Malicious PDF — malware analysis report

Static analysis result for SHA-256 8e4a975cdf6aaa3c…

MALICIOUS

PDF

3.5 KB Created: 2008-31-20 53:85:00 Authoring application: Scribus 1.3.3.12 (via Scribus PDF Library 1.3.3.12)
MD5: a9667dbfd0f3e44c257473c86a400310 SHA-1: 63167f79c7016415e64267b852ec3881a9849bc0 SHA-256: 8e4a975cdf6aaa3c61290166873139a88a2e79b766932a9b499362816727ba3a
166 Risk Score

Malware Insights

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

The PDF file contains embedded JavaScript that is triggered by the OpenAction. The JavaScript uses eval() and String.fromCharCode, indicating obfuscation. The critical CVE-2007-5659 heuristic firing confirms the use of a known vulnerability to execute arbitrary code. The script likely downloads and executes a second-stage payload, as suggested by the heuristic 'Suspicious extracted artifact' and the presence of deobfuscated JavaScript.

Heuristics 7

  • Collab.collectEmailInfo — CVE-2007-5659 critical CVE exact CVE_2007_5659
    PDF JavaScript calls Collab.collectEmailInfo — CVE-2007-5659 is a buffer overflow in Adobe Reader triggered by a long argument or heap-sprayed message field passed to Collab.collectEmailInfo(). Part of a series of Acrobat JS API exploits. (identified after JavaScript deobfuscation)
  • OpenAction trigger high PDF_OPENACTION
    PDF has an /OpenAction — code runs automatically when opened
  • eval() call high PDF_EVAL
    eval() found — commonly used for obfuscated exploit execution (matched inside decoded stream)
  • 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.
  • String.fromCharCode low PDF_FROMCHARCODE
    String.fromCharCode found — used to construct payload strings dynamically. Common in benign JavaScript libraries for codepoint manipulation, so this alone is informational; weaponised use is also caught by the dedicated fromCharCode-stage and exploit-shape rules. (matched inside decoded stream)
  • Suspicious extracted artifact info 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.

Extracted artifacts 2

Files carved from inside the sample during analysis.

FilenameKindSourceSize
javascript_obj0013_001.js
b95df462ef211d548b95e5a5a7ffce0977fc91451393805c8a11615c48af0503
pdf-javascript-stream PDF /JS object 13 at offset 0x3D7 13327 bytes
Detection
ClamAV: No threats found
Obfuscation or payload: likely
Carved artifact contains 3 eval/decoder/string-building token(s).
numeric_charcode_stage_000.js
4b57fe91dd3bcd92b81e534be327bdc0cf56ad56a10216e3049d787c6999ebb3
deobfuscated-js numeric char-code string decoded JavaScript at offset 0x445 4044 bytes
Detection
ClamAV: No threats found
Obfuscation or payload: likely
Carved artifact contains 5 eval/decoder/string-building token(s).