Malicious PDF / .PD_ — malware analysis report

Static analysis result for SHA-256 c675da7a097599b8…

MALICIOUS

PDF / .PD_

85.3 KB Created: TUE JUL 14 10:54:45 2009 Authoring application: @V2500 (via @V2500 <V1.24>)
MD5: e5897825f0a821031b60d8680684572b SHA-1: e30e1d65e48046d8e6257a92d8213aaf6e0bf897 SHA-256: c675da7a097599b87cea6206abefddfbaee8120cb6e4141150e81f2d6e0d67e7
238 Risk Score

Malware Insights

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

The PDF sample contains embedded JavaScript that is obfuscated and utilizes the unescape() function, indicating malicious intent. Critical heuristics indicate the exploitation of CVE-2009-4324 via media.newPlayer, a known vulnerability for arbitrary code execution. The embedded JavaScript likely serves as a downloader for a secondary payload. The presence of a secondary embedded PDF further suggests a multi-stage attack.

Heuristics 9

  • media.newPlayer — CVE-2009-4324 critical CVE exact CVE_2009_4324
    PDF JavaScript calls media.newPlayer — CVE-2009-4324 is a use-after-free in Adobe Reader's multimedia plugin triggered by media.newPlayer(). Actively exploited as a zero-day in December 2009. (identified after JavaScript deobfuscation)
  • CCITTFaxDecode + active content — LibTIFF CVE-family indicator high CVE related PDF_CCITT_CVE_2010_0188_RELATED
    PDF uses /CCITTFaxDecode together with JavaScript, XFA, or RichMedia indicators. This matches the delivery pattern for Adobe Reader LibTIFF/CCITTFax parser exploit families, including CVE-2010-0188, but does not prove the exact malformed TIFF primitive.
  • Secondary embedded PDF body has suspicious static findings critical POLYGLOT_CHILD_PDF_STATIC_TRIAGE
    A valid PDF body was found at a nonzero offset inside another container and its carved contents matched PDF exploit or lure heuristics. This catches polyglots where the top-level magic routes to ZIP/OLE while a PDF reader or downstream parser opens the hidden PDF payload.
  • unescape() call high PDF_UNESCAPE
    unescape() found — often used to decode shellcode in PDF JS exploits (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.
  • 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. (matched inside decoded 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)
  • PDF paints image(s) but contains no text operators info PDF_IMAGE_ONLY_LURE
    PDF has 1 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.
  • 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://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#
    • http://ns.adobe.com/xap/1.0/
    • http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/
    • http://ns.adobe.com/xap/1.0/mm/
    • http://ns.adobe.com/pdf/1.3/

Extracted artifacts 5

Files carved from inside the sample during analysis.

FilenameKindSourceSize
stream_004_off0000063a.js
447cccb0b28690cfd35e6c7d285b83d1ca96a54fd0f2a437498ab8c6a303cc5d
decompressed-pdf-stream PDF FlateDecoded stream at offset 0x63A 2610 bytes
Detection
ClamAV: No threats found
Obfuscation or payload: likely
Carved artifact contains 3 eval/decoder/string-building token(s). Carved artifact contains 1 long hex-escaped blob(s).
legacy_pdfkit_stage_000.js
42c3f4df375ff6f58ff655cc4f88b5cc28f0dd33b978390db3538684a6219b74
deobfuscated-js string-concatenation normalized Acrobat API aliases at offset 0x63A 126 bytes
objstm_0023_00.bin
e8bfe65c34a535b0837ce7c541e45b42ab61e1ff13de05788daf7770f9a1ec0e
pdf-objstm-decoded PDF /ObjStm 23 0 obj (inflated) 274 bytes
polyglot_child_pdf_off00009fd3.pdf
a1cc15ab36d83f9b53dcfb169ab3cfd479366e32e0f1f242da577ef27d113eb9
polyglot-child-pdf Secondary PDF body inside pdf container at offset 0x9FD3 46432 bytes
polyglot_child_pdf_off00013d46.pdf
0b1c923c8a0028794f3a3244dc498786746334f394e41678cc58ffbeb707d0a8
polyglot-child-pdf Secondary PDF body inside pdf container at offset 0x13D46 6125 bytes