PDF malware analysis — malicious · 2dc1f32e33c96a73

MALICIOUS

PDF

174.4 KB Created: 2010-09-08 11:02:47 -04:00 Authoring application: Writer (via OpenOffice.org 3.2)

MD5: 7efb412ab721681dc65002ca57e8a94e SHA-1: 0bb29f0dafa7aaa8624d741df3fff0007058fe08 SHA-256: 2dc1f32e33c96a73ed67bad42d48147a55f5d7ba7fd05bfb70a3d78e09b8cc2f

504 Risk Score

Malware Insights

MITRE ATT&CK

T1566.002 Spearphishing Attachment T1204.002 Malicious File T1059.001 PowerShell T1204.001 User Execution: Malicious Link T1027 Obfuscated Files or Information T1140 Deobfuscate/Decode Files or Information

This PDF file contains embedded JavaScript that triggers a launch action, executing cmd.exe. The primary payload is an embedded Windows executable disguised as 'NATO_Comms.pdf'. This executable was detected by ClamAV as Win.Trojan.Swrort-5710536-0. The PDF itself was also flagged by ClamAV as Pdf.Tool.Agent-1388586. The combination of a launch action, embedded PE payload, and JavaScript dropper strongly indicates a malicious intent to execute a secondary payload.

Heuristics 12

Adobe Reader Launch action command execution critical CVE exact CVE_2010_1240

PDF uses the Adobe Reader/Acrobat Launch action pattern associated with CVE-2010-1240: cmd.exe is invoked with attacker-controlled parameters, paired with an embedded/exported payload.
Launch action critical PDF_LAUNCH

PDF contains a /Launch action whose target is an executable, URL, or UNC path — can start an external application
Embedded Windows executable payload in PDF stream critical PDF_EMBEDDED_PE_PAYLOAD

PDF stream bytes contain an embedded Windows executable with a verified PE header. Exploit chains often hide droppers inside ordinary streams rather than standard /EmbeddedFile attachments.
/Launch action target: cmd.exe critical PDF_LAUNCH_COMMAND

PDF /Launch action specifies an executable target with parameters '/Q /C %HOMEDRIVE%&cd %HOMEPATH%&(if exist "Desktop\\NATO_Comms.pdf" (cd "Desktop"' — references a known-dangerous executable (cmd, PowerShell, etc.).
Embedded attachment masquerades: declared document, content is windows-executable critical PDF_EMBEDDED_FILESPEC_CONTENT_MISMATCH

An /EmbeddedFile attachment's declared filename extension or /Subtype MIME type contradicts the magic bytes of its decompressed content. The attachment is declared as a benign document or image but the bytes are an executable or executable-bearing archive. This is a deliberate deception used to hide droppers in PDF attachments and is a generic indicator of embed-and-drop weaponisation, independent of any specific CVE.
ClamAV: Pdf.Tool.Agent-1388586 critical CLAMAV_DETECTION

ClamAV detected this file as malware: Pdf.Tool.Agent-1388586
ClamAV detection on extracted artifact critical EXTRACTED_FILE_CLAMAV

ClamAV flagged at least one file extracted from inside this sample. Even when the wrapping document carries no AV detection of its own, a hit on the carved artifact is a strong indicator the sample is a delivery vehicle.
/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.
Image-only document with action trigger (screenshot lure) medium PDF_IMAGE_LURE

PDF has 1 image(s), only 0 text block(s), carries a click-outward action, and is only 174 KB — typical shape of a phishing lure where a full-page screenshot hides a clickable button that launches or submits to an attacker URL.
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.
Embedded file low PDF_EMBEDDED

PDF embeds a file attachment — could carry an executable or another weaponised document as a nested payload

Extracted artifacts 2

Files carved from inside the sample during analysis.

Filename	Kind	Source	Size
`NATO_Comms.pdf` `36df9d3fda3a984361dee9cb498987706c4dbc1c87a3553d79ae8a64efda1339`	pdf-embedded-file	PDF EmbeddedFile object 18 at offset 0x20894	73802 bytes
Detection ClamAV: Win.Trojan.Swrort-5710536-0 Obfuscation or payload: unlikely
`javascript_obj0019_000.js` `a5a5cc8555927742caeffff9b2dc16561685280be8969a1c1340feb0a6546aff`	pdf-javascript-stream	PDF /JS object 19 at offset 0x2B54E	59 bytes

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