Malicious PDF — malware analysis report

Static analysis result for SHA-256 4a06d11de59550eb…

MALICIOUS

PDF

181.6 KB Created: çä-‹¬³åØÑB‚ûnè˜Îñ²Ã Authoring application: ƒ³oOW©¼;׌#Í©Äñøuyª˜|iÓØá (via â½mÔþå¡Ê§ÀD¢:MµÁÞô»Ýžݵ=Ҏlšð)
MD5: acf7e963b85a8dc1ce78b0c16ee7082e SHA-1: 5ea56591b505cb84c84b8ef0c1654e02accef991 SHA-256: 4a06d11de59550eb4270190f3c5638ce6d82c69c76d587f9aa6527b03a1135d2
396 Risk Score

Malware Insights

MITRE ATT&CK
T1204.002 User Execution: Malicious File T1059.003 Command and Scripting Interpreter: Windows Command Shell T1105 Ingress Tool Transfer

The PDF contains embedded JavaScript and a launch action that targets cmd.exe, indicating an attempt to execute arbitrary commands. This is further supported by the CVE-2010_1240 heuristic, which specifically flags this type of exploit. The presence of an embedded PE executable payload suggests the primary purpose is to deliver and run a secondary malicious component. The ClamAV detection also confirms its malicious nature.

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\\akadimies_rules.pdf" (cd "Desktop"' — references a known-dangerous executable (cmd, PowerShell, etc.).
  • ClamAV: Pdf.Tool.Agent-1388586 critical CLAMAV_DETECTION
    ClamAV detected this file as malware: Pdf.Tool.Agent-1388586
  • Encrypted PDF carries /JavaScript — payload hidden from static analysis high PDF_ENCRYPTED_WITH_JS
    PDF declares /Encrypt and also references an executable trigger (/JavaScript). Document encryption hides the JavaScript body and stream contents from static scanners — combined with auto-execution indicators this is a known evasion pattern used to deliver weaponised JavaScript that the analyst cannot inspect without the decryption key.
  • Image-only document with action trigger (screenshot lure) medium PDF_IMAGE_LURE
    PDF has 2 image(s), only 0 text block(s), carries a click-outward action, and is only 181 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
  • Optional Content Group with action trigger low PDF_OPTIONAL_CONTENT
    Optional Content Group (layer) co-occurs with an action trigger — content can be selectively hidden from viewers or scanners while the action still fires on open
  • PDF differential parser failed info PDF_DIFFERENTIAL_PARSE_FAILED
    The cross-check parser (pdfminer.six) failed on this file: PDF differential parser exited 1. Static heuristics still ran and any of their findings above are valid; only the differential cross-check signal is missing.

Extracted artifacts 2

Files carved from inside the sample during analysis.

FilenameKindSourceSize
javascript_obj0278_000.js
cc658177a4cf974331aef014f0b8aeafc28290812f5ee3cf4966bd8aa417e605
pdf-javascript-stream PDF /JS object 278 at offset 0x2CFC5 64 bytes
stream_001_off000243e3.bin
c0b4a65c37aa3ccfba34483d1195a34bd51bd53ea8f3a2f8efcb9a61a1de5483
decompressed-pdf-stream PDF FlateDecoded stream at offset 0x243E3 61440 bytes