Analysis by: Jeffrey Francis Bonaobra

 PLATFORM:

Windows

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 DAMAGE POTENTIAL:
 DISTRIBUTION POTENTIAL:
 REPORTED INFECTION:
 SYSTEM IMPACT RATING:
 INFORMATION EXPOSURE:

  • Threat Type: Backdoor

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

This Backdoor arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

It connects to a website to send and receive information.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 189,548 bytes
File Type: JS
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 29 Aug 2025

Arrival Details

This Backdoor arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

Backdoor Routine

This Backdoor connects to the following websites to send and receive information:

  • https://pdf-tool.{BLOCKED}tes.ai/api/s3/new
  • https://sdk.{BLOCKED}tes.ai/api/s3/config
  • https://pdf-tool.{BLOCKED}tes.ai/api/s3/validate
  • https://sdk.{BLOCKED}tes.ai/api/s3/options
  • https://log.{BLOCKED}tes.ai/api/s3/event
  • https://on.{BLOCKED}tes.ai/api/s3/ping
  • https://{BLOCKED}tes.ai/api/s3/remove

Other Details

This Backdoor does the following:

  • It executes the following backdoor commands:
    • Read, write, delete, enumerate, or extract files.
    • Read, write, or delete registry entries
    • Download and execute files
    • Enumerate processes
    • Terminate processes
    • Execute processes
    • Execute arbitrary commands
  • It can steal information from the following browsers:
    • Wave Browser
    • OneLaunch Browser
    • Shift Browser
  • It can steal the following information from browsers:
    • Saved Credentials
    • Browser History
    • Cookies

It accepts the following parameters:

  • --c and --cm missing → initiates installation
  • --c=0 → skips main backdoor routine and runs GUI if the file %User Profile%\PDF Editor\resources\app\w-electron\bin\release\mode.data exists
  • --cm=--cleanup → unregisters machine from the server and deletes created scheduled tasks
  • --cm=--partialupdate → read and modify browser configurations, executed by PDFEditorScheduledTask every 24 hours
  • --cm=--fullupdate → read and modify browser configurations, triggered via registry autorun or manual execution
  • --cm=--enableupdate → adds the autorun key PDFEditorUpdater with --cm=--fullupdate command line argument
  • --cm=--disableupdate → removes the autorun key PDFEditorUpdater
  • --cm=--backupupdate → maintains command and control server connectivity

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

It adds the following scheduled tasks:

  • Task Name: PDFEditorScheduledTask
    Description: PDFEditorScheduledTask
    Trigger: Once daily, every 1442 minutes
    Action: "%AppDataLocal%\Programs\PDFEditor\PDF Editor.exe" --cm=--partialupdate
  • Task Name: PDFEditorUScheduledTask
    Description: PDFEditorUScheduledTask
    Action:: "%AppDataLocal%\Programs\PDFEditor\PDF Editor.exe" --cm=--backupupdate

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

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.800
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 20.452.07
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 12 Sep 2025
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 20.453.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 12 Sep 2025

Step 1

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

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

Deleting Scheduled Tasks while in Safe Mode

  1. Still in safe mode, the following {Task Name}-{Task to be run} listed should be used in the steps identified below:
    • Task Name: PDFEditorScheduledTask
    • Task to be run: %AppDataLocal%\Programs\PDFEditor\PDF Editor.exe --cm=--partialupdate
    • Task Name: PDFEditorUScheduledTask
    • Task to be run: %AppDataLocal%\Programs\PDFEditor\PDF Editor.exe --cm=--backupupdate
  2. For Windows 7 and Server 2008 (R2) users, click Start>Computer.
    • For Windows 8, 8.1, 10, and Server 2012 users, right-click on the lower left corner of the screen, then click File Explorer.
  3. In the Search Computer/This PC input box, type:
    • %System%\Tasks\{Task Name}
  4. Once located, select the file then press SHIFT+DELETE to delete it.
  5. Open Registry Editor. To do this:
    • For Windows 7 and Server 2008 (R2) users, click the Start button, type regedit in the Search input field, and press Enter.
    • For Windows 8, 8.1, 10, and Server 2012 (R2) users, right-click on the lower left corner of the screen, click Run, type regedit in the text box
  6. In the left panel of the Registry Editor window, double-click the following:
    • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>SOFTWARE>Microsoft>Windows NT>CurrentVersion>Schedule>TaskCache>Tree>{Task Name}
  7. Locate the created entry and take note of the registry value's data:
    • ID={Task Data}
  8. After taking note of the data, delete the registry key:
    • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>SOFTWARE>Microsoft>Windows NT>CurrentVersion>Schedule>TaskCache>Tree>{Task Name}
  9. In the left panel of the Registry Editor window, double-click the following:
    • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>SOFTWARE>Microsoft>Windows NT>CurrentVersion>Schedule>TaskCache>Tasks
  10. Still in the left panel, locate and delete the registry key with the same name as the located Task Data in step #6:
    • ={Task Data}
  11. Close Registry Editor.

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as Backdoor.JS.EVILAI.YXFH3. 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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