Malicious Office (OOXML) / .XLSM — malware analysis report

Static analysis result for SHA-256 a2c0961c68aa8ec9…

MALICIOUS

Office (OOXML) / .XLSM

237.6 KB Created: 2021-08-16 09:36:27 UTC Authoring application: Microsoft Excel 12.0000
MD5: ad9620b98d697b603f0c3ec4e618e4d3 SHA-1: 7f7c8a54cbac1207f6a936fd174fba71db8b4be1 SHA-256: a2c0961c68aa8ec95213014e570ae11abe0ee633670c676b43914bd3c4b8ce52
250 Risk Score

Malware Insights

MITRE ATT&CK
T1059.005 Service Execution: Visual Basic T1204.002 Malicious File: User Execution: Malicious File

This XLSM file contains Excel 4.0 macros, indicated by the OOXML_XLM_MACROSHEET and OOXML_XLM_AUTOOPEN_DEFINEDNAME heuristics. The macros utilize dangerous functions like EXEC to run a script file. Specifically, the macro reconstructs the path 'C:\ProgramData\QGabxSwVNnZoHBs.sct' and uses the EXEC function to execute it, likely downloading and running a second-stage payload. The ClamAV detection further confirms its malicious nature as a downloader.

Heuristics 6

  • Excel 4.0 macro sheet (1 sheet(s)) critical OOXML_XLM_MACROSHEET
    Spreadsheet 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_DEFINEDNAME
    Workbook 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: FOPEN, FWRITE, FCLOSE, EXEC, HALT critical OOXML_XLM_DANGEROUS_FN
    Excel 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.Trojan-a0425f7f2000faff-a0425f7f2000faff-9950268-0 critical CLAMAV_DETECTION
    ClamAV detected this file as malware: Xls.Downloader.Trojan-a0425f7f2000faff-a0425f7f2000faff-9950268-0
  • Hidden worksheet (hidden) low OOXML_HIDDEN_SHEET
    Excel workbook contains 1 hidden sheet(s) — hidden sheets are commonly used to conceal macro code, staging data, or intermediate payload construction
  • 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://schemas.openxmlformats.org/spreadsheetml/2006/main
    • http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/excel/2006/main
    • http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/officeDocument/2006/relationships

Extracted artifacts 1

Files carved from inside the sample during analysis.

FilenameKindSourceSize
xlm_sheet_00.xml
f62b4e35133b712a56c2f72cf494a3defecb5d3c0929ba4932eb4d54d444b057		 xlm-macrosheet OOXML XLM macro sheet: xl/macrosheets/sheet1.xml 713009 bytes

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