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.
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:
- {Malware Path}\{Filename from -log argument}.txt → If -log argument is used
It adds the following processes:
- cmd.exe /c %System%\wbem\WMIC.exe shadowcopy where "ID={Shadowcopy ID}" delete → It will repeat this process depending on the number of shadow copies.
(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.)
It adds the following mutexes to ensure that only one of its copies runs at any one time:
Other Details
This Ransomware does the following:
- Accepts the following arguments:
- -h {txtfile containing list of hosts to encrypt}
- -p {txtfile containing list of folders} - Will encrypt first the folders in the list before proceeding to the others
- -m {all|local|net|backups}
- all - combination of net and local
- local - delete backups and encrypt only locally found drives
- net - delete backupds and encrypt only network shares
- backups - delete backups
- -log {Filename} - Outputs log on {Malware Path}\{Filename}.txt
- -prockiller enabled - Terminate process not found in the following list:
- spoolsv.exe
- explorer.exe
- sihost.exe
- fontdrvhost.exe
- cmd.exe
- dwm.exe
- LogonUI.exe
- SearchUI.exe
- lsass.exe
- csrss.exe
- smss.exe
- winlogon.exe
- services.exe
- conhost.exe
- svchost.exe
- lsm.exe
- wininit.exe
- system
- taskhost.exe
- audiodg.exe
- SearchIndexer.exe
- sppsvc.exe
- msdtc.exe
- MSTASK.EXE
- {Current Process}
- -pids {process ids} - Contains list of pids (separated by comma) to be exempted from prockiller
- When encrypting network shares it will check if the IP address starts with the following to ensure that it is encrypting local, non-Internet, systems:
Ransomware Routine
This Ransomware avoids encrypting files with the following strings in their file name:
- .dll
- .exe
- .lnk
- .msi
- .sys
- .KZDBB
- R3ADM3.txt
- {Filename from -log argument}.txt
It avoids encrypting files with the following strings in their file path:
- $Recycle.Bin
- $RECYCLE.BIN
- System Volume Information
- Boot
- Windows
- temp
- tmp
- winnt
- thumb
- Trend Micro
It appends the following extension to the file name of the encrypted files:
It drops the following file(s) as ransom note:
- {Encrypted Directory}\R3ADM3.txt

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.XXPE50FFF038
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
Search and delete this file
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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.
- {Malware Path}\{Filename from -log argument}.txt
- {Encrypted Directory}\R3ADM3.txt
To manually delete a malware/grayware file from an affected system:
•For Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 (R2), Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, and Windows Server 2012 (R2):
- Open a Windows Explorer window.
- For Windows 7 and Server 2008 (R2) users, click Start>Computer.
- For Windows 8, 8.1, 10, and Server 2012 (R2) users, right-click on the lower-left corner of the screen,then click File Explorer.
- In the Search Computer/This PC input box, type:
- {Malware Path}\{Filename from -log argument}.txt
- {Encrypted Directory}\R3ADM3.txt
- Once located, select the file then press SHIFT+DELETE to delete it.
*Note: Read the following Microsoft page if these steps do not work on Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 (R2).
Step 5
Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as Ransom.Win32.CONTI.J. 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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