Malicious PDF — malware analysis report

Static analysis result for SHA-256 9afce8950c1237db…

MALICIOUS

PDF

1.85 MB Created: 2013-11-11 17:06:16 -08:00 Authoring application: Microsoft® Word 2013 First seen: 2026-05-04
MD5: 77316f3100df88c7bec5fb5b928d6d90 SHA-1: 8089c258b57f01a62a21141477a49dc4f29ac5b0 SHA-256: 9afce8950c1237db7f6830909a9907538350eef2af9d95e441825745ab35a820
618 Risk Score

Malware Insights

MITRE ATT&CK
T1204.002 Malicious File T1059.003 Windows Command Shell T1105 Ingress Tool Transfer

The PDF file contains a critical PDF_LAUNCH heuristic firing indicating a launch action targeting cmd.exe with specific parameters, exploiting CVE-2010-1240. Additionally, a PDF_LAUNCH_PLUS_DROPPER_JS heuristic indicates the use of JavaScript to export data objects, combined with an embedded file that masquerades as a PDF but is detected as a Windows executable. This suggests the document is designed to drop and execute a malicious payload. The ClamAV detection of 'Pdf.Dropper.Agent-7286040-0' further supports this. The embedded JavaScript likely facilitates the execution of the dropped payload.

Machine Learning

  • Nyx PDF Classifier malicious score 0.9636

Heuristics 15

  • 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.
  • TrueType bitmap font + active content — CVE-2023-26369 related high CVE related PDF_CVE_2023_26369_RELATED
    PDF embeds a TrueType font with bitmap tables (EBDT/sbix/CBDT) alongside exploit delivery indicators — CVE-2023-26369 exploits the sfac_GetSbitBitmap function in Adobe's libCoolType for arbitrary code execution. This CVE was actively exploited in the wild, but this rule does not validate the malformed EBLC/EBDT primitive.
  • ClamAV: Pdf.Dropper.Agent-7286040-0 critical CLAMAV_DETECTION
    ClamAV detected this file as malware: Pdf.Dropper.Agent-7286040-0
  • 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 '/Q /C %HOMEDRIVE%&cd %HOMEPATH%&(if exist "Desktop\\.pdf" (cd "Desktop"' — references a known-dangerous executable (cmd, PowerShell, etc.).
  • Embedded attachment masquerades: declared document, content is windows-executable critical PDF_EMBEDDED_FILESPEC_CONTENT_MISMATCH
    An /EmbeddedFile attachment's declared filename extension or /Subtype MIME type contradicts the magic bytes of its decompressed content. The attachment is declared as a benign document or image but the bytes are an executable or executable-bearing archive. This is a deliberate deception used to hide droppers in PDF attachments and is a generic indicator of embed-and-drop weaponisation, independent of any specific CVE.
  • JavaScript action low 2 related findings PDF_JAVASCRIPT
    PDF contains a /JavaScript action. Generic JavaScript is common in benign forms; specific dangerous APIs are scored by separate rules.
  • PDF JavaScript exploit cluster critical PDF_JS_EXPLOIT_CLUSTER
    PDF combines an executable JavaScript/action surface with exploit staging indicators such as eval/unescape/fromCharCode, XFA script content, or a related CVE pattern. Benign form JavaScript remains low-severity, but this correlated cluster is high-confidence malicious behavior.
  • 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.
  • /Launch action paired with attachment-dropping JS API high PDF_LAUNCH_PLUS_DROPPER_JS
    PDF combines a /Launch action with a JavaScript API call that writes or opens an attached/external resource — the canonical shape of the CVE-2010-1240 /Launch + exportDataObject family. Benign PDFs do not pair these surfaces; the combination indicates a drop-and-execute chain regardless of the specific JS API knobs or /Launch target.
  • Clickable PDF combines external action with parser-evasion structure high PDF_ACTION_PARSER_EVASION
    PDF has an external clickable URI together with object graph or xref structures that make parsers disagree, such as divergent duplicate objects, parser divergence, or xref offset mismatch. That combination is stronger than a plain link: the document is both an outward-action carrier and a parser-confusion/evasion sample.
  • 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.
  • Embedded file low PDF_EMBEDDED
    PDF embeds a file attachment — could carry an executable or another weaponised document as a nested payload
  • 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 http://GH.II/JK4LL5MM6NN9RR.XX/YY+ZZ Referenced by PDF JavaScript
    • http://ocsp.verisign.com0Referenced by PDF JavaScript
    • http://www.zeustech.net/In PDF document text
    • http://]hostname[:port]/pathIn PDF document text
    • http://blogs.technet.com/b/askperf/archive/2011/06/17/demystifying-shims-or-using-the-app-compat-toolkit-to-make-your-old-stuff-work-with-your-new-stuff.aspxPDF link annotation
    • http://blogs.technet.com/b/srd/archive/2009/02/02/preventing-the-exploitation-of-seh-overwrites-with-sehop.aspxIn PDF document text
    • http://blogs.technet.com/b/srd/archive/2009/11/20/sehop-per-process-opt-in-support-in-windows-7.aspxIn PDF document text
    • http://blogs.technet.com/srd/archive/2009/06/12/understanding-dep-as-a-mitigation-technology-part-1.aspxIn PDF document text
    • http://blogs.technet.com/srd/archive/2009/06/12/understanding-dep-as-a-mitigation-technology-part-2.aspxIn PDF document text
    • http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc700805.aspxIn PDF document text
    • http://aka.ms/emet41psIn PDF document text
    • http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2790907In PDF document text
    • http://blogs.technet.com/b/srd/archive/2013/05/08/emet-4-0-s-certificate-trust-feature.aspxIn PDF document text
    • http://blogs.technet.com/b/configmgrteam/In PDF document text
    • http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=213962In PDF document text
    • http://blogs.technet.com/b/askperf/archive/2011/06/17/demystifying-shims-or-using-the-app-compat-toolkit-PDF link annotation
    • http://www.microsoft.com/typography/ctfontshttp://fontfabrik.comYouReferenced by PDF JavaScript
    • http://www.microsoft.com/typography/fonts/default.aspxReferenced by PDF JavaScript
    • http://crl.microsoft.com/pki/crl/products/MicrosoftTimeStampPCA.crl0XReferenced by PDF JavaScript
    • http://www.microsoft.com/pki/certs/MicrosoftTimeStampPCA.crt0Referenced by PDF JavaScript
    • http://crl.microsoft.com/pki/crl/products/MicCodSigPCA_08-31-2010.crl0ZReferenced by PDF JavaScript
    • http://www.microsoft.com/pki/certs/MicCodSigPCA_08-31-2010.crt0Referenced by PDF JavaScript
    • http://crl.microsoft.com/pki/crl/products/microsoftrootcert.crl0TReferenced by PDF JavaScript
    • http://www.microsoft.com/pki/certs/MicrosoftRootCert.crt0Referenced by PDF JavaScript
    • http://www.microsoft.com/typographyReferenced by PDF JavaScript
    • http://www.microsoft.com/typography/ctfontshttp://www.fonts.comYouReferenced by PDF JavaScript
    • http://www.microsoft.com/typography/ctfontshttpReferenced by PDF JavaScript
    • http://www.monotype.com/html/mtname/ms_symbol.htmlhttp://www.monotype.com/html/mtname/ms_welcome.htmlNOTIFICATIONReferenced by PDF JavaScript
    • http://www.monotype.com/html/type/license.htmlReferenced by PDF JavaScript
    • http://crl.verisign.com/ThawteTimestampingCA.crl0Referenced by PDF JavaScript
    • http://crl.verisign.com/tss-ca.crl0Referenced by PDF JavaScript
    • http://crl.microsoft.com/pki/crl/products/CodeSignPCA2.crl0OReferenced by PDF JavaScript
    • http://www.microsoft.com/pki/certs/CodeSignPCA2.crt0Referenced by PDF JavaScript
    • http://www.microsoft.com/typography/fonts/Referenced by PDF JavaScript
    • http://www.apache.org/In PDF document text

Extracted artifacts 7

Files carved from inside the sample during analysis.

FilenameKindSourceSize
pdf pdf-embedded-file PDF EmbeddedFile object 3363 at offset 0x1CD36B 73802 bytes
SHA-256: 56ee927628ee49a07a26e8a30030a625b4fb2583858dc8f39e78935c9c8f81d8
Detection
ClamAV: Win.Trojan.Swrort-5710536-0
Obfuscation or payload: likely
actual_type=PE; declared_or_context_type=PDF; filename=pdf; kind=pdf-embedded-file Static shellcode analysis found candidate code region(s). Indicators: SC_PEB_ACCESS, SC_PUSH_STRING, SC_STR_GETPROCADDRESS Static shellcode analysis recovered API/import strings: kernel32.dll, advapi32.dll, KERNEL32.DLL, ADVAPI32.DLL, LoadLibraryA, GetProcAddress
javascript_obj3364_000.js pdf-javascript-stream PDF /JS object 3364 at offset 0x1D7F92 49 bytes
SHA-256: 135d8ff085921b81e04dc360543078fa4091eb102c6c0edfa69b9c2e8675d290
Preview script
First 1,000 lines of the extracted script
this.exportDataObject({ cName: "", nLaunch: 0 });
stream_001_off00000b65.bin decompressed-pdf-stream PDF FlateDecoded stream at offset 0xB65 1313352 bytes
SHA-256: 8b83b145a47c9dc723f2534e86f340472b5ec10cc832ed5ce36d9220ab35563e
stream_003_off00004894.bin decompressed-pdf-stream PDF FlateDecoded stream at offset 0x4894 792000 bytes
SHA-256: f2ebbf48d4a4a8e4ae610dac00d41eea1a58e86613f7b66171910ea38cc97977
stream_015_off00017bb1.bin decompressed-pdf-stream PDF FlateDecoded stream at offset 0x17BB1 1482624 bytes
SHA-256: b6d48727f67b455f73050e04faec37de033d53c2bf110612b54f42d1beb049bb
stream_033_off000e77e0.bin decompressed-pdf-stream PDF FlateDecoded stream at offset 0xE77E0 255256 bytes
SHA-256: 57e870e1b5604f66862ff4fe49edb036e6926b5084dcbca4fb1cac45803430ba
stream_035_off0011e954.bin decompressed-pdf-stream PDF FlateDecoded stream at offset 0x11E954 242516 bytes
SHA-256: 32097e11e933a9d1c422e828efa3e65b26e45fc55f8dbe22035e7f865243a538