Ramnit — PDF malware analysis

Static analysis result for SHA-256 b1c4845bcd609add…

MALICIOUS

PDF

111.8 KB
MD5: fd2d255fa6a3ce2682283e80d7b13865 SHA-1: 8cfbdf4c8670d249cc2f6bc80e3b244281cb2f6f SHA-256: b1c4845bcd609adda7dc5e3e91703758f1e6f2bfbad69d8ff30d210e28d1c457
210 Risk Score

Malware Insights

Ramnit · confidence 95%

MITRE ATT&CK
T1059.005 Visual Basic T1204.002 Malicious File T1105 Ingress Tool Transfer

The PDF contains an embedded VBScript that reconstructs and executes a PE payload named 'svchost.exe'. This script leverages 'Scripting.FileSystemObject' and 'WScript.Shell' to drop and run the payload. ClamAV detection identifies the extracted artifact as Win.Trojan.Ramnit, and the ML classifier strongly indicates maliciousness. The embedded PE file is likely the second-stage payload.

Machine Learning

  • Nyx PDF Classifier malicious score 0.9986

Heuristics 4

  • VBScript in PDF stream reconstructs and runs a PE payload critical PDF_VBS_HEX_PE_DROPPER
    PDF stream contains an HTML/VBScript block that decodes a long hex string into a Windows executable and runs it via WScript.Shell. This is an embedded dropper payload, not ordinary PDF JavaScript.
  • 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.
  • Embedded script payload in PDF stream high PDF_EMBEDDED_SCRIPT_PAYLOAD
    PDF stream bytes contain script execution markers such as ActiveXObject/CreateObject, WScript.Shell, PowerShell, or shell-exec primitives. This is stronger than ordinary PDF JavaScript because it indicates a staged external script payload hidden in stream bytes.
  • 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.

Extracted artifacts 2

Files carved from inside the sample during analysis.

FilenameKindSourceSize
embedded_vbs_dropper_00000564.vbs
50b36b292c4a29f5f0d9642bb1487d597e7f817cb538628ff0d791b00e4fac65
pdf-embedded-script PDF raw bytes VBScript dropper at offset 0x564 113122 bytes
Detection
ClamAV: No threats found
Obfuscation or payload: likely
Carved artifact contains 1 shell/COM execution token(s). Carved artifact contains 1 long base64-like blob(s).
svchost.exe
fd6c69c345f1e32924f0a5bb7393e191b393a78d58e2c6413b03ced7482f2320
embedded-pe Decoded PE from PDF VBScript dropper at offset 0x564 56320 bytes
Detection
ClamAV: Win.Trojan.Ramnit-9775455-0
Obfuscation or payload: likely
Carved artifact entropy is 7.89, consistent with packed or encrypted content.