PDF malware analysis — malicious · 9b23ac3682a2849f

MALICIOUS

PDF

3.1 KB

MD5: 92e7f06b1114fb53e9fe7257585d3f84 SHA-1: ae7e1699c607aa83574108f8274ff8488c4b2cec SHA-256: 9b23ac3682a2849fef0df636b8cdff76f09b6edd8241a2a87918a97f7705a928

484 Risk Score

Malware Insights

MITRE ATT&CK

T1204.002 Malicious File T1059.003 Windows Command Shell T1105 Ingress Tool Transfer T1566.002 Spearphishing Attachment

The PDF contains embedded JavaScript that utilizes the `exportDataObject` API to drop and potentially execute a Windows executable. The `PDF_LAUNCH_COMMAND` heuristic indicates that `cmd.exe` is launched with parameters to change directories and potentially execute the dropped file. The embedded artifact is detected by ClamAV as `Win.Malware.Metasploit-10022275-0`, suggesting a Metasploit payload. The `CVE_2010_1240` heuristic confirms the exploit used for command execution.

Heuristics 11

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\\template.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.
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
`template.pdf` `ffe7aea508b716df3f57db414c949d33ba5e75a55cb966a6ff70cef7e4741495`	pdf-embedded-file	PDF EmbeddedFile object 8 at offset 0x3B1	7168 bytes
Detection ClamAV: Win.Malware.Metasploit-10022275-0 Obfuscation or payload: unlikely
`javascript_obj0009_000.js` `bc1d5cdfa608238e3cd965aa51949d02f8ab713463ea0beb61ec928b121788d1`	pdf-javascript-stream	PDF /JS object 9 at offset 0x763	57 bytes

Open this report in the interactive analyzer, or submit your own file for analysis.