Malicious PDF — malware analysis report

Static analysis result for SHA-256 2259da7d0f4b1275…

MALICIOUS

PDF

8.0 KB
MD5: a7cfd825658ace89b467fd4f42a503a3 SHA-1: b8ab557e7da90dce282a6ae2d1854cfa056be130 SHA-256: 2259da7d0f4b1275ffa06e227cf7a1ffb015468f05e02de362298882bd1f948f
134 Risk Score

Malware Insights

MITRE ATT&CK
T1059.001 PowerShell T1204.002 Malicious File

The PDF document contains obfuscated JavaScript, identified as a multi-stage dropper. It leverages the CVE-2007-5659 vulnerability, specifically using the Collab.collectEmailInfo method to decode and execute a payload. The dropper performs anti-analysis checks by verifying app.plugIns.length multiple times. The extracted JavaScript files indicate a complex deobfuscation process, ultimately leading to the execution of malicious code. The primary attack vector is the exploitation of a known PDF vulnerability to deliver a secondary payload.

Heuristics 7

  • Collab.collectEmailInfo — CVE-2007-5659 critical CVE exact CVE_2007_5659
    PDF JavaScript calls Collab.collectEmailInfo — CVE-2007-5659 is a buffer overflow in Adobe Reader triggered by a long argument or heap-sprayed message field passed to Collab.collectEmailInfo(). Part of a series of Acrobat JS API exploits. (identified after JavaScript deobfuscation)
  • Obfuscated multi-stage PDF JavaScript dropper high PDF_JS_OBFUSCATED_DROPPER
    PDF JavaScript shows 3 independent signals of exploit-kit-style multi-stage obfuscation: annot_subject_stage, hex_dashed_payload, repeated_pluginschk. This is strongly consistent with pre-2011 Adobe Reader PDF droppers — OpenAction JS reads encoded data from annotation subjects, decodes it through one or more hex / base-N loops, and invokes eval indirectly (method name built one character at a time). The actual CVE is hidden in the final decoded layer and is not visible via static analysis.
  • JavaScript action low PDF_JAVASCRIPT
    PDF contains a /JavaScript action. Generic JavaScript is common in benign forms; specific dangerous APIs are scored by separate rules.
  • 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.
  • String.fromCharCode low PDF_FROMCHARCODE
    String.fromCharCode found — used to construct payload strings dynamically. Common in benign JavaScript libraries for codepoint manipulation, so this alone is informational; weaponised use is also caught by the dedicated fromCharCode-stage and exploit-shape rules. (matched inside decoded stream)
  • syncAnnotScan annotation-staging primitive low PDF_FOXIT_SYNCANNOTSCAN
    PDF JavaScript calls syncAnnotScan() — a no-op annotation-enumeration primitive used by exploit-kit JavaScript to stage payload reads from annotation /Subject fields before eval(). Not a vulnerable sink itself; rarely seen in legitimate PDFs. (matched in decompressed stream)
  • Suspicious extracted artifact info 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.

Extracted artifacts 4

Files carved from inside the sample during analysis.

FilenameKindSourceSize
javascript_obj0005_000.js
ab3f4be7a3e2e879e844dcace56ca59cf8fe7249dc5a05c90896f0c9e7dd732a
pdf-javascript-stream PDF /JS object 5 at offset 0x148 559 bytes
Detection
ClamAV: No threats found
Obfuscation or payload: likely
Carved artifact contains 2 eval/decoder/string-building token(s).
legacy_pdfkit_stage_000.js
de71ec9738bcee4272cfeeceb7bbdc75cd4e245f714567d630a03893a10066ac
deobfuscated-js repeated-marker hex decoded JavaScript at offset 0x1AB1 1696 bytes
Detection
ClamAV: No threats found
Obfuscation or payload: likely
Carved artifact contains 1 eval/decoder/string-building token(s).
legacy_pdfkit_stage_001.js
75459dd9ee104e0fbb5079f9b9ad7ddd445f147f90fbf68508edc62bf8ec1a8c
deobfuscated-js annotation-subject callee-key decoded JavaScript at offset 0x374 4902 bytes
Detection
ClamAV: No threats found
Obfuscation or payload: likely
Carved artifact contains 5 eval/decoder/string-building token(s).
deobfuscated.js
f02fdb13f581cc58b4a1ad468974487c5eed5fba97c65e0c44236983a44f72da
deobfuscated-js PDF JavaScript deobfuscation pass 21955 bytes
Detection
ClamAV: No threats found
Obfuscation or payload: likely
Carved artifact contains 4 eval/decoder/string-building token(s). Carved artifact contains 1 long base64-like blob(s).