Analysis by: Bren Matthew Ebriega
 Modified by: Mohammed Malubay
ALIASES:

Ransom:Win32/Conti.SW!MSR(MICROSOFT); Troj/Ryuk-AM(SOPHOS);

 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

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: 103,424 bytes
File Type: EXE
Initial Samples Received Date: 13 Jul 2020
Payload: 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
  • %System%\cmd.exe /c vssadmin resize shadowstorage /for={Drive Letter}: /on={Drive Letter}: /maxsize=401MB
  • %System%\cmd.exe /c vssadmin resize shadowstorage /for={Drive Letter}: /on={Drive Letter}: /maxsize=unbounded
  • where {Drive Letter} are the following:
    • c
    • d
    • e
    • f
    • g
    • h

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

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

It adds the following mutexes to ensure that only one of its copies runs at any one time:

  • _CONTI_

Process Termination

This Ransomware terminates the following processes if found running in the affected system's memory:

  • All processes with "sql" in their process name

Other Details

This Ransomware does the following:

  • Terminates the following network services:
    • Acronis VSS Provider
    • AcronisAgent
    • AcrSch2Svc
    • Antivirus
    • ARSM
    • AVP
    • BackupExecAgentAccelerator
    • BackupExecAgentBrowser
    • BackupExecDeviceMediaService
    • BackupExecJobEngine
    • BackupExecManagementService
    • BackupExecRPCService
    • BackupExecVSSProvider
    • bedbg
    • DCAgent
    • EhttpSrv
    • ekrn
    • Enterprise Client Service
    • EPSecurityService
    • EPUpdateService
    • EraserSvc11710
    • EsgShKernel
    • ESHASRV
    • FA_Scheduler
    • IISAdmin
    • IMAP4Svc
    • klnagent
    • McShield
    • McTaskManager
    • mfefire
    • mfemms
    • mfevtp
    • MMS
    • mozyprobackup
    • MsDtsServer
    • MsDtsServer100
    • MsDtsServer110
    • MSExchangeES
    • MSExchangeIS
    • MSExchangeMGMT
    • MSExchangeMTA
    • MSExchangeSA
    • MSExchangeSRS
    • msftesql$PROD
    • MSOLAP$SQL_2008
    • MSOLAP$SYSTEM_BGC
    • MSOLAP$TPS
    • MSOLAP$TPSAMA
    • MSSQL$BKUPEXEC
    • MSSQL$ECWDB2
    • MSSQL$PRACTICEMGT
    • MSSQL$PRACTTICEBGC
    • MSSQL$PROD
    • MSSQL$PROFXENGAGEMENT
    • MSSQL$SBSMONITORING
    • MSSQL$SHAREPOINT
    • MSSQL$SOPHOS
    • MSSQL$SQL_2008
    • MSSQL$SQLEXPRESS
    • MSSQL$SYSTEM_BGC
    • MSSQL$TPS
    • MSSQL$TPSAMA
    • MSSQL$VEEAMSQL2008R2
    • MSSQL$VEEAMSQL2008R2
    • MSSQL$VEEAMSQL2012
    • MSSQLFDLauncher
    • MSSQLFDLauncher$PROFXENGAGEMENT
    • MSSQLFDLauncher$SBSMONITORING
    • MSSQLFDLauncher$SHAREPOINT
    • MSSQLFDLauncher$SQL_2008
    • MSSQLFDLauncher$SYSTEM_BGC
    • MSSQLFDLauncher$TPS
    • MSSQLFDLauncher$TPSAMA
    • MSSQLSERVER
    • MSSQLServerADHelper
    • MSSQLServerADHelper100
    • MSSQLServerOLAPService
    • MySQL57
    • NetMsmqActivator
    • ntrtscan
    • OracleClientCache80
    • PDVFSService
    • POP3Svc
    • ReportServer
    • ReportServer$SQL_2008
    • ReportServer$SYSTEM_BGC
    • ReportServer$TPS
    • ReportServer$TPSAMA
    • RESvc
    • sacsvr
    • SamSs
    • SAVAdminService
    • SAVService
    • SDRSVC
    • SepMasterService
    • ShMonitor
    • Smcinst
    • SmcService
    • SMTPSvc
    • SQL Backups
    • SQLAgent$BKUPEXEC
    • SQLAgent$CITRIX_METAFRAME
    • SQLAgent$CXDB
    • SQLAgent$ECWDB2
    • SQLAgent$PRACTTICEBGC
    • SQLAgent$PRACTTICEMGT
    • SQLAgent$PROD
    • SQLAgent$PROFXENGAGEMENT
    • SQLAgent$SBSMONITORING
    • SQLAgent$SHAREPOINT
    • SQLAgent$SOPHOS
    • SQLAgent$SQL_2008
    • SQLAgent$SQLEXPRESS
    • SQLAgent$SYSTEM_BGC
    • SQLAgent$TPS
    • SQLAgent$TPSAMA
    • SQLAgent$VEEAMSQL2008R2
    • SQLAgent$VEEAMSQL2008R2
    • SQLAgent$VEEAMSQL2012
    • SQLBrowser
    • SQLsafe Backup Service
    • SQLsafe Filter Service
    • SQLSafeOLRService
    • SQLSERVERAGENT
    • SQLTELEMETRY
    • SQLTELEMETRY$ECWDB2
    • SQLWriter
    • swi_update
    • Veeam Backup Catalog Data Service
    • VeeamBackupSvc
    • VeeamBrokerSvc
    • VeeamCatalogSvc
    • VeeamCloudSvc
    • VeeamDeploymentService
    • VeeamDeploySvc
    • VeeamEnterpriseManagerSvc
    • VeeamHvIntegrationSvc
    • VeeamMountSvc
    • VeeamNFSSvc
    • VeeamRESTSvc
    • VeeamTransportSvc
    • W3Svc
    • wbengine
    • wbengine
    • WRSVC
    • Zoolz 2 Service
  • It encrypts all local and network drives

Ransomware Routine

This Ransomware avoids encrypting files with the following strings in their file name:

  • .dll
  • .exe
  • .lnk
  • .sys
  • .CONTI
  • CONTI_README.txt

It avoids encrypting files found in the following folders:

  • $Recycle.Bin
  • $RECYCLE.BIN
  • AppData
  • Application Data
  • Boot
  • Program Files
  • Program Files (x86)
  • System Volume Information
  • temp
  • thumb
  • tmp
  • Windows
  • winnt

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

  • .CONTI

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

  • {Encrypted Directory}\CONTI_README.txt

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.850
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 16.102.02
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 14 Jul 2020
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 16.103.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 15 Jul 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.XXPE50FFF036

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

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}\CONTI_README.txt

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as Ransom.Win32.CONTI.D. 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.


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