Analysis by: Mohammed Malubay
ALIASES:

Generic.Ransom.LockBit.91CBD888(BITDEFENDER); Ransom:Win32/LokiBot!MSR(MICROSOFT); Trojan.Win32.DelShad.chy(KASPERSKY);

 PLATFORM:

Windows

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 DAMAGE POTENTIAL:
 DISTRIBUTION POTENTIAL:
 REPORTED INFECTION:
 INFORMATION EXPOSURE:

  • Threat Type: Ransomware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • 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 avoids encrypting files with the following file extensions.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 103,936 bytes
File Type: EXE
Initial Samples Received Date: 02 May 2020
Payload: Encrypts files, Disables services, 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 adds the following processes:

  • vssadmin delete shadows /all /quiet
  • wmic shadowcopy delete
  • bcdedit /set {default} bootstatuspolicy ignoreallfailures
  • bcdedit /set {default} recoveryenabled no
  • wbadmin delete catalog -quiet

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

  • Global\{BEF590BE-11A6-442A-A85B-656C1081E04C}

Other System Modifications

This Ransomware adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
XO1XADpO01 = "{drive letter of original full filepath}"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\LockBit
full = {hex value}

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\LockBit
Public = {hex value}

Process Termination

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

  • wrapper
  • DefWatch
  • ccEvtMgr
  • ccSetMgr
  • SavRoam
  • Sqlservr
  • sqlagent
  • sqladhlp
  • Culserver
  • RTVscan
  • sqlbrowser
  • SQLADHLP
  • QBIDPService
  • Intuit.QuickBooks.FCS
  • QBCFMonitorService
  • sqlwriter
  • msmdsrv
  • tomcat6
  • zhudongfangyu
  • vmware-usbarbitator64
  • vmware-converter
  • dbsrv12
  • dbeng8
  • MSSQL$MICROSOFT##WID
  • MSSQL$VEEAMSQL2012
  • SQLAgent$VEEAMSQL2012
  • SQLBrowser
  • SQLWriter
  • FishbowlMySQL
  • MSSQL$MICROSOFT##WID
  • MySQL57
  • MSSQL$KAV_CS_ADMIN_KIT
  • MSSQLServerADHelper100
  • SQLAgent$KAV_CS_ADMIN_KIT
  • msftesql-Exchange
  • MSSQL$MICROSOFT##SSEE
  • MSSQL$SBSMONITORING
  • MSSQL$SHAREPOINT
  • MSSQLFDLauncher$SBSMONITORING
  • MSSQLFDLauncher$SHAREPOINT
  • SQLAgent$SBSMONITORING
  • SQLAgent$SHAREPOINT
  • QBFCService
  • QBVSS

Other Details

This Ransomware adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\LockBit

It does the following:

  • Terminates itself if system's language is set to:
    • Armenian
    • Azerbaijani (Cyrillic)
    • Azerbaijani (Latin)
    • Belarusian
    • Georgian
    • Kazakh
    • Kyrgyz
    • Russian
    • Russian (Maldova)
    • Taijik (Cyrillic)
    • Turkmen
    • Turkmen
    • Ukrainian
    • Uzbek (Cyrillic)
    • Uzbek (Latin)

Ransomware Routine

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

  • ntldr
  • ntuser.dat.log
  • bootsect.bak
  • autorun.inf
  • Restore-My-Files.txt

It avoids encrypting files found in the following folders:

  • $windows.~bt
  • intel
  • msocache
  • $recycle.bin
  • $windows.~ws
  • tor browser
  • boot
  • system volume information
  • perflogs
  • google
  • application data
  • windows
  • windows.old
  • appdata
  • Windows nt
  • Msbuild
  • Microsoft
  • All users
  • mozilla

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

  • .lockbit

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

  • {Encrypted Directory}\Restore-My-Files.txt

It avoids encrypting files with the following file extensions:

  • .386
  • .adv
  • .ani
  • .bat
  • .bin
  • .cmd
  • .com
  • .cpl
  • .diagcab
  • .diagcfg
  • .diagpkg
  • .dll
  • .drv
  • .exe
  • .hlp
  • .hlp
  • .hta
  • .icns
  • .ico
  • .ics
  • .idx
  • .ini
  • .key
  • .lnk
  • .lock
  • .mod
  • .mp3
  • .mpa
  • .msc
  • .msi
  • .msp
  • .msstyles
  • .msu
  • .nls
  • .ocx
  • .prf
  • .ps1
  • .rdp
  • .reg
  • .rom
  • .rtp
  • .shs
  • .spl
  • .sys
  • .theme
  • .wpx

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.850
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 15.842.04
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 02 May 2020
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 15.843.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 03 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

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 = "{drive letter of original full filepath}"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\LockBit
    • full = {hex value}
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\LockBit
    • Public = {hex value}

Step 5

Delete this registry key

[ 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.

RESTORE
  • Close Registry Editor.

    • 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

    Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as Ransom.Win32.LOCKBIT.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 8

    Restore encrypted files from backup.


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