Emotet — Office (OOXML) / .XLSM malware analysis

Static analysis result for SHA-256 fc5b918630ca4c23…

MALICIOUS

Office (OOXML) / .XLSM

46.5 KB Created: 2015-06-05 18:19:34 UTC Authoring application: Microsoft Excel 16.0300 First seen: 2022-03-03
MD5: c3a20a9e514b067e4c4f2de0dce25963 SHA-1: 018a5b5f1c9d19228886566f831518478b3e2640 SHA-256: fc5b918630ca4c231ce8320f6623d18f6e935993652cd56751cab3556eaa6220
250 Risk Score

Malware Insights

Emotet · confidence 95%

MITRE ATT&CK
T1059.005 Service Execution: Visual Basic T1059.001 Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell T1204.002 Malicious Link: Malicious File T1105 Ingress Tool Transfer

This XLSM file utilizes Excel 4.0 macros, specifically leveraging the dangerous FORMULA API, to download and execute a second-stage payload. The macros construct a command that includes 'regsvr32.exe' and a URL from which to download the payload. The ClamAV detection as 'Xls.Downloader.Emotet03220-9940726-0' strongly suggests the Emotet family. The embedded URLs are the primary indicators for the initial stage of the infection chain.

Heuristics 6

  • Excel 4.0 macro sheet (3 sheet(s)) critical OOXML_XLM_MACROSHEET
    Spreadsheet contains an Excel 4.0 (XLM) macro sheet — XLM was a major Office malware vector during 2020-2022 and evaded many VBA-focused controls before Microsoft tightened XLM defaults. Even legitimate XLM use is rare in modern workbooks.
  • Excel 4.0 Auto_Open defined name critical OOXML_XLM_AUTOOPEN_DEFINEDNAME
    Workbook defines _xlnm.Auto_Open or _xlnm.Auto_Close while containing an XLM macro sheet. This is the OOXML/XLSB auto-execution shape for Excel 4.0 macros.
  • Dangerous XLM formula APIs: FORMULA critical OOXML_XLM_DANGEROUS_FN
    Excel 4.0 macro sheet uses formula APIs that call directly into Win32 (=CALL/=EXEC/=REGISTER/=FORMULA). These are the primitives used to download payloads, write files, and start processes from an XLM macro without invoking VBA.
  • ClamAV: Xls.Downloader.Emotet03220-9940726-0 critical CLAMAV_DETECTION
    ClamAV detected this file as malware: Xls.Downloader.Emotet03220-9940726-0
  • Hidden worksheet (hidden) low OOXML_HIDDEN_SHEET
    Excel workbook contains 5 hidden sheet(s) — hidden sheets are commonly used to conceal macro code, staging data, or intermediate payload construction
  • 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 https://goglobetravel.com/wp-admin/1O1Tjr9nHBV/
    • http://nazrultheking.com/wp-includes/LZ/
    • https://pakistannakliye.com/wp-admin/dyfAdRkv7/
    • http://hossaibmojammel.com/wp-content/qFPghprWO0ONxLFA5d/
    • https://spinoffyarnshop.com/content/YQlmbLaB/
    • http://murtjizindustry.com/wp-content/yI6/
    • http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/spreadsheetml/2006/main
    • http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/excel/2006/main
    • http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/officeDocument/2006/relationships
    • http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006
    • http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/spreadsheetml/2009/9/ac
    • http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/spreadsheetml/2014/revision
    • http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/spreadsheetml/2015/revision2
    • http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/spreadsheetml/2016/revision3
    • http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/spreadsheetml/2016/revision6

Extracted artifacts 3

Files carved from inside the sample during analysis.

FilenameKindSourceSize
xlm_sheet_00.xml
c2beed76b90707ab99d3556b095847fbe67565665bab2978d4d40d1b769c68e7
xlm-macrosheet OOXML XLM macro sheet: xl/macrosheets/intlsheet1.xml 4017 bytes
xlm_sheet_01.xml
3f1e04bcb932a0d7a0ca09ad6e05d398d7a144c4cda86314010c0ec3e9f94573
xlm-macrosheet OOXML XLM macro sheet: xl/macrosheets/sheet1.xml 1278 bytes
xlm_sheet_02.xml
3877aa64e871d2d6fcc766f5b3af64ba0d301f656023d2e6e43652b8210d827c
xlm-macrosheet OOXML XLM macro sheet: xl/macrosheets/sheet2.xml 1152 bytes