Analysis by: Clive Fuentebella

ALIASES:

Gen:Variant.Ranpack.31 (BITDEFENDER)

 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: 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: 559,104 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 07 May 2020
Payload: Connects to URLs/IPs, Displays message/message boxes, Encrypts files, Terminates processes

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:

  • "%System%\cmd.exe" /c vssadmin delete shadows /all /quiet & wmic shadowcopy delete & bcdedit /set {default} bootstatuspolicy ignoreallfailures & bcdedit /set {default} recoveryenabled no & wbadmin delete catalog -quiet
  • "%System%\cmd.exe" /c vssadmin Delete Shadows /All /Quiet
  • "%System%\cmd.exe" /c bcdedit /set {default} recoveryenabled No
  • "%System%\cmd.exe" /c bcdedit /set {default} bootstatuspolicy ignoreallfailures
  • "%System%\cmd.exe" /c wbadmin DELETE SYSTEMSTATEBACKUP
  • "%System%\cmd.exe" /c wbadmin DELETE SYSTEMSTATEBACKUP -deleteOldest
  • "%System%\cmd.exe" /c wmic SHADOWCOPY /nointeractive
  • "%System%\cmd.exe" /c wevtutil cl security
  • "%System%\cmd.exe" /c wevtutil cl system
  • "%System%\cmd.exe" /c wevtutil cl application
  • "%System%\cmd.exe" /c vssadmin Delete Shadows /All /Quiet
  • "%System%\cmd.exe" /c bcdedit /set {default} recoveryenabled No
  • "%System%\cmd.exe" /c bcdedit /set {default} bootstatuspolicy ignoreallfailures
  • "%System%\cmd.exe" /c wbadmin DELETE SYSTEMSTATEBACKUP
  • "%System%\cmd.exe" /c wbadmin DELETE SYSTEMSTATEBACKUP -deleteOldest
  • "%System%\cmd.exe" /c wmic SHADOWCOPY /nointeractive

(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.)

Other System Modifications

This Ransomware modifies the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
XO1XADpO01 = "%Windows%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\vbc.exe"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\LockBit
full = {Binary data}

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\LockBit
Public = {Binary data}

Process Termination

This Ransomware terminates processes or services that contain any of the following strings if found running in the affected system's memory:

  • 360doctor
  • 360se
  • ARSM
  • AcrSch2Svc
  • AcronisAgent
  • Adobe CEF Helper
  • Adobe Desktop Service
  • AdobeCollabSync
  • AdobeIPCBroker
  • AutodeskDesktopApp
  • BackupExecAgentAccelerator
  • BackupExecAgentBrowser
  • BackupExecDiveciMediaService
  • BackupExecJobEngine
  • BackupExecManagementService
  • BackupExecRPCService
  • BackupExecVSSProvider
  • BrCcUxSys
  • BrCtrlCntr
  • CAARCUpdateSvc
  • CASAD2DWebSvc
  • CagService
  • CoreSync
  • Creative Cloud
  • Culserver
  • Culture
  • DefWatch
  • Defwatch
  • DellSystemDetect
  • EnterpriseClient
  • FCS
  • FishbowlMySQL
  • GDscan
  • InputPersonalization
  • Intuit
  • MSExchange
  • MSExchange$
  • MSSQL
  • MSSQL$
  • MSSQL$KAV_CS_ADMIN_KIT
  • MSSQL$MICROSOFT##SSEE
  • MSSQL$MICROSOFT##WID
  • MSSQL$SBSMONITORING
  • MSSQL$SHAREPOINT
  • MSSQL$VEEAMSQL2012
  • MSSQLFDLauncher$SBSMONITORING
  • MSSQLFDLauncher$SHAREPOINT
  • MSSQLServerADHelper100
  • MVArmor
  • MVarmor64
  • MsDtSrvr
  • MySQL57
  • ONENOTEM
  • PDVFSService
  • QBCFMonitorService
  • QBDBMgr
  • QBDBMgrN
  • QBFCService
  • QBIDPService
  • QBVSS
  • QBW32
  • QuickBooks
  • RAgui
  • RTVscan
  • RdrCEF
  • SQLADHLP
  • SQLAgent$KAV_CS_ADMIN_KIT
  • SQLAgent$SBSMONITORING
  • SQLAgent$SHAREPOINT
  • SQLAgent$VEEAMSQL2012
  • SQLBrowser
  • SQLWriter
  • SavRoam
  • Simply
  • SimplyConnectionManager
  • Sqlservr
  • Ssms
  • SystemTrayIcon
  • TeamViewer
  • TeamViewer_Service
  • TitanV
  • VSNAPVSS
  • VeeamDeploymentService
  • VeeamDeploymentSvc
  • VeeamNFSSvc
  • VeeamTransportSvc
  • WSBExchange
  • YooBackup
  • YooIT
  • ZhuDongFangYu
  • acwebbrowser
  • agntsvc
  • axlbridge
  • backup
  • bedbg
  • bedbh
  • benetns
  • bengien
  • beserver
  • ccEvtMgr
  • ccSetMgr
  • dbeng50
  • dbeng8
  • dbsnmp
  • dbsrv12
  • encsvc
  • excel
  • fbguard
  • fbserver
  • fdhost
  • fdlauncher
  • firefox
  • httpd
  • infopath
  • isqlplussvc
  • java
  • koaly-exp-engine-service
  • memtas
  • mepocs
  • msaccess
  • msftesql-Exchange
  • msmdsrv
  • mspub
  • mydesktopqos
  • mydesktopservice
  • mysqld
  • node
  • notepad
  • ocautoupds
  • ocomm
  • ocssd
  • onenote
  • oracle
  • outlook
  • powerpnt
  • pvlsvr
  • qbupdate
  • raw_agent_svc
  • sam
  • sophos
  • sqbcoreservice
  • sql
  • sqladhlp
  • sqlagent
  • sqlbrowser
  • sqlmangr
  • sqlwriter
  • stc_raw_agent
  • steam
  • supervise
  • svc$
  • sync-taskbar
  • sync-worker
  • synctime
  • tbirdconfig
  • thebat
  • thunderbird
  • tomcat6
  • tv_w32
  • tv_x64
  • veeam
  • visio
  • vmware-converter
  • vmware-usbarbitator64
  • vsnapvss
  • vss
  • vxmon
  • wdswfsafe
  • winword
  • wordpad
  • wrapper
  • wsa_service
  • wxServerView
  • xfssvccon
  • zhudongfangyu

Other Details

This Ransomware displays the following images:

It does the following:

  • It propagates across the network via SMB queries.

Ransomware Routine

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

  • .lockbit

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

  • {Encrypted directory}/Restore-My-Files.txt

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

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.850
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 15.880.02
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 20 May 2020
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 15.881.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 21 May 2020

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.XXPE50FFF035

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

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
    • XO1XADpO01 = "%Windows%\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\vbc.exe"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\LockBit
    • full = {Binary data}
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\LockBit
    • Public = {Binary data}

Step 6

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.
  • {Encrypted directory}:/Restore-My-Files.txt

Step 7

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as Ransom.MSIL.LOCKBIT.VLC. 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 8

Restore encrypted files from backup.


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