PDF malware analysis — malicious · 9b094dc9dd513d54

MALICIOUS

PDF

175.0 KB Created: 2010-09-08 11:02:47 -04:00 Authoring application: Writer (via OpenOffice.org 3.2)

MD5: 95e0d842b4994b4487cc589fdd9ebb52 SHA-1: 7a669d5aec940e7f27d8d34d4e80a1b42c661794 SHA-256: 9b094dc9dd513d545c69d4a42ef411d4bbc3e51da04e3099118391d5657304b7

504 Risk Score

Malware Insights

MITRE ATT&CK

T1204.002 Malicious File T1566.002 Spearphishing Attachment T1059.001 PowerShell T1204.001 User Execution: Malicious Link T1027 Obfuscated Files or Information

The PDF contains embedded JavaScript and a launch action that executes cmd.exe, which in turn is designed to launch an embedded Windows executable disguised as 'NATO_Communication_Security.pdf'. This is a common technique for delivering malware via social engineering. The ClamAV detections 'Pdf.Tool.Agent-1388586' and 'Win.Exploit.Countdown-1' further confirm the malicious nature of the file and its payload.

Heuristics 12

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.
Launch action critical PDF_LAUNCH

PDF contains a /Launch action whose target is an executable, URL, or UNC path — can start an external application
Embedded Windows executable payload in PDF stream critical PDF_EMBEDDED_PE_PAYLOAD

PDF stream bytes contain an embedded Windows executable with a verified PE header. Exploit chains often hide droppers inside ordinary streams rather than standard /EmbeddedFile attachments.
/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\\NATO_Communication_Security.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.
ClamAV: Pdf.Tool.Agent-1388586 critical CLAMAV_DETECTION

ClamAV detected this file as malware: Pdf.Tool.Agent-1388586
ClamAV detection on extracted artifact critical EXTRACTED_FILE_CLAMAV

ClamAV flagged at least one file extracted from inside this sample. Even when the wrapping document carries no AV detection of its own, a hit on the carved artifact is a strong indicator the sample is a delivery vehicle.
/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.
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 174 KB — typical shape of a phishing lure where a full-page screenshot hides a clickable button that launches or submits to an attacker URL.
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.
Embedded file low PDF_EMBEDDED

PDF embeds a file attachment — could carry an executable or another weaponised document as a nested payload

Extracted artifacts 2

Files carved from inside the sample during analysis.

Filename	Kind	Source	Size
`NATO_Communication_Security.pdf` `ebdd1e3b4738595483ee19d3385a1425cabdd3a0878cb5a4cac9d0e3eae55731`	pdf-embedded-file	PDF EmbeddedFile object 18 at offset 0x208D8	73802 bytes
Detection ClamAV: Win.Exploit.Countdown-1 Obfuscation or payload: unlikely
`javascript_obj0019_000.js` `cec88c980442606279de3d405c29710c621d71f8f2845d15d3d7080430e407e2`	pdf-javascript-stream	PDF /JS object 19 at offset 0x2B778	76 bytes

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