Modified by: Warren Adam Sto. Tomas
ALIASES:

Ransom:Win32/LockerGoga (Microsoft); Ransom.GoGalocker (Norton)

 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, Dropped by other malware

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 deletes itself after execution.

It encrypts files with specific file extensions. It encrypts files found in specific folders. It drops files as ransom note.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 1,254,264 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: No
Initial Samples Received Date: 08 Mar 2019
Payload: Encrypts files, 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:

  • %User Temp%\yxugwjud{random numbers}.exe -m
  • %User Temp%\yxugwjud{random numbers}.exe -i Global\SM-yxugwjud -s

(Note: %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista, 7, and 8.)

Other Details

This Ransomware does the following:

  • It renames itself as %User Temp%\yxugwjud{random numbers}.exe, then executes itself to continue to its encryption routine

(Note: %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista, 7, and 8.)

It deletes itself after execution.

Ransomware Routine

This Ransomware encrypts files with the following extensions:

  • all file types

It encrypts files found in the following folders:

  • Folders found in drives of the following types:
    • fixed
    • removable
    • remote
    • ramdisk

It avoids encrypting files found in the following folders:

  • %Windows%

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

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

  • .locked

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

  • %Public%\Desktop\README_LOCKED.txt

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.850
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 14.880.08
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 08 Mar 2019
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 14.881.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 09 Mar 2019

Step 1

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 2

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 3

Identify and terminate files detected as Ransom.Win32.LOCKERGOGA.A

[ Learn More ]
  1. Windows Task Manager may not display all running processes. In this case, please use a third-party process viewer, preferably Process Explorer, to terminate the malware/grayware/spyware file. You may download the said tool here.
  2. If the detected file is displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer but you cannot delete it, restart your computer in safe mode. To do this, refer to this link for the complete steps.
  3. If the detected file is not displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer, continue doing the next steps.

Step 4

Search and delete these components

[ Learn More ]
There may be some components 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.
  • %User Temp%\yxugwjud{random numbers}.exe
  • %Public%\Desktop\README_LOCKED.txt

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as Ransom.Win32.LOCKERGOGA.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 6

Restore encrypted files from backup.


Did this description help? Tell us how we did.