Malicious PDF — malware analysis report

Static analysis result for SHA-256 a5bd43addba8f7b4…

MALICIOUS

PDF

36.0 KB First seen: 2022-03-29
MD5: 8a91d34ccedd26f7d83e7c48e45e6949 SHA-1: ac0fb2e791f8ff50baf120736d8c038f788ee4d2 SHA-256: a5bd43addba8f7b4294187ee49528897da49464572f1985d3d1c24cb0596214b
106 Risk Score

Malware Insights

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

The PDF contains embedded JavaScript, indicated by the PDF_JAVASCRIPT and PDF_JS heuristics. The PDF_EMBEDDED heuristic also suggests the presence of an embedded file, which could be related to the script's execution. The document body is heavily obfuscated and appears to be image-based, a common lure technique. The embedded JavaScript stream is the primary indicator of malicious activity, likely serving to download and execute a secondary payload.

Machine Learning

  • Nyx PDF Classifier suspicious score 0.4138

Heuristics 6

  • 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. (matched inside decoded stream)
  • exportDataObject + nLaunch — embedded-file launch-on-open dropper critical PDF_JS_EXPORT_LAUNCH_DROPPER
    PDF JavaScript calls exportDataObject() with nLaunch set, which extracts the document's embedded file and launches it in its default application. This is a launch-on-open dropper: the embedded file is the payload. No benign workflow auto-launches an extracted PDF attachment. (matched in decompressed stream)
  • 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. (matched inside decoded stream)
  • 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
  • PDF paints image(s) but contains no text operators info PDF_IMAGE_ONLY_LURE
    PDF has 2 image XObject(s) and the content stream contains no text-emitting operators (BT/ET, Tj, TJ, ', ") in either raw bytes or decompressed streams — this is the screenshot-as-PDF pattern used to bypass text-based scanners and to deliver instructions purely through rendered pixels. It is informational unless paired with invisible links or risky URI context.

Related samples 8

Ranked by shared artifacts, heuristics, extracted URLs, CVEs, and signatures.

Full JSON: related samples API

Extracted artifacts 2

Files carved from inside the sample during analysis.

FilenameKindSourceSize
embedded_file_obj0028.bin pdf-embedded-file PDF EmbeddedFile object 28 at offset 0x3D44 21856 bytes
SHA-256: 04bc2798ee1bdededc03c3f1efa266f8e89abe65f5a052cc42a5f93ef7dda849
Detection
ClamAV: No threats found
Obfuscation or payload: likely
actual_type=ZIP; declared_or_context_type=PDF; filename=embedded_file_obj0028.bin; kind=pdf-embedded-file
stream_010_off00008c65.bin decompressed-pdf-stream PDF FlateDecoded stream at offset 0x8C65 979 bytes
SHA-256: 2ae573f64e22a8e44102fc92f0331c42f3e10da96ba29574a1a231bb30ee099b

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