Ransom.Win32.AURORA.THHOAAI
Ransom:Win32/Aurora.PI (Microsoft); RDN/Generic.grp (McAfee); Trojan-Ransom.Win32.Gen.sbe (Kaspersky)
Windows
Threat Type: Ransomware
Destructiveness: No
Encrypted:
In the wild: Yes
OVERVIEW
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 drops files as ransom note.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
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.
Autostart Technique
This Ransomware adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
MSFEEditor = "{malware path and file name}.exe e"
Dropping Routine
This Ransomware drops the following files:
- %Application Data%\000000000.key
(Note: %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)
Ransomware Routine
This Ransomware encrypts files with the following extensions:
- 1c
- 1CD
- 3dm
- 3ds
- 3fr
- 3g2
- 3gp
- 7z
- 123
- 602
- _MS
- _ms
- ABD
- accdb
- accde
- accdr
- accdt
- ace
- aes
- ai
- alg
- allet
- AMS
- apk
- CRA
- arch00
- arm
- art
- arw
- arz
- asc
- asf
- asm
- asp
- asset
- avhdx
- avi
- CAB
- backup
- BAK
- bak
- bar
- bat
- bay
- bc6
- bc7
- bck
- BDB
- big
- bik
- bkf
- BKP
- bkp
- BKUP
- blob
- bmp
- BPN
- brd
- bsa
- bsm
- bxl
- bz2
- c
- cad
- cam
- cas
- CBK
- cbu
- cdr
- cdr3
- cdr4
- cdr5
- cel
- cer
- cert
- cf
- cfg
- cfr
- cgm
- CHG
- ckt
- class
- classpath
- cmd
- cnf
- con
- config
- cpa
- cpp
- cr2
- crt
- crw
- cs
- csa
- csr
- css
- csv
- cwz
- d
- d3dbsp
- das
- dat
- data
- dazip
- db
- db0
- db3
- db5
- dba
- dbc
- DBF
- dbf
- dbs
- dbx
- dch
- dcr
- ddb
- der
- desc
- DFT
- dif
- dip
- djvu
- DMP
- dmp
- dng
- doc
- docb
- docm
- docx
- dot
- dotm
- dotx
- dra
- drl
- dru
- dsn
- dsnwrk
- dt
- dwg
- dxf
- dxg
- edb
- edf
- elt
- eml
- epk
- eps
- erf
- esm
- ewprj
- fdb
- ff
- fla
- flv
- fods
- fodt
- forge
- fos
- fp7
- fpd
- fpk
- frm
- fsh
- g1
- g2
- g3
- g4
- gbl
- gbo
- gbp
- gbr
- gbs
- gbx
- gdb
- GDF-BACKUP
- GHO
- gho
- gif
- gko
- gml
- gp
- gp1
- gp2
- gp3
- gp4
- gpb
- gpg
- gpt
- grb
- gtl
- gto
- gtp
- gts
- gwk
- gz
- h
- hkdb
- hkx
- hplg
- hvpl
- hwp
- ibank
- ibd
- ibz
- icxs
- idb
- idc
- idx
- indd
- info
- ip
- ipc
- ism
- iso
- itdb
- itl
- itm
- iwd
- iwi
- IX
- jar
- java
- jnt
- jpe
- jpeg
- jpg
- jrl
- js
- jsp
- kdb
- kdc
- kf
- kicad
- lay
- lay6
- layout
- lbf
- lbr
- LC
- LCK
- ldb
- ldf
- lg
- lgc
- lia
- lib
- libprj
- LICENSE
- licz
- litemod
- llx
- lmc
- lrf
- ltx
- lua
- lvl
- lyt
- lzh
- lzma
- m2
- m3u
- m4a
- m4u
- map
- max
- mcmeta
- mdb
- mdbackup
- mddata
- mdf
- mef
- menu
- mid
- mkv
- mlx
- mml
- mov
- mp3
- mp4
- mpeg
- mpg
- mpqge
- mrg
- mrwref
- msg
- myd
- myi
- mysql
- mysqli
- NBD
- nc
- ncf
- ndf
- nef
- nrw
- ntl
- OBK
- odb
- odc
- odg
- odm
- odp
- ods
- odt
- OEB
- olb
- one
- onetoc2
- opj
- opt
- ORA
- orf
- ost
- otg
- otp
- ots
- ott
- p
- p7b
- p7c
- p12
- pad
- pak
- PAQ
- par
- pas
- pbd
- pc
- pcb
- pcbdoc
- pdb
- pdblib
- pdd
- pef
- pem
- pfx
- phj
- phl
- pho
- php
- pkpass
- pl
- png
- pot
- potm
- potx
- ppam
- ppc
- pps
- ppsm
- ppsx
- ppt
- pptm
- pptx
- prj
- prjcor
- prjemb
- prjpcb
- pro
- project
- prt
- ps1
- psd
- psk
- psm
- pst
- ptx
- py
- Q99
- QB1
- QBA
- QBB
- QBK
- QBM
- QBMB
- QBMD
- qbquery
- QBW
- QBX
- qdf
- QFD
- QFX
- qic
- QIF
- QMD
- qry
- QUICKEN
- QUICKEN2015BACKUP
- QUICKEN2016BACKUP
- QUICKEN2017BACKUP
- QW5
- r3d
- raf
- rar
- raw
- rb
- re4
- reu
- rgss3a
- rim
- rofl
- rou
- rtf
- rul
- rw2
- rwl
- s3db
- sal
- sav
- sb
- sch
- schdoc
- schlib
- SDF
- sdf
- sh
- sid
- sidd
- sidn
- sie
- sis
- sl2
- sl3
- sldm
- sldx
- slk
- slm
- sln
- snt
- snx
- SQB
- sql
- sqlite
- sqlite3
- sqlitedb
- sqr
- sr2
- srf
- srw
- ssq
- stc
- std
- sti
- stw
- sum
- suo
- svg
- swf
- sxc
- sxd
- sxi
- sxm
- sxw
- syncdb
- t12
- t13
- tar
- tax
- tbk
- tcf
- tgz
- tib
- tif
- tiff
- tmd
- TMP
- tor
- trn
- txt
- ub
- uop
- uot
- upk
- vb
- vbs
- vcd
- vcf
- vdf
- vdi
- vfs0
- vhd
- vhdx
- vmdk
- vmx
- vob
- vpk
- vpp_pc
- vsd
- vsdx
- vtf
- w3x
- wab
- wav
- wb2
- WBK
- wdb
- wk1
- wks
- wma
- wmo
- wmv
- wotreplay
- wpd
- wps
- x3f
- xf
- XG3
- XGO
- xlc
- XLK
- xlk
- xlm
- xls
- xls
- xlsb
- xlsm
- xlsx
- xlt
- xltm
- xltx
- xlw
- xml
- xslt
- xxx
- ydk
- zip
- zpd
- ztmp
It renames encrypted files using the following names:
- {encrypted file}.infected
It drops the following file(s) as ransom note:
- @@_FILES_ARE_ENCRYPTED_@@.txt
- @@_HOW_TO_RETURN_DATA_@@.txt
- @@_RECOVERY_INSTRUCTIONS_@@.txt
SOLUTION
Step 1
Trend Micro products with the XGen technology detect this malware as
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
Restart in Safe Mode
Step 4
Delete this registry value
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
- MSFEEditor = {malware path and file name}.exe e
Step 5
Search and delete this file
- %Application Data%\000000000.key
Step 6
Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as Ransom.Win32.AURORA.THHOAAI. 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 7
Restore encrypted files from backup.
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