Analysis by: Maria Emreen Viray
ALIASES:

Ransom:Win32/BlackMatter.PAB!MTB (MICROSOFT)

 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. It avoids encrypting files with the following file extensions.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 79,360 bytes
File Type: DLL
Memory Resident: No
Initial Samples Received Date: 09 Oct 2021
Payload: Connects to URLs/IPs, Displays message/message boxes

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:

  • used as wallpaper:
    • %ProgramData%\{appended ransomware extension}.bmp

(Note: %ProgramData% is a version of the Program Files folder where any user on a multi-user computer can make changes to programs. This contains application data for all users. This is usually C:\ProgramData on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit), or C:\Documents and Settings\All Users on Windows Server 2003(32-bit), 2000(32-bit) and XP.)

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

  • Global\{Generated hash based on GUID}

Other System Modifications

This Ransomware sets the system's desktop wallpaper to the following image:

Process Termination

This Ransomware terminates the following services if found on the affected system:

  • mepocs
  • memtas
  • veeam
  • svc$
  • backup
  • sql
  • vss

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

  • encsvc
  • thebat
  • mydesktopqos
  • xfssvccon
  • firefox
  • infopath
  • winword
  • steam
  • synctime
  • notepad
  • ocomm
  • onenote
  • mspub
  • thunderbird
  • agntsvc
  • sql
  • excel
  • powerpnt
  • outlook
  • wordpad
  • dbeng50
  • isqlplussvc
  • sqbcoreservice
  • oracle
  • ocautoupds
  • dbsnmp
  • msaccess
  • tbirdconfig
  • ocssd
  • mydesktopservice
  • visio

Information Theft

This Ransomware gathers the following data:

  • Machine GUID
  • Computer name
  • Hostname
  • Username
  • Domain
  • OS Architecture
  • Language
  • Disk information (free size, disk size)
  • Total number of files
  • Total number of encrypted files

Stolen Information

This Ransomware sends the gathered information via HTTP POST to the following URL:

  • http://{BLOCKED}zip.org/?{encrypted string}

Other Details

This Ransomware does the following:

  • Optionally encrypts Microsoft Exchange files in %ExchangeInstallPath%\Mailbox directory.
  • If not executed with admin rights, it will relaunch itself as admin.
  • It encrypts fixed, removable and network drives.
  • It deletes files in recycle bin folder for removable and fixed drives.
  • It uses WQL to delete shadow copies.
  • Optionally prints out a ransom note using the default printer.

Ransomware Routine

This Ransomware drops the following file(s) as ransom note:

  • {appended ransomware extension}.README.txt

It avoids encrypting files with the following file extensions:

  • 386
  • adv
  • ani
  • bat
  • bin
  • cab
  • cmd
  • com
  • cpl
  • cur
  • deskthemepack
  • diagcab
  • diagcfg
  • diagpkg
  • dll
  • drv
  • exe
  • hlp
  • hta
  • icl
  • icns
  • ico
  • ics
  • idx
  • key
  • ldf
  • lnk
  • lock
  • mod
  • mpa
  • msc
  • msi
  • msp
  • msstyles
  • msu
  • nls
  • nomedia
  • ocx
  • pdb
  • prf
  • ps1
  • rom
  • rtp
  • scr
  • shs
  • spl
  • sys
  • theme
  • themepack
  • wpx

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.800
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 16.952.08
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 07 Sep 2021
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 16.953.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 08 Sep 2021

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.XXPE50FFF049

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

Search and delete this file

[ 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.
  • %ProgramData%\{appended ransomware extension}.bmp
  • {appended ransomware extension}.README.txt

Step 6

Reset your Desktop properties

[ Learn More ]

Step 7

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as Ransom.Win32.BLACKMATTER.SMYXBHMT. 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.

Step 9

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as Ransom.Win32.BLACKMATTER.SMYXBHMT. 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:


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