Analysis by: Rheniel Rhay Ramos
ALIASES:

Artemis!5691844CACD1 (McAfee); Trojan:Win32/Tiggre!rfn (Microsoft); Ransom.HiddenTear (Symantec)

 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: Downloaded from the Internet, Dropped by other malware

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 encrypts files with specific file extensions. It encrypts files found in specific folders.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 40,960 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: No
Initial Samples Received Date: 09 Nov 2017
Payload: Encrypts files, Displays message/message boxes, Connects to URLs/IPs

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:

  • %User Temp%\windowsdefender.bin -> Encryption Key

(Note: %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp 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 sets the system's desktop wallpaper to the following image:

Download Routine

This Ransomware connects to the following URL(s) to download its component file(s):

  • https://{BLOCKED}e.{BLOCKED}ack.com/fichiers/2017/44/4/1509655557-rw.jpg

It saves the files it downloads using the following names:

  • {Malware Folder}\Background.jpg

Other Details

This Ransomware displays a pop-up window with the following message:


Ransomware Routine

This Ransomware encrypts files with the following extensions:

  • .sc
  • .mkv
  • .txt
  • .exe
  • .dll
  • .ico
  • .png
  • .3dm
  • .3g2
  • .3gp
  • .aaf
  • .accdb
  • .aep
  • .aepx
  • .aet
  • .ai
  • .aif
  • .arw
  • .as
  • .as3
  • .asf
  • .asp
  • .asx
  • .avi
  • .bay
  • .bmp
  • .cdr
  • .cer
  • .class
  • .cpp
  • .cr2
  • .crt
  • .crw
  • .cs
  • .csv
  • .db
  • .dbf
  • .dcr
  • .der
  • .dng
  • .doc
  • .docb
  • .docm
  • .docx
  • .dot
  • .dotm
  • .dotx
  • .dwg
  • .dxf
  • .dxg
  • .efx
  • .eps
  • .erf
  • .fla
  • .flv
  • .idml
  • .iff
  • .indb
  • .indd
  • .indl
  • .indt
  • .inx
  • .jar
  • .java
  • .jpeg
  • .jpg
  • .kdc
  • .m3u
  • .m3u8
  • .m4u
  • .max
  • .mdb
  • .mdf
  • .mef
  • .mid
  • .mov
  • .mp3
  • .mp4
  • .mpa
  • .mpeg
  • .mpg
  • .mrw
  • .msg
  • .nef
  • .nrw
  • .odb
  • .odc
  • .odm
  • .odp
  • .ods
  • .odt
  • .orf
  • .p12
  • .p7b
  • .p7c
  • .pdb
  • .pdf
  • .pef
  • .pem
  • .pfx
  • .php
  • .plb
  • .pmd
  • .pot
  • .potm
  • .potx
  • .ppam
  • .ppj
  • .pps
  • .ppsm
  • .ppsx
  • .ppt
  • .pptm
  • .pptx
  • .prel
  • .prproj
  • .ps
  • .psd
  • .pst
  • .ptx
  • .r3d
  • .ra
  • .raf
  • .rar
  • .raw
  • .rb
  • .rtf
  • .rw2
  • .rwl
  • .sdf
  • .sldm
  • .sldx
  • .sql
  • .sr2
  • .srf
  • .srw
  • .svg
  • .swf
  • .tif
  • .vcf
  • .vob
  • .wav
  • .wb2
  • .wma
  • .wmv
  • .wpd
  • .wps
  • .x3f
  • .xla
  • .xlam
  • .xlk
  • .xll
  • .xlm
  • .xls
  • .xlsb
  • .xlsm
  • .xlsx
  • .xlt
  • .xltm
  • .xltx
  • .xlw
  • .xml
  • .xqx
  • .zip.ini
  • .sln
  • .cs
  • .resx
  • .Designer.cs
  • .suo
  • .csproj
  • .settings
  • .Designer.cs.cache
  • .pdp
  • .resources
  • .Properties.Resources.resources
  • .sc
  • .vshost.exe.vshost.exe.manifest
  • .gif
  • .ide
  • .bat
  • .dat
  • .DangAmbigs
  • .freq-dawg
  • .inttemp.normproto
  • .pffmtable
  • .unicharset
  • .user-words
  • .word-dawg
  • .html
  • .Config.sc.mkv.txt.exe.dll.ico.png
  • .3dm
  • .3g2
  • .3gp.aaf.accdb.aep.aepx.aet.ai.aif.arw
  • .as
  • .as3
  • .asf
  • .asp
  • .asx
  • .avi
  • .bay
  • .bmp
  • .cdr
  • .cer
  • .class
  • .cpp
  • .cr2
  • .crt
  • .crw
  • .cs
  • .csv
  • .db
  • .dbf
  • .dcr
  • .der
  • .dng
  • .doc
  • .docb
  • .docm
  • .docx
  • .dot
  • .dotm
  • .dotx
  • .dwg
  • .dxf
  • .dxg
  • .efx
  • .eps
  • .erf
  • .fla
  • .flv
  • .idml
  • .iff
  • .indb
  • .indd
  • .indl
  • .indt
  • .inx
  • .jar
  • .java
  • .jpeg
  • .jpg
  • .kdc
  • .m3u
  • .m3u8
  • .m4u
  • .max
  • .mdb
  • .mdf
  • .mef
  • .mid
  • .mov
  • .mp3
  • .mp4
  • .mpa
  • .mpeg
  • .mpg
  • .mrw
  • .msg
  • .nef
  • .nrw
  • .odb
  • .odc
  • .odm
  • .odp
  • .ods
  • .odt
  • .orf
  • .p12
  • .p7b
  • .p7c
  • .pdb
  • .pdf
  • .pef
  • .pem
  • .pfx
  • .php
  • .plb
  • .pmd
  • .pot
  • .potm
  • .potx
  • .ppam
  • .ppj
  • .pps
  • .ppsm
  • .ppsx
  • .ppt
  • .pptm
  • .pptx
  • .prel
  • .prproj
  • .ps
  • .psd
  • .pst
  • .ptx
  • .r3d
  • .ra
  • .raf
  • .rar
  • .raw
  • .rb
  • .rtf
  • .rw2
  • .rwl
  • .sdf
  • .sldm
  • .sldx
  • .sql
  • .sr2
  • .srf
  • .srw
  • .svg
  • .swf
  • .tif
  • .vcf
  • .vob
  • .wav
  • .wb2
  • .wma
  • .wmv
  • .wpd
  • .wps
  • .x3f
  • .xla
  • .xlam
  • .xlk
  • .xll
  • .xlm
  • .xls
  • .xlsb
  • .xlsm
  • .xlsx
  • .xlt
  • .xltm
  • .xltx
  • .xlw
  • .xml
  • .xqx
  • .zip.ini
  • .sln
  • .cs
  • .resx
  • .Designer.cs
  • .suo
  • .csproj
  • .settings
  • .Designer.cs.cache
  • .pdp
  • .resources
  • .Properties.Resources.resources
  • .sc
  • .vshost.exe.vshost.exe.manifest
  • .gif
  • .ide
  • .bat
  • .dat
  • .DangAmbigs
  • .freq-dawg
  • .inttemp.normproto
  • .pffmtable
  • .unicharset
  • .user-words
  • .word-dawg
  • .html
  • .Config

It encrypts files found in the following folders:

  • C:\testrw

It appends the following extension to the file name of the encrypted files:

  • .lockon

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.850
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 13.788.04
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 17 Nov 2017
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 13.789.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 17 Nov 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

Identify and terminate files detected as RANSOM_LOCKON.A

[ Learn More ]
  1. Windows Task Manager may not display all running processes. In this case, please use a third-party process viewer, preferably Process Explorer, to terminate the malware/grayware/spyware file. You may download the said tool here.
  2. If the detected file is displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer but you cannot delete it, restart your computer in safe mode. To do this, refer to this link for the complete steps.
  3. If the detected file is not displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer, continue doing the next steps.

Step 4

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.
  • %User Temp%\windowsdefender.bin
  • {Malware Folder}\Background.jpg

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as RANSOM_LOCKON.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 the following Trend Micro Support pages for more information:

Step 6

Restore encrypted files from backup.

Step 7

Reset your Desktop properties

[ Learn More ]


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