhtml
  • .htm
  • .html
  • .xltx
  • .prn
  • .dif
  • .slk
  • .xlam
  • .xla
  • .ods
  • .docm
  • .dotx
  • .dotm
  • .xps
  • .ics
  • .mp3
  • .aif
  • .iff
  • .m3u
  • .m4a
  • .mid
  • .mpa
  • .wav
  • .wma
  • .msi
  • .php
  • .apk
  • .app
  • .bat
  • .cgi
  • .com
  • .asp
  • .aspx
  • .cer
  • .cfm
  • .css
  • .htm
  • .html
  • .js
  • .jsp
  • .rss
  • .xhtml
  • .c
  • .class
  • .cpp
  • .cs
  • .h
  • .java
  • .lua
  • .pl
  • .py
  • .sh
  • .sln
  • .swift
  • .vb
  • .vcxproj
  • .dem
  • .gam
  • .nes
  • .rom
  • .sav
  • .tgz
  • .zip
  • .rar
  • .tar
  • .7z
  • .cbr
  • .deb
  • .gz
  • .pkg
  • .rpm
  • .zipx
  • .iso
  • .ged
  • .accdb
  • .db
  • .dbf
  • .mdb
  • .sql
  • .fnt
  • .fon
  • .otf
  • .ttf
  • .cfg
  • .ini
  • .prf
  • .bak
  • .old
  • .tmp
  • .torrent

It avoids encrypting files found in the following folders:

  • {malware path}

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

  • .cyclone

NOTES:
Displays the following upon successful encryption:

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

13.844.07

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

15 Dec 2017

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

13.845.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

16 Dec 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

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_CYCLONE.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

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_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • Crypter = "{malware path}\{malware name}

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.
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\Crypto.Cipher._AES.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\Crypto.Cipher._DES.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\Crypto.Cipher._DES3.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\Crypto.Hash._SHA256.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\Crypto.Random.OSRNG.winrandom.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\Crypto.Util._counter.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\Crypto.Util.strxor.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\Main.exe.manifest
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\Microsoft.VC90.CRT.manifest
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\_hashlib.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\_socket.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\_ssl.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\bz2l.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\msvcm90.dll
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\msvcp90.dll
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\msvcr90.dll
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\pyexpat.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\python27.dll
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\pywintypes27.dll
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\select..pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\unicodedata.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\win32api.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\win32event.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\win32file.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\wx._controls_.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\wx._core_.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\wx._gdi_.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\wx._misc_.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\wx._windows_.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\wx._xrc_.pyd
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\wxbase30u_net_vc90.dll
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\wxbase30u_vc90.dll
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\wxbase30u_xml_vc90.dll
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\wxmsw30u_adv_vc90.dll
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\wxmsw30u_core_vc90.dll
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\wxmsw30u_html_vc90.dll
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\wxmsw30u_xrc_vc90.dll
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\Include\pyconfig.h
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\bitcoin.bmp
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\lock.bmp
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\lock.ico
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762\runtime.cfg
  • %Application Data%\encrypted_files.txt

Step 6

Search and delete this folder

[ Learn More ]
Please make sure you check the Search Hidden Files and Folders checkbox in the More advanced options option to include all hidden folders in the search result.
  • %User Temp%\_MEI11762

Step 7

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as RANSOM_CYCLONE.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 8

Restore encrypted files from backup.


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