Jump to content

The Globe Ransomware Wants To Purge Your Files


vissha

Recommended Posts

The Globe Ransomware Wants To Purge Your Files

 

wallpaper-full-size.jpg

 

With both Pokemon and Mr. Robot based ransomware released this month, integrating pop culture into ransomware is a dominant theme this month. The new Globe Ransomware is no exception with malware developers basing their ransomware on the popular Purge movies. With a Purge based based wallpaper and adding the .purge extension to encrypted files, the malware developer was clearly inspired by the movies.

 

Discovered by Emsisoft security researcher xXToffeeXx, the Globe Ransomware acts just like other ransomware. It will encrypt a victim's files and then display a ransom note. Unlike most other ransomware, though, Globe uses the Blowfish encryption algorithm rather the commonly used AES encryption. Furthermore, instead of a text and html ransom note, the Globe Ransomware uses a HTA, or HTML Application, file to display the ransom note.

 

Unfortunately, preliminary analysis shows that this ransomware is cryptographically secure. This means that it is currently not possible to decrypt a victim's files for free.  More research is being done, and if a weakness if found, we will be sure to let everyone know. For those who wish to learn more about this ransomware, you can read below. You can also ask questions or discuss this ransomware in the Globe Ransomware Help and Support topic.

 

How the Globe Ransomware Encrypts a Victim's Computer

 

At this time it is not known how the Globe Ransomware is distributed. Once it is installed, it will check to see if the computer is running within a sandbox or virtual machine such as Anubis, VirtualBox, VMware, or Virtual PC, and if it is, the process will be terminated.

 

If there is no sandbox present, the ransomware will begin to encrypt the victim's user profile, local drives, shared network folders, and then the victim's desktop folder.  When it encounters a file with one of the 995 targeted extensions1, it will encrypt it using Blowfish encryption and append the .purge extension to the encrypted file. For example, the file test.jpg would be renamed test.jpg.purge when it is encrypted.

 

When it encrypts a file it will create a HTA ransom note called How to restore files.hta in the same folder as the encrypted files. It will also create a autorun called How to restore files that automatically opens the HTA ransom note located in the victim's %UserProfile% when they login to Windows.

 

During the encryption process, the ransomware will also delete the Shadow Volume Copies and disable Windows Startup Repair using these commands:

vssadmin.exe Delete Shadows /All /Quiet

bcdedit.exe /set {default} recoveryenabled No

bcdedit.exe /set {default} bootstatuspolicy ignoreallfailures

Finally when the ransomware is done it open the How to restore files.hta and displays it to the victim. This ransom note contains a unique ID associated with the victim and contact information for the developer.  The current contact information for the developer is the [email protected] email and the BM-2cUrKsazEKiamN9cZ17xQq9c5JpRpokca5 bitmessage address.

 

ransom-note.jpg

Globe Ransomware Ransom Note

 

The ransom note instructions the victim to contact the developer with their personal ID to get payment instructions.

 

Last, but not least, the ransomware will change the Windows wallpaper to display a background containing characters from the Purge: Election Year movie.

 

wallpaper.jpg

Purge Wallpaper

 

This wallpaper will state "You files are encrypted. Pay for decryption please" and then contains the [email protected] email address.

 

Debugging the Globe Ransomware

 

An interesting feature of the Globe Ransomware is that it contains a debug mode that can be used to step through each stage of the ransomware encryption process. To enter debug mode, you need to create a special Registry value before executing the ransomware. This value is:

HKCU\Software\Globe\ "debug" = "YES"

If that registry entry is created and the ransomware is executed, it will do so in debug mode. This debug mode will prompt you to allow various stages to begin as the ransomware executes. Some of these stages can be seen below.

 

debug-start-working.jpg

Debug: Start Working

 

debug-add-to-autostart.jpg

Debug: Add to Autostart

 

debug-encrypt-file.jpg

Debug: Encrypt a file

 

This mode was created to help the developer debug their application. At the same time, it allows security researchers to easily analyze the various stages of this ransomware.

 

Files associated with the Globe Ransomware:

How to restore files.hta
%UserProfile%\AppData\Local\msiscan.exe
%UserProfile%\How to decrypt your files.jpg

 

Registry entries associated with the Globe Ransomware:

HKCU\Software\Globe
HKCU\Software\Globe\ "idle"
HKCU\Software\Globe\ "debug"
HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop\ "Wallpaper" "%UserProfile%\How to decrypt your files.jpg"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run "How to restore files" = "mshta.exe "%UserProfile%\How to restore files.hta""

 

Targeted File Extensions

aet,afp,agd1,agdl,ai,aif,aiff,aim,aip,ais,ait,ak,al,allet,amf,amr,amu,amx,amxx,ans,aoi,ap,ape,api,apj,apk,apnx,arc,arch00,ari,arj,aro,arr,arw,as,as3,asa,asc,ascx,ase,asf,ashx,asm,asmx,asp,aspx,asr,asset,asx,automaticdestinations-ms,avi,avs,awg,azf,azs,azw,azw1,azw3,azw4,b2a,back,backup,backupdb,bad,bak,bank,bar,bay,bc6,bc7,bck,bcp,bdb,bdp,bdr,bfa,bgt,bi8,bib,bic,big,bik,bin,bkf,bkp,bkup,blend,blob,blp,bmc,bmf,bml,bmp,boc,bp2,bp3,bpk,bpl,bpw,brd,bsa,bsk,bsp,btoa,bvd,c,cag,cam,camproj,cap,car,cas,cat,cbf,cbr,cbz,cc,ccd,ccf,cch,cd,cdf,cdi,cdr,cdr3,cdr4,cdr5,cdr6,cdrw,cdx,ce1,ce2,cef,cer,cert,cfg,cfp,cfr,cgf,cgi,cgm,cgp,chk,chml,cib,class,clr,cls,clx,cmf,cms,cmt,cnf,cng,cod,col,con,conf,config,contact,cp,cpi,cpio,cpp,cr2,craw,crd,crt,crw,crwl,crypt,crypted,cryptra,cs,csh,csi,csl,cso,csr,css,csv,ctt,cty,cue,cwf,d3dbsp,dac,dal,dap,das,dash,dat,database,dayzprofile,dazip,db,db_journal,db0,db3,dba,dbb,dbf,dbfv,db-journal,dbx,dc2,dc4,dch,dco,dcp,dcr,dcs,dcu,ddc,ddcx,ddd,ddoc,ddrw,dds,default,dem,der,des,desc,design,desklink,dev,dex,dfm,dgc,dic,dif,dii,dim,dime,dip,dir,directory,disc,disk,dit,divx,diz,djv,djvu,dlc,dmg,dmp,dng,dob,doc,docb,docm,docx,dot,dotm,dotx,dox,dpk,dpl,dpr,drf,drw,dsk,dsp,dtd,dvd,dvi,dvx,dwg,dxb,dxe,dxf,dxg,e4a,edb,efl,efr,efu,efx,eip,elf,emc,emf,eml,enc,enx,epk,eps,epub,eql,erbsql,erf,err,esf,esm,euc,evo,ex,exf,exif,f90,faq,fcd,fdb,fdr,fds,ff,ffd,fff,fh,fhd,fla,flac,flf,flp,flv,flvv,for,forge,fos,fpenc,fpk,fpp,fpx,frm,fsh,fss,fxg,gam,gdb,gfe,gfx,gho,gif,gpg,gray,grey,grf,groups,gry,gthr,gxk,gz,gzig,gzip,h,h3m,h4r,hbk,hbx,hdd,hex,hkdb,hkx,hplg,hpp,hqx,htm,html,htpasswd,hvpl,hwp,ibank,ibd,ibz,ico,icxs,idl,idml,idx,ie5,ie6,ie7,ie8,ie9,iff,iif,iiq,img,incpas,indb,indd,indl,indt,ink,inx,ipa,iso,isu,isz,itdb,itl,itm,iwd,iwi,jac,jar,jav,java,jbc,jc,jfif,jge,jgz,jif,jiff,jnt,jpc,jpe,jpeg,jpf,jpg,jpw,js,json,jsp,just,k25,kc2,kdb,kdbx,kdc,kde,key,kf,klq,kmz,kpdx,kwd,kwm,laccdb,lastlogin,lay,lay6,layout,lbf,lbi,lcd,lcf,lcn,ldb,ldf,lgp,lib,lit,litemod,lngttarch2,localstorage,log,lp2,lpa,lrf,ltm,ltr,ltx,lua,lvivt,lvl,m,m2,m2ts,m3u,m3u8,m4a,m4p,m4u,m4v,mag,man,map,mapimail,max,mbox,mbx,mcd,mcgame,mcmeta,mcrp,md,md0,md1,md2,md3,md5,mdb,mdbackup,mdc,mddata,mdf,mdl,mdn,mds,mef,menu,meo,mfw,mic,mid,mim,mime,mip,mjd,mkv,mlb,mlx,mm6,mm7,mm8,mme,mml,mmw,mny,mobi,mod,moneywell,mos,mov,movie,moz,mp1,mp2,mp3,mp4,mp4v,mpa,mpe,mpeg,mpg,mpq,mpqge,mpv2,mrw,mrwref,mse,msg,msi,msp,mts,mui,mxp,myd,myi,nav,ncd,ncf,nd,ndd,ndf,nds,nef,nfo,nk2,nop,now,nrg,nri,nrw,ns2,ns3,ns4,nsd,nsf,nsg,nsh,ntl,number,nvram,nwb,nx1,nx2,nxl,nyf,oab,obj,odb,odc,odf,odg,odi,odm,odp,ods,odt,oft,oga,ogg,oil,opd,opf,orf,ost,otg,oth,otp,ots,ott,owl,oxt,p12,p7b,p7c,pab,pack,pages,pak,paq,pas,pat,pbf,pbk,pbp,pbs,pcd,pct,pcv,pdb,pdc,pdd,pdf,pef,pem,pfx,php,pkb,pkey,pkh,pkpass,pl,plb,plc,pli,plus_muhd,pm,pmd,png,po,pot,potm,potx,ppam,ppd,ppf,ppj,pps,ppsm,ppsx,ppt,pptm,pptx,prc,prel,prf,props,prproj,prt,ps,psa,psafe3,psd,psk,pspimage,pst,psw6,ptx,pub,puz,pwf,pwi,pwm,pxp,py,qba,qbb,qbm,qbr,qbw,qbx,qby,qcow,qcow2,qdf,qed,qel,qic,qif,qpx,qt,qtq,qtr,r00,r01,r02,r03,r3d,ra,ra2,raf,ram,rar,rat,raw,rb,rdb,rdi,re4,res,result,rev,rgn,rgss3a,rim,rll,rm,rng,rofl,rpf,rrt,rsdf,rsrc,rsw,rte,rtf,rts,rtx,rum,run,rv,rvt,rw2,rwl,rwz,rzk,rzx,s3db,sad,saf,safe,sas7bdat,sav,save,say,sb,sc2save,sch,scm,scn,scx,sd0,sd1,sda,sdb,sdc,sdf,sdn,sdo,sds,sdt,search-ms,sef,sen,ses,sfs,sfx,sgz,sh,shar,shr,shw,shy,sid,sidd,sidn,sie,sis,sldm,sldx,slk,slm,slt,sme,snk,snp,snx,so,spd,spr,sql,sqlite,sqlite3,sqlitedb,sqllite,sqx,sr2,srf,srt,srw,ssa,st4,st5,st6,st7,st8,stc,std,sti,stm,stt,stw,stx,sud,suf,sum,svg,svi,svr,swd,swf,switch,sxc,sxd,sxg,sxi,sxm,sxw,syncdb,t01,t03,t05,t12,t13,tar,tax,tax2013,tax2014,tbk,tbz2,tch,tcx,tex,text,tg,tga,tgz,thm,thmx,tif,tiff,tlg,tlz,toast,tor,torrent,tpu,tpx,trp,ts,tu,tur,txd,txf,txt,uax,udf,uea,umx,unity3d,unr,unx,uop,uot,upk,upoi,url,usa,usx,ut2,ut3,utc,utx,uu,uud,uue,uvx,uxx,val,vault,vbox,vbs,vc,vcd,vcf,vdf,vdi,vdo,ver,vfs0,vhd,vhdx,vlc,vlt,vmdk,vmf,vmsd,vmt,vmx,vmxf,vob,vp,vpk,vpp_pc,vsi,vtf,w3g,w3x,wab,wad,wallet,war,wav,wave,waw,wb2,wbk,wdgt,wks,wm,wma,wmd,wmdb,wmmp,wmo,wmv,wmx,wotreplay,wow,wpd,wpe,wpk,wpl,wps,wsh,wtd,wtf,wvx,x11,x3f,xf,xis,xl,xla,xlam,xlc,xlk,xll,xlm,xlr,xls,xlsb,xlsm,xlsx,xlt,xltm,xltx,xlv,xlw,xlwx,xml,xpi,xps,xpt,xqx,xsl,xtbl,xvid,xwd,xxe,xxx,yab,ycbcra,yenc,yml,ync,yps,yuv,z02,z04,zap,zip,zipx,zoo,zps,ztmp,cry,a

 

IOCs:

SHA256: 98aadc95c589e064a542802bbf0ef01ef00595c34d195f1a1e6443909846d2e7

 

Source

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Views 576
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...