PDF malware analysis — malicious · 55ebe1253d8950e9

MALICIOUS

PDF

1.10 MB

MD5: 3363356673a7cf791bdc1d31ce93c9a1 SHA-1: 5ceda80907068aa5260d439680cb05523cc65520 SHA-256: 55ebe1253d8950e92bdf0634e6759454f4164f4055cd7138f3d441775dcb39f1

176 Risk Score

Malware Insights

MITRE ATT&CK

T1059.001 PowerShell T1204.002 Malicious File T1059.003 Windows Command Shell

The PDF file contains embedded JavaScript and a launch action that targets cmd.exe. The critical PDF_LAUNCH_COMMAND heuristic indicates that cmd.exe is executed with parameters designed to create a VBScript file named 'vbs1.vbs'. This script is then likely executed by wscript.exe, suggesting a multi-stage attack where the PDF acts as a dropper for a malicious script. The reconstructed command line is 'cmd.exe /c echo Dim BinaryStream > vbs1.vbs && echo Set BinaryStream = CreateObject("ADODB.Stream")'.

Heuristics 5

Launch action critical PDF_LAUNCH

PDF contains a /Launch action whose target is an executable, URL, or UNC path — can start an external application
/Launch action target: cmd.exe critical PDF_LAUNCH_COMMAND

PDF /Launch action specifies an executable target with parameters '/c echo Dim BinaryStream > vbs1.vbs && echo Set BinaryStream = CreateObject("ADODB.Stream"' — references a known-dangerous executable (cmd, PowerShell, etc.).
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.
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.

Extracted artifacts 2

Files carved from inside the sample during analysis.

Filename	Kind	Source	Size
`javascript_obj0069_000.js` `5859e77fd2ed3e66c0dfa28a64bdd558792eee8eda7f9366dfafa598bc7b1f6f`	pdf-javascript-stream	PDF /JS object 69 at offset 0x1D4	21849 bytes
`embedded_pdf_script_0000281d.bin` `40abd21cc16d7f47deccc3a181fad013ee9391fed16bacfc36cd3459490f7ecc`	pdf-embedded-script	PDF decompressed stream script payload at offset 0x281D	90 bytes

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