Malicious PDF — malware analysis report

Static analysis result for SHA-256 3a9b9ec143c755f1…

MALICIOUS

PDF

6.8 KB
MD5: 3ca98a7779822a4319dd1d2f190ec1ba SHA-1: e2955a6812c8a12bfc2db1d9d5c48bebadedce9d SHA-256: 3a9b9ec143c755f17b0b93822722c769cb8296c7d7758c243d494ca444c4725d
132 Risk Score

Malware Insights

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

The PDF file contains embedded JavaScript that exploits CVE-2014-0496 using app.addToolButton/removeToolButton. The JavaScript is obfuscated and appears to decode a base26-encoded stage, which likely downloads and executes a second-stage payload. The presence of XFA forms and PDF JavaScript actions further supports this attack vector. Confidence is high due to the critical heuristic firing, but the exact nature of the second-stage payload is not discernible from the provided evidence.

Heuristics 7

  • app.addToolButton/removeToolButton — CVE-2014-0496 critical CVE exact CVE_2014_0496
    PDF JavaScript combines app.addToolButton() and app.removeToolButton() with heap-spray shellcode markers — the public Adobe Reader/Acrobat ToolButton use-after-free exploit shape for CVE-2014-0496. (identified after JavaScript deobfuscation)
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • XFA form low PDF_XFA
    PDF uses XML Forms Architecture — can contain script logic
  • AcroForm button with action trigger low PDF_ACROFORM_BUTTON
    PDF contains a /Btn form field together with a SubmitForm/URI/Launch/JS trigger — this is the building block of fake 'Download' or 'Open' button overlays used in PDF phishing lures
  • 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 http://ns.adobe.com/xdp/
    • http://www.xfa.org/schema/xci/2.8/
    • http://www.xfa.org/schema/xfa-template/2.5/

Extracted artifacts 2

Files carved from inside the sample during analysis.

FilenameKindSourceSize
javascript_obj0003_000.js
4f78b492152bf45abfaf09593d8d514057259ea185997003d3c15a3034b2ff05		 pdf-javascript-stream PDF /JS object 3 at offset 0x409 15694 bytes
base26_stage_000.js
a70068d17d0b6cb85b53541fcb2dc0699957ce6e9976af10951ab3364500adaf		 deobfuscated-js base26-decoded JavaScript (decompressed) at offset 0x60D 5979 bytes
Detection
ClamAV: No threats found
Obfuscation or payload: likely
Carved artifact contains 45 eval/decoder/string-building token(s).

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