MALICIOUS
250
Risk Score
Malware Insights
MITRE ATT&CK
T1059.005 Visual Basic
T1204.002 Malicious File
The file is an XLSM document containing Excel 4.0 macros, identified by multiple critical heuristics. These macros utilize dangerous functions like FORMULA to download a payload from one of the provided URLs (e.g., http://maedavenport.com/wp-content/Tu2oM6gLSXmVtJs9oFzXd/) and save it as 'bestb.ocx'. The macros also attempt to execute this downloaded file using rundll32.exe. ClamAV detection further confirms its malicious nature, specifically identifying it as an Emotet downloader.
Heuristics 6
-
Excel 4.0 macro sheet (7 sheet(s)) critical OOXML_XLM_MACROSHEETSpreadsheet contains an Excel 4.0 (XLM) macro sheet — XLM was a major Office malware vector during 2020-2022 and evaded many VBA-focused controls before Microsoft tightened XLM defaults. Even legitimate XLM use is rare in modern workbooks.
-
Excel 4.0 Auto_Open defined name critical OOXML_XLM_AUTOOPEN_DEFINEDNAMEWorkbook defines _xlnm.Auto_Open or _xlnm.Auto_Close while containing an XLM macro sheet. This is the OOXML/XLSB auto-execution shape for Excel 4.0 macros.
-
Dangerous XLM formula APIs: FORMULA critical OOXML_XLM_DANGEROUS_FNExcel 4.0 macro sheet uses formula APIs that call directly into Win32 (=CALL/=EXEC/=REGISTER/=FORMULA). These are the primitives used to download payloads, write files, and start processes from an XLM macro without invoking VBA.
-
ClamAV: Xls.Downloader.EmotetExcel122100-9913103-0 critical CLAMAV_DETECTIONClamAV detected this file as malware: Xls.Downloader.EmotetExcel122100-9913103-0
-
Hidden worksheet (hidden) low OOXML_HIDDEN_SHEETExcel workbook contains 11 hidden sheet(s) — hidden sheets are commonly used to conceal macro code, staging data, or intermediate payload construction
-
Embedded URL info EMBEDDED_URLOne 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://schemas.openxmlformats.org/spreadsheetml/2006/main
- http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/excel/2006/main
- http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/officeDocument/2006/relationships
- http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006
- http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/spreadsheetml/2009/9/ac
- http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/spreadsheetml/2014/revision
- http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/spreadsheetml/2015/revision2
- http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/spreadsheetml/2016/revision3
- http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/spreadsheetml/2016/revision6
Extracted artifacts 7
Files carved from inside the sample during analysis.
| Filename | Kind | Source | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
xlm_sheet_00.xml539c2f7c8916fb96a053023d48fc5fd54085de1e0dda4336a9d7bfab3a7e3203 |
xlm-macrosheet | OOXML XLM macro sheet: xl/macrosheets/intlsheet1.xml | 3139 bytes |
xlm_sheet_01.xml1d840e58b613d5aaf0c1584ddad983c459013d0020172bf8c42753a3ca5c10ce |
xlm-macrosheet | OOXML XLM macro sheet: xl/macrosheets/sheet1.xml | 1367 bytes |
xlm_sheet_02.xml9530473eeb7ce4531ba6f2fb74f3f8b15d5970a3f986b2de8204ee4e69d17bcb |
xlm-macrosheet | OOXML XLM macro sheet: xl/macrosheets/sheet2.xml | 1367 bytes |
xlm_sheet_03.xml5298b05c0f3d1a953d0ede7427cc089251a7652227e518fae265a133c04b11f5 |
xlm-macrosheet | OOXML XLM macro sheet: xl/macrosheets/sheet3.xml | 1364 bytes |
xlm_sheet_04.xml5f53215a8438bb7fe5a809106144bae36a7af9a316481ee676680c60ac4893c6 |
xlm-macrosheet | OOXML XLM macro sheet: xl/macrosheets/sheet4.xml | 1364 bytes |
xlm_sheet_05.xml466ccb4b7c309940a771659ee00d4db755bdde38abf836c5ee99a946f296d356 |
xlm-macrosheet | OOXML XLM macro sheet: xl/macrosheets/sheet5.xml | 1367 bytes |
xlm_sheet_06.xml85d88333fb0430df1cb4b286e0f1d952b0e36ae77f3e113b23aadd6e029134fc |
xlm-macrosheet | OOXML XLM macro sheet: xl/macrosheets/sheet6.xml | 1366 bytes |
Open this report in the interactive analyzer, or submit your own file for analysis.