Malicious PDF — malware analysis report

Static analysis result for SHA-256 4cc06421248086d6…

MALICIOUS

PDF

51.2 KB
MD5: f314ee5094390acd4d0d429fbe56198e SHA-1: d08729842bd338c0b7aae7c2beecd005357c71c1 SHA-256: 4cc06421248086d6b39b9af81bf78875a1ddad4b61d8acb1cb80f041baf598e4
248 Risk Score

Malware Insights

MITRE ATT&CK
T1059.001 PowerShell T1566.002 Spearphishing Attachment T1204.002 Malicious Link

The PDF contains embedded JavaScript that utilizes a PowerShell download cradle and the Shell.Application.ShellExecute COM object. This script is designed to pivot to executing further commands, likely downloading and running a second-stage payload. The document is an image-based lure, typical of phishing, and contains a URI pointing to a suspicious domain, strongly suggesting a malicious intent to trick the user into interacting with the link.

Machine Learning

  • Nyx PDF Classifier malicious score 0.9986

Heuristics 9

  • PowerShell download cradle in PDF action body critical PDF_PS_DOWNLOAD_CRADLE
    PDF contains a PowerShell download-and-execute cradle (IEX/Invoke-Expression of a remote payload, [Net.WebClient]/[Net.ServicePointManager], or `-ep Bypass -enc <base64>`). These strings are rare in benign PDFs and are strong evidence of payload staging in an attack chain (MITRE T1059.001 + T1105).
  • Shell.Application.ShellExecute COM pivot critical PDF_SHELL_APPLICATION_PIVOT
    PDF contains a Shell.Application object instantiation followed by a ShellExecute call — an evasion technique that can spawn the next-stage process via COM rather than the PDF /Launch action, sidestepping the reader's /Launch confirmation prompt. Often paired with mshta and a `javascript:` URL.
  • 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.
  • 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 51 KB — typical shape of a phishing lure where a full-page screenshot hides a clickable button that launches or submits to an attacker URL.
  • Suspicious extracted artifact medium 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. (matched inside decoded stream)
  • 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://www.dynaforms.com
    • http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#
    • http://ns.adobe.com/pdf/1.3/
    • http://ns.adobe.com/xap/1.0/
    • http://ns.adobe.com/xap/1.0/mm/

Extracted artifacts 1

Files carved from inside the sample during analysis.

FilenameKindSourceSize
stream_005_off0000c7d8.js
2ce7aa26d36012c81b9bfcb96f0a0a2c1b3a883547cc3b73124f26c525c4edb1		 decompressed-pdf-stream PDF FlateDecoded stream at offset 0xC7D8 1570 bytes
Detection
ClamAV: No threats found
Obfuscation or payload: likely
Carved artifact contains 4 shell/COM execution token(s).

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