Ransom.Win32.LOCKBIT.AA

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.

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:

• %ProgramData%\FSx0EaYuE.ico → icon of encrypted files
• %ProgramData%\FSx0EaYuE.bmp → image to set as desktop wallpaper after encryption
• %ProgramData%\{Random}.tmp → used to delete the malware, deleted afterwards

(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 processes:

• %ProgramData%\{Random}.tmp
• %System%\cmd.exe" /C DEL /F /Q %ProgramData%\{Random}.tmp >> NUL

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

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

• Global\{Generated Hash}

Other System Modifications

This Ransomware adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
.FSx0EaYuE

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
FSx0EaYuE

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
FSx0EaYuE\DefaultIcon

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.FSx0EaYuE

It modifies the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\
.FSx0EaYuE
(Default) = FSx0EaYuE

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Classes\
FSx0EaYuE\DefaultIcon
(Default) = %ProgramData%\FSx0EaYuE.ico

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.FSx0EaYuE
(Default) = FSx0EaYuE

It sets the system's desktop wallpaper to the following image:

• %ProgramData%\FSx0EaYuE.bmp
  

Process Termination

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

• vss
• sql
• svc$
• memtas
• mepocs
• msexchange
• sophos
• veeam
• backup
• GxVss
• GxBlr
• GxFWD
• GxCVD
• GxCIMgr

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

• sql
• oracle
• ocssd
• dbsnmp
• synctime
• agntsvc
• sqlplussvc
• fssvccon
• mydesktopservice
• ocautoupds
• encsvc
• firefox
• tbirdconfig
• mydesktopqos
• ocomm
• dbeng50
• sqbcoreservice
• excel
• infopath
• msaccess
• mspub
• onenote
• outlook
• powerpnt
• steam
• thebat
• thunderbird
• visio
• winword
• wordpad
• notepad
• calc
• wuauclt
• onedrive
• msiexec
• mstsc
• chrome
• wbengine
• dropbox
• onedrive

Other Details

This Ransomware does the following:

• It changes the encrypted file icon to the following image:
  
• It encrypts fixed, removable and network shares
• If not executed with admin rights, it will attempt relaunch itself as admin by elevating its privileges via bypassing UAC.
• It deletes files in recycle bin folder for removable and fixed drives
• It uses WQL to delete shadow copies
• It deletes the following services:
  • WdBoot
  • WdFilter
  • WdNisDrv
  • WdNisSvc
  • WinDefend
  • wscsvc
  • sppsvc
  • Sense
  • SecurityHealthService

It accepts the following parameters:

• -safe → reboots in safeboot, then encrypts the user's machine
• -path {target} → specifically encrypt the target, can be file or folder
• -del → deletes itself after renaming for 26 times
• -wall → changes system wallpaper and print ransom note on printers then deletes itself after renaming for 26 times

Ransomware Routine

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

• autorun.inf
• boot.ini
• bootfont.bin
• bootsect.bak
• d3d9caps.dat
• desktop.ini
• GDIPFONTCACHEV1.DAT
• iconcache.db
• ntldr
• ntuser.dat
• ntuser.dat.log
• ntuser.ini
• thumbs.db

It avoids encrypting files found in the following folders:

• $recycle.bin
• $windows.~bt
• $windows.~ws
• all users
• boot
• config.msi
• default
• intel
• microsoft
• msocache
• perflogs
• program files
• program files (x86)
• programdata
• public
• system volume information
• tor browser
• windows
• windows.old
• x64dbg

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

• .FSx0EaYuE

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

• {encrypted directory}\FSx0EaYuE.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
• search-ms
• shs
• spl
• sys
• theme
• themepack
• wpx