arrow_back
search
close

RANSOM_HIDDENTEARKEE.A

May 29, 2017
 Analysis by: Marvelous Pelin
 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.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

3,619,840 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

17 May 2017

Payload:

Displays graphics/image, Displays message/message boxes, Encrypts files

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:

  • %Desktop%\Hello There! Fellow @kee User!.txt - ransom note
  • %Desktop%\killsw32l.dll
  • %User Profile%\killsw32c.dll
  • %User Profile%\Downloads\killsw32b.dll
  • %Desktop%\wallpaper.png - set as desktop wallpaper

(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.. %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.)

It drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %Application Data%\ATI\msceInter.exe
  • %User Startup%\mscInter.exe

(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.. %User Startup% is the current user's Startup folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows 2000 and XP, and C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows Vista, 7, and 8.)

It creates the following folders:

  • %Application Data%\ATI

(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.)

Other System Modifications

This Ransomware also creates the following registry entry(ies) as part of its installation routine:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
msceInter = %Application Data%\ATI\msceInter.exe

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
Wallpaper = %Desktop%\wallpaper.png

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

Other Details

This Ransomware does the following:

  • If one of the following files is existing on the machine:
    • %Desktop%\killsw32l.dll
    • %User Profile%\killsw32c.dll
    • %User Profile%\Downloads\killsw32b.dll

      • the malware will delete files in the following directories:
      • %User Profile%\Pictures
      • %User Profile%\Videos
      • %User Profile%\Music
      • %User Profile%\Documents
      • %User Profile%\Downloads

        • with the following extensions:
        • .7zip
        • .doc
        • .docx
        • .exe
        • .gif
        • .jpeg
        • .jpg
        • .mov
        • .mp3
        • .mp4
        • .png
        • .ppt
        • .pptx
        • .pts
        • .rar
        • .txt
        • .wav
        • .wmv
        • .zip
  • It encrypts files with the following in the %Desktop% path:
    • .7zip
    • .doc
    • .docx
    • .gif
    • .jpeg
    • .jpg
    • .mov
    • .mp3
    • .mp4
    • .png
    • .ppt
    • .pptx
    • .pts
    • .rar
    • .txt
    • .wav
    • .wmv
    • .zip
  • It encrypts all files in the following folders:
    • %User Profile%\Pictures
    • %User Profile%\Videos
    • %User Profile%\Music
    • %User Profile%\Documents
    • %User Profile%\Downloads

(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.)

Ransomware Routine

This Ransomware renames encrypted files using the following names:

  • {original filename and extension}@kee

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

NOTES:

This ransomware displays the following window as its ransom note:

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

13.412.09

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

18 May 2017

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

13.413.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

19 May 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

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 4

Search and delete these folders

[ 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.  
  • %Application Data%\ATI

Step 5

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%\Hello There! Fellow @kee User!.txt
  • %Desktop%\killsw32l.dll
  • %User Profile%\killsw32c.dll
  • %User Profile%\Downloads\killsw32b.dll
  • %Desktop%\wallpaper.png

Step 6

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as RANSOM_HIDDENTEARKEE.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 this Knowledge Base page for more information.

Step 7

Restore encrypted files from backup.

Step 8

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as RANSOM_HIDDENTEARKEE.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 this Knowledge Base page for more information.


Did this description help? Tell us how we did.