PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel: Downloaded from the Internet

This Trojan may be unknowingly downloaded by a user while visiting malicious websites.

It modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.

It connects to certain websites to send and receive information.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

Payload: Connects to URLs/IPs, Displays graphics/image, Encrypts files, Terminates processes

Arrival Details

This Trojan may be unknowingly downloaded by a user while visiting malicious websites.

Installation

This Trojan drops the following copies of itself into the affected system and executes them:

  • %My Documents%\{random filen ame}.exe
    (Note: %My Documents% is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\My Documents on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\Documents on Windows Vista and 7.)

It drops the following component file(s):

  • %My Documents%\desctop.ini
  • %My Documents%\-!recover!-!file!-.txt
  • {folders containing encrypted files}\-!RecOveR!-{random}++.Png
  • {folders containing encrypted files}\-!RecOveR!-{random}++.Txt
  • {folders containing encrypted files}\-!RecOveR!-{random}++.Htm
  • %Desktop%\-!RecOveR!-{random}++.Png
  • %Desktop%\-!RecOveR!-{random}++.Txt

(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.)

Autostart Technique

This Trojan adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
{random} = C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CMD.EXE /C START "%My Documents%\{random file name}.exe"

Other System Modifications

This Trojan adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Axronics

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\
system
EnableLinkedConnections = "1"

Web Browser Home Page and Search Page Modification

This Trojan modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.

Other Details

This Trojan connects to the following website to send and receive information:

  • http://{random URLs based on variant}

It encrypts files with the following extensions:

  • .3fr
  • .7z
  • .accdb
  • .ai
  • .amp
  • .apk
  • .arch00
  • .arw
  • .asset
  • .avi
  • .bar
  • .bay
  • .bc6
  • .bc7
  • .big
  • .bik
  • .bkf
  • .bkp
  • .blob
  • .bsa
  • .cas
  • .cdr
  • .cer
  • .cfr
  • .cr2
  • .crt
  • .crw
  • .css
  • .csv
  • .d3dbsp
  • .das
  • .dazip
  • .db0
  • .dba
  • .dbf
  • .dcr
  • .der
  • .desc
  • .dmp
  • .dng
  • .doc
  • .docm
  • .docx
  • .dwg
  • .dxg
  • .epk
  • .eps
  • .erf
  • .esm
  • .ff
  • .flv
  • .forge
  • .fos
  • .fpk
  • .fsh
  • .gdb
  • .gho
  • .hkdb
  • .hkx
  • .hplg
  • .hvpl
  • .ibank
  • .icxs
  • .indd
  • .itd
  • .itdb
  • .itl
  • .itm
  • .iwd
  • .iwi
  • .jpeg
  • .jpg
  • .js
  • .kdb
  • .kdc
  • .kf
  • .layout
  • .lbf
  • .litemod
  • .lrf
  • .ltx
  • .lvl
  • .m2
  • .m3u
  • .m4a
  • .mcmeta
  • .mdb
  • .mdbackup
  • .mdd
  • .mddata
  • .mdf
  • .mef
  • .menu
  • .mlx
  • .mov
  • .mp4
  • .mpqge
  • .mrwref
  • .ncf
  • .nrw
  • .ntl
  • .odb
  • .odc
  • .odm
  • .odp
  • .ods
  • .odt
  • .orf
  • .p12
  • .p7b
  • .p7c
  • .pak
  • .pdd
  • .pdf
  • .pef
  • .pem
  • .pfx
  • .pkb
  • .pkpass
  • .png
  • .ppt
  • .pptm
  • .pptx
  • .psd
  • .psk
  • .pst
  • .ptx
  • .py
  • .qdf
  • .qic
  • .r3d
  • .raf
  • .rar
  • .raw
  • .rb
  • .re4
  • .rgss3a
  • .rim
  • .rofl
  • .rtf
  • .rw2
  • .rwl
  • .sav
  • .sb
  • .sid
  • .sidd
  • .sidn
  • .sie
  • .sis
  • .slm
  • .snx
  • .sql
  • .sr2
  • .srf
  • .srw
  • .sum
  • .svg
  • .syncdb
  • .t12
  • .t13
  • .tax
  • .tor
  • .txt
  • .upk
  • .vcf
  • .vdf
  • .vfs
  • .vfs0
  • .vpk
  • .vpp_pc
  • .vtf
  • .w3x
  • .wallet
  • .wb2
  • .wma
  • .wmo
  • .wmv
  • .wotreplay
  • .wpd
  • .wps
  • .x3f
  • .xf
  • .xlk
  • .xls
  • .xlsb
  • .xlsm
  • .xlsx
  • .xxx
  • .zip
  • .ztm
  • .ztmp

It opens the following files:

  • %Desktop%\-!RecOveR!-{random}++.Png
  • %Desktop%\-!RecOveR!-{random}++.Tx

(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.)

It does the following:

  • Adjusts user privileges

NOTES:

The dropped ransom notes contain the following information:

It deletes shadow copies by executing the following command:

vssadmin.exe Delete Shadows /For=C: /quiet

It terminates processes containing the following strings:

  • taskmg
  • regedi
  • procex
  • msconfi
  • cmd

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.800

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

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product and note files detected as RANSOM_CRYPTESLA

Step 4

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 5

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
    • {random} = C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\CMD.EXE /C START "%My Documents%\{random file name}.exe"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system
    • EnableLinkedConnections = "1"

Step 6

Delete this registry key

[ 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
    • Axronics

Step 7

Search and delete these files

[ Learn More ]
There may be some component 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.
  • %My Documents%\desctop.ini
  • %My Documents%\-!recover!-!file!-.txt
  • {folders containing encrypted files}\-!RecOveR!-{random}++.Png
  • {folders containing encrypted files}\-!RecOveR!-{random}++.Txt
  • {folders containing encrypted files}\-!RecOveR!-{random}++.Htm
  • %Desktop%\-!RecOveR!-{random}++.Png
  • %Desktop%\-!RecOveR!-{random}++.Txt

Step 8

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as RANSOM_CRYPTESLA. 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 9

Restore encrypted files from backup.


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