Threat Analysis Unit

Threat Analysis Unit (TAU) Threat Intelligence Notification: Snatch Ransomware

During the end of the year 2019, a ransomware named ‘Snatch” was discovered. Snatch ransomware will force Windows to reboot in Safe Mode (where most of the software and system drivers will not be running) in order to perform the file encryption process.

Similar to the other variants of ransomware, it will also perform the deletion of volume shadow copies to ensure all the data cannot be restored easily. After it performs file encryption, it will drop a ransom note named “RESTORE_[five_character_random_string]_FILES.txt” as shown in Figure 1 below.

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Figure 1: Screenshot of the ransom note

This post serves to inform our customers about detection and protection capabilities within the Carbon Black suite of products against Snatch Ransomware.

Behavioral Summary

Upon execution of Snatch ransomware, it will install itself as a Windows service named “SuperBackupMan” and create the following registry key to ensure it will start up during bootup into Safe Mode.

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SafeBoot\Minimal\SuperBackupMan

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Figure 2: Registry key created by Snatch

Next it will run the following commands to force the operating system reboot in Safe Mode:

  • bcdedit.exe /set {current} safeboot minimal
  • shutdown /r /f /t 00

sn3.png

Figure 3: Screenshot of process chart by Snatch Ransomware

After the infected machine reboots into Safe Mode, it will execute the following commands to stop the ‘SuperBackupMan’ service, delete the volume shadow copies to ensure all the data cannot be restored easily, and then begin the encryption process.

  • net stop SuperBackupMan
  • vssadmin delete shadows /all /quiet

In addition, CB Defense will display the malware’s overall triggered TTPs.

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To learn more about how to defend against this attack, click here.

Remediation:

MITRE ATT&CK TIDs

TID Tactics Technique
T1158 Defense Evasion, Persistence Hidden Files and Directories
T1060 Persistence Registry Run Keys/ Startup Folder
T1050 Persistence New Service
T1045 Defense Evasion Software Packing
T1143 Defense Evasion Hidden Window
T1083 Discovery File and Directory Discovery
T1497 Defense Evasion, Discovery Virtualization/Sandbox Evasion
T1119 Collection Automated Collection
T1081 Credential Access Credentials in Files
T1005 Collection Data from Local System
T1486 Impact Data Encrypted for Impact
T1490 Impact Inhibit System Recovery