Analysis by: Kyle Philippe Yu
 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: Dropped by other malware, 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 requires being executed with a specific argument/parameter, an additional component, or in a specific environment in order to proceed with its intended routine.

It drops files as ransom note.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 937,253 bytes
File Type: INI
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 11 Mar 2023
Payload: Displays graphics/image, Drops files, Disables AV, Encrypts files, Terminates processes

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:

  • {Encrypted Directory}\_r_e_a_d_m_e.txt
  • %User Temp%\zcennqz.bmp

(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(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

It adds the following processes:

  • %System%\notepad.exe “{path of cy.exe}” --run={4 digit password} --pt={path of winutils.dll} --cg={path of config.ini} --we={path of cy.exe}
  • vssadmin.exe Delete Shadows /All /Quiet ← Deletes shadow copies
  • bcdedit.exe /set {default} recoveryenabled No ← Disables recovery
  • bcdedit.exe /set {default} bootstatuspolicy ignoreallfailures ← Ignore any boot failures
  • wbadmin.exe DELETE SYSTEMSTATEBACKUP ← Delete system state backup
  • wbadmin.exe DELETE SYSTEMSTATEBACKUP –deleteOldest
  • wbadmin.exe delete catalog –quiet ← Delete the backup catalog for Windows Server Backup
  • wbadmin.exe delete backup ← Delete the backup
  • wbadmin.exe delete systemstatebackup -keepversions:0
  • wevtutil.exe clear-log Application ← Clears application logs
  • wevtutil.exe clear-log Security ← Clears security logs
  • wevtutil.exe clear-log System ← Clears system logs
  • wevtutil.exe clear-log "windows powershell" ← Clears windows powershell logs
  • wmic.exe SHADOWCOPY /nointeractive
  • Stop the following services using "net.exe stop"
    • net.exe stop MSDTC
    • net.exe stop SQLSERVERAGENT
    • net.exe stop MSSQLSERVER
    • net.exe stop vds
    • net.exe stop SQLWriter
    • net.exe stop SQLBrowser
    • net.exe stop MSSQLSERVER
    • net.exe stop MSSQL$CONTOSO1
  • netsh.exe advfirewall set currentprofile state off
  • netsh.exe firewall set opmode mode=disable ← Disables Windows firewall

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

Other System Modifications

This Ransomware adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Control\ComputerName\ActiveComputerName
ComputerName = {Username}

It changes the desktop wallpaper by modifying the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
Wallpaper = %User Temp%\zcennqz.bmp

File Infection

This Ransomware avoids infecting folders containing the following strings:

  • .
  • ..
  • #recycle
  • $Recycle.Bin
  • Ahnlab
  • All Users
  • AppData
  • Boot
  • bootmgr
  • Google
  • Internet Explorer
  • Mozilla
  • Mozilla Firefox
  • NETLOGON
  • ntldr
  • Opera
  • Opera Software
  • Policies
  • Program Files
  • Program Files (x86)
  • ProgramData
  • scripts
  • SYSVOL
  • Tor Browser
  • Windows
  • WINDOWS

It avoids infecting files that contain the following strings in their names:

  • .exe
  • .dll
  • .sys
  • .com
  • .EXE
  • .DLL
  • .SYS
  • .COM

It avoids infecting the following files:

  • 1_config.ini
  • AUTOEXEC.BAT
  • autoexec.bat
  • autorun.inf
  • begin.txt
  • boot.ini
  • bootfont.bin
  • bootmgfw.efi
  • bootmgr.efi
  • bootsect.bak
  • config.ini
  • desktop.ini
  • finish.txt
  • iconcache.db
  • ntuser.dat
  • NTUSER.DAT
  • ntuser.dat.log
  • ntuser.dat.LOG1
  • ntuser.dat.LOG2
  • ntuser.ini
  • thumbs.db
  • Windows.old

Process Termination

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

  • AcronisAgent
  • AcrSch2Svc
  • backup
  • BackupExecAgentAccelerator
  • BackupExecAgentBrowser
  • BackupExecDiveciMediaService
  • BackupExecJobEngine
  • BackupExecManagementService
  • BackupExecRPCService
  • BackupExecVSSProvider
  • CAARCUpdateSvc
  • CASAD2DWebSvc
  • ccEvtMgr
  • ccSetMgr
  • DefWatch
  • GxBlr
  • GxCIMgr
  • GxCVD
  • GxFWD
  • GxVss
  • Intuit.QuickBooks.FCS
  • memtas
  • mepocs
  • PDVFSService
  • QBCFMonitorService
  • QBFCService
  • QBIDPService
  • RTVscan
  • SavRoam
  • sophos
  • sql
  • stc_raw_agent
  • svc$
  • veeam
  • VeeamDeploymentService
  • VeeamNFSSvc
  • VeeamTransportSvc
  • VSNAPVSS
  • vss
  • YooBackup
  • YooIT
  • zhudongfangyu

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

  • AcronisAgent
  • AcrSch2Svc
  • agntsvc.exe
  • BackExecRPCService
  • backup
  • BackupExecAgentAccelerator
  • BackupExecDiveciMediaService
  • BackupExecJobEngine
  • bedbg
  • CAARCUpdateSvc
  • ccEvtMgr
  • Culserver
  • dbeng50.exe
  • dbeng8
  • dbsnmp.exe
  • dbsrv12.exe
  • DefWatch
  • encsvc.exe
  • excel.exe
  • firefox.exe
  • infopath.exe
  • Intuit.QuickBooks.FCS
  • isqlplussvc.exe
  • memtas
  • mepocs
  • msaccess.exe
  • MSExchange
  • msftesql-Exchange
  • msmdsrv
  • mspub.exe
  • MSSQL
  • mydesktopqos.exe
  • mydesktopservice.exe
  • ocautoupds.exe
  • ocomm.exe
  • ocssd.exe
  • onenote.exe
  • oracle.exe
  • outlook.exe
  • PDVFSService
  • powerpnt.exe
  • QBCFMonitorService
  • QBFCService
  • QBIDPService
  • SavRoam
  • sophos
  • sqbcoreservice.exe
  • sql.exe
  • sqladhlp
  • SQLADHLP
  • sqlagent
  • SQLAgent
  • SQLAgent$SHAREPOINT
  • SQLBrowser
  • SQLWriter
  • steam.exe
  • synctime.exe
  • tbirdconfig.exe
  • thebat.exe
  • thunderbird.exe
  • tomcat6
  • veeam
  • VeeamDeploymentService
  • VeeamNFSSvc
  • VeeamTransportSvc
  • visio.exe
  • vmware-converter
  • vmware-usbarbitator64
  • WinSAT.exe
  • winword.exe
  • wordpad.exe
  • wrapper.exe
  • WSBExchange
  • xfssvccon.exe
  • YooBackup

Other Details

This Ransomware does the following:

  • Requires the "-run={4 digit password}" parameter to execute the ransomware
  • Delete itself and the files used to execute the ransomware after execution
  • The ransomware does not encrypt files and shuts down if the default language of the system or user is one of the following:
    • Russian
    • Ukrainian
    • Belarusia
    • Tajik
    • Armenian
    • Azerbaijani Latin
    • Azerbaijani Cyrillic
    • Georgian
    • Kazakh
    • Kyrgyz
    • Turkmen
    • Uzbek Latin
    • Uzbek Cyrillic
    • Russian Moldova

It accepts the following parameters:

  • -run={4 digit password} ← Password needed to execute the sample
  • -nomutex ← Do not check the mutex
  • -log ← Create log files
  • -nodel ← Do not self-delete on execution
  • -path={path} ← Encrypt only the specified path
  • -noshare ← Do not encrypt shares
  • -pt={path of winutils.dll} ← State the loader DLL
  • -cg={path of config.ini} ← State the configuration file that stores the ransomware
  • -we={path of cy.exe} ← State the main executable
  • -diskpart ← Use diskpart.exe to clear the “Read-only” attribute of disk volumes
  • -nobk ← Do not change the wallpaper of the infected machine.
  • -thread={Number of threads per CPU}
  • -at={yyyy/MM/dd HH:mm:ss} ← Specify local time when file encryption should start.
  • -nomail ← Do not create a ransom note.
  • -hostfile={Host file path} ← Path to a text file with a list of hosts to encrypt files on their shared resources.
  • -listen={Address:Port} ← Listen mode.
  • -srv={Address:Port}

It requires being executed with a specific argument/parameter, an additional component, or in a specific environment in order to proceed with its intended routine.

Ransomware Routine

This Ransomware appends the following extension to the file name of the encrypted files:

  • .slpqne{2 digit number from 00 to 98}

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

  • {Encrypted Directory}\_r_e_a_d_m_e.txt

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.800
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE: 18.312.02
FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE: 14 Mar 2023
VSAPI OPR PATTERN File: 18.313.00
VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date: 15 Mar 2023

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

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 4

Identify and terminate files detected as Ransom.Win64.LOCKBIT.YADCK.enc

[ 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 5

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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\ComputerName\ActiveComputerName
    • ComputerName: {Username}
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
    • Wallpaper: %User Temp%\zcennqz.bmp

Step 6

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.
  • {Encrypted Directory}\_r_e_a_d_m_e.txt
  • %User Temp%\zcennqz.bmp

Step 7

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as Ransom.Win64.LOCKBIT.YADCK.enc. 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

Reset your Desktop properties

[ Learn More ]


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