Analysis by: Rojan Dela Cruz
ALIASES:

Ransom:Win32/Play.E (MICROSOFT), a variant of Win32/Filecoder.PLAY.A trojan (NOD32)

 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 drops files as ransom note. It avoids encrypting files with the following file extensions.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 113,152 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: No
Payload: Encrypts files

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.

Other Details

This Ransomware encrypts files with the following extensions:

  • .$er
  • .4dd
  • .4dl
  • .abcddb
  • .abs
  • .abx
  • .ac
  • .accdb
  • .accdc
  • .accde
  • .accdr
  • .accdt
  • .accdw
  • .accft
  • .adb
  • .ade
  • .adf
  • .adn
  • .adp
  • .alf
  • .anb
  • .aq
  • .arc
  • .ask
  • .bak
  • .bcp
  • .bdf
  • .btr
  • .cat
  • .cdb
  • .ckp
  • .cma
  • .cpd
  • .crypt
  • .crypt1
  • .crypt10
  • .crypt12
  • .crypt14
  • .crypt15
  • .crypt5
  • .crypt6
  • .crypt7
  • .crypt8
  • .crypt9
  • .dacpac
  • .dad
  • .daschema
  • .dat
  • .db
  • .db-shm
  • .db-wal
  • .db2
  • .db3
  • .dbc
  • .dbcrypt
  • .dbcrypt8
  • .dbf
  • .dbs
  • .dbt
  • .dbv
  • .dbx
  • .dcb
  • .dct
  • .dcx
  • .ddl
  • .dlis
  • .dp1
  • .dqy
  • .dsk
  • .dsn
  • .dtsx
  • .dxl
  • .eco
  • .ecx
  • .edb
  • .epim
  • .exb
  • .fcd
  • .fdb
  • .fic
  • .fm5
  • .fmp
  • .fmp12
  • .fmpsl
  • .fol
  • .fp3
  • .fp4
  • .fp5
  • .fp7
  • .fpt
  • .frm
  • .gdb
  • .grdb
  • .gwi
  • .hdb
  • .his
  • .hjt
  • .ib
  • .ibd
  • .icg
  • .icr
  • .idb
  • .ihx
  • .itdb
  • .itw
  • .jet
  • .jtx
  • .kdb
  • .kexi
  • .kexic
  • .kexis
  • .ldf
  • .lgc
  • .log1
  • .luminar
  • .lut
  • .lwx
  • .maf
  • .maq
  • .mar
  • .mas
  • .mav
  • .maw
  • .mdb
  • .mdf
  • .mdn
  • .mdt
  • .mpd
  • .mrg
  • .mud
  • .mwb
  • .myd
  • .myi
  • .ndf
  • .ns2
  • .ns3
  • .ns4
  • .nsf
  • .nv
  • .nv2
  • .nwdb
  • .nyf
  • .odb
  • .oqy
  • .ora
  • .orx
  • .owc
  • .p96
  • .p97
  • .pan
  • .pdb
  • .pdm
  • .pnz
  • .qry
  • .qvd
  • .rbf
  • .rctd
  • .rod
  • .rodx
  • .rpd
  • .rsd
  • .sav
  • .sbf
  • .scx
  • .sdb
  • .sdc
  • .sdf
  • .sdy
  • .sis
  • .spq
  • .sql
  • .sqlite
  • .sqlite3
  • .sqlitedb
  • .te
  • .temx
  • .tmd
  • .tps
  • .trc
  • .trm
  • .udb
  • .udl
  • .usr
  • .v12
  • .vis
  • .vpd
  • .vvv
  • .wdb
  • .wmdb
  • .wrk
  • .xdb
  • .xld
  • .xmlff

It does the following:

  • It avoids encrypting files found in the following drive types:
    • RAM Disk
    • CD-ROM Drive
  • It accepts the following parameters:
    • -mc - Execute normal payload, Same as no command-line parameter.
    • -d {Drive} - Encrypt a specific drive.
    • -p {full path of folder/file} - Encrypt a specific folder/file.
    • -ip {Network shared file} - Encrypt network shared resource.

Ransomware Routine

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

  • ReadMe.txt
  • bootmgr

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

  • .PLAY

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

  • {All Available Drives}:\ReadMe.txt

It avoids encrypting files with the following file extensions:

  • .exe
  • .msi
  • .dll
  • .lnk
  • .sys

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.800
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 18.448.03
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 16 May 2023
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 18.449.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 17 May 2023

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.XXPE50FFF068

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.
  • {All Available Drives}:\ReadMe.txt

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as Ransom.Win32.PLAYDE.H. 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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