Ransom.MSIL.BLACKROUTER.THOAOGAI

 Analysis by: Jay Garcia

 ALIASES:

Win32:Malware-gen (AVAST); HEUR:Trojan-Ransom.MSIL.Encoder.gen (KASPERSKY)

 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, 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 drops files as ransom note.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

2,877,952 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

07 Jan 2019

Payload:

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 adds the following processes:

  • "cmd.exe" /c vssadmin.exe delete shadows /all /quiet

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\Run
{product name} = {malware path}\{malware filename}

Information Theft

This Ransomware gathers the following data:

  • Processor ID
  • MachineName
  • OS
  • CPU
  • RAM
  • IP
  • LOCATION - sends the following link: https://www.ip-tracker.org/locator/ip-lookup.php?ip={ip address}
  • Payout

Stolen Information

This Ransomware sends the gathered information via HTTP POST to the following URL:

  • https://api.{BLOCKED}am.org/bot{value1}/sendMessage?chat_id={value2}&text={value3}

Other Details

This Ransomware connects to the following URL(s) to get the affected system's IP address:

  • http://icanhazip.com/

It displays the following message boxes:



It encrypts files with the following extensions:

  • .$$$
  • .$DB
  • .001
  • .001
  • .002
  • .003
  • .113
  • .3da
  • .3dm
  • .3ds
  • .3tf
  • .3ws
  • .73B
  • .__A
  • .__B
  • .AB
  • .ABA
  • .ABBU
  • .ABF
  • .ABK
  • .ABU
  • .ABU1
  • .accdb
  • .ACP
  • .ACR
  • .ADI
  • .AEA
  • .AFI
  • .ARC
  • .ARC
  • .ARC
  • .AS4
  • .ASD
  • .asf
  • .ASHBAK
  • .asm
  • .asp
  • .aspx
  • .ASV
  • .ASVX
  • .ATE
  • .ATI
  • .avi
  • .BA6
  • .BA7
  • .BAC
  • .backup
  • .backup
  • .BACKUPDB
  • .bak
  • .BAK2
  • .BAK3
  • .BAKX
  • .BAK~
  • .bat
  • .BBB
  • .BBZ
  • .BCK
  • .BCKP
  • .BCM
  • .BDB
  • .BFF
  • .BIF
  • .BIFX
  • .BK1
  • .BKC
  • .BKF
  • .BKP
  • .BKUP
  • .BKZ
  • .BLEND1
  • .BLEND2
  • .BM3
  • .BMK
  • .bmp
  • .BOOKEXPORT
  • .BPA
  • .BPB
  • .BPM
  • .BPN
  • .BPS
  • .BUP
  • .c
  • .CAA
  • .cat
  • .CBK
  • .CBS
  • .CBU
  • .CENON~
  • .chm
  • .CK9
  • .class
  • .cmd
  • .CMF
  • .cod
  • .combo
  • .config
  • .cpp
  • .CRDS
  • .crt
  • .cs
  • .CSD
  • .CSM
  • .csr
  • .csv
  • .DA0
  • .DASH
  • .DBA
  • .dbf
  • .DBK
  • .der
  • .dif
  • .DIM
  • .DIY
  • .DNA
  • .doc
  • .docm
  • .docx
  • .dot
  • .dotm
  • .DOV
  • .DPB
  • .DSB
  • .DSS
  • .dvtel
  • .dwg
  • .exe
  • .FBC
  • .FBF
  • .FBK
  • .FBU
  • .FBW
  • .fla
  • .flv
  • .gif
  • .glf
  • .glf
  • .grd
  • .gst
  • .h
  • .hiv
  • .htm
  • .ib
  • .ibk
  • .ico
  • .id
  • .ind
  • .iso
  • .jar
  • .java
  • .jpeg
  • .jpg
  • .js
  • .jsp
  • .key
  • .ldf
  • .lic
  • .log
  • .m3u
  • .m4u
  • .manifest
  • .map
  • .max
  • .mdb
  • .mdf
  • .mid
  • .mkv
  • .mo
  • .mov
  • .mp3
  • .mp4
  • .mpeg
  • .mpg
  • .msg
  • .ndf
  • .netmodule
  • .nib
  • .odb
  • .odp
  • .ods
  • .odt
  • .p12
  • .pas
  • .pdf
  • .pdf
  • .pem
  • .pfx
  • .php
  • .pkg
  • .plist
  • .png
  • .pot
  • .pps
  • .ppsm
  • .ppsx
  • .ppt
  • .pptm
  • .pptx
  • .prj
  • .prm
  • .psd
  • .pst
  • .py
  • .rar
  • .raw
  • .resources
  • .rss
  • .rtf
  • .sbo
  • .sch
  • .setup
  • .sh
  • .sig
  • .sldm
  • .sldx
  • .slk
  • .spm
  • .sql
  • .sqlite
  • .sqlite3
  • .sqlitedb
  • .sres
  • .stc
  • .std
  • .sti
  • .strings
  • .stw
  • .svg
  • .swf
  • .swidtag
  • .sxc
  • .sxd
  • .sxi
  • .sxm
  • .sxw
  • .tar
  • .tgz
  • .tib
  • .tif
  • .tiff
  • .tlb
  • .ttf
  • .txt
  • .vb
  • .vbs
  • .vdi
  • .version
  • .vib
  • .vmdk
  • .vob
  • .wav
  • .wb2
  • .wk1
  • .wks
  • .wma
  • .wmv
  • .xlc
  • .xlm
  • .xls
  • .xlsb
  • .xlsm
  • .xlsx
  • .xlt
  • .xltm
  • .xltx
  • .xlw
  • .Zhon
  • .zip

Ransomware Routine

This Ransomware appends the following extension to the file name of the encrypted files:

  • .BlackRouter

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

  • {Directory}\ReadME-BlackRouter.txt

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

  • All your data has been locked us. You want to return? Contact to: {BLOCKED}outer@live.com Your Personal KEY: {key}

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

14.736.03

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

07 Jan 2019

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

14.731.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

08 Jan 2019

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

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
    • {product name} = {malware path}\{malware filename}

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.
  • {Directory}\ReadME-BlackRouter.txt

Step 6

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as Ransom.MSIL.BLACKROUTER.THOAOGAI. 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.


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