Malicious PDF — malware analysis report

Static analysis result for SHA-256 e2544838b2fecd34…

MALICIOUS

PDF

104.8 KB
MD5: fdab1cd655f753f0b6d064f32debd56a SHA-1: a83a775376e89bb1a7fef68c0007bc80924624a4 SHA-256: e2544838b2fecd343605b7b0eb7fd1ccccbef40590e6b9683aae864a6a20cf6e
228 Risk Score

Malware Insights

MITRE ATT&CK
T1204.002 Malicious File T1027 Obfuscated Files or Information T1140 Deobfuscate/Decode Files or Information

The PDF contains embedded content and utilizes XFA forms with risky executable scripts, as indicated by multiple high and critical heuristic firings. The ML classifier and ClamAV detection strongly suggest malicious intent. The presence of an embedded file, 'embedded_file_obj0008.bin', points to a dropper or exploit delivery mechanism.

Machine Learning

  • Nyx PDF Classifier malicious score 1.0000

Heuristics 8

  • XFA form contains risky executable script high CVE related PDF_XFA_SCRIPT
    PDF embeds an XFA form whose script block contains exploit, submission/launch, or shell-execution primitives. Ordinary LiveCycle print/update scripts are left as generic XFA/JS signals unless stronger behavior is present.
  • ClamAV: Pdf.Exploit.Dropped-78 critical CLAMAV_DETECTION
    ClamAV detected this file as malware: Pdf.Exploit.Dropped-78
  • unescape() call high PDF_UNESCAPE
    unescape() found — often used to decode shellcode in PDF JS exploits (matched inside decoded stream)
  • Embedded script payload in PDF stream medium PDF_EMBEDDED_SCRIPT_PAYLOAD
    PDF stream bytes contain an HTML/XFA <script> tag without accompanying Windows shell-execution primitives — common in accessible XFA forms but worth surfacing for analyst review.
  • ASCIIHexDecode filter (with exploit indicators) medium PDF_FILTER_HEX
    Hex-encoding filter present alongside exploit delivery indicators — often used to hide payload or shellcode bytes
  • Embedded file low PDF_EMBEDDED
    PDF embeds a file attachment — could carry an executable or another weaponised document as a nested payload
  • XFA form low PDF_XFA
    PDF uses XML Forms Architecture — can contain script logic
  • Suspicious extracted artifact info 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 1

Files carved from inside the sample during analysis.

FilenameKindSourceSize
embedded_file_obj0008.bin
eee9a54e891307928a5665c48d64dd78eb556a7a1fab25938cfb3d4d41f9d77b
pdf-embedded-file PDF EmbeddedFile object 8 at offset 0xE2 15227 bytes
Detection
ClamAV: No threats found
Obfuscation or payload: likely
Carved artifact contains 1 eval/decoder/string-building token(s).