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BitPaymer

BitPaymer is a ransomware variant first observed in August 2017 targeting hospitals in the U.K. BitPaymer uses a unique encryption key, ransom note, and contact information for each operation. BitPaymer has several indicators suggesting overlap with the Dridex malware and is often delivered via Dridex.[1]

ID: S0570
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Associated Software: wp_encrypt, FriedEx
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Type: MALWARE
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Platforms: Windows
Version: 1.0
Created: 08 February 2021
Last Modified: 26 April 2021

Associated Software Descriptions

Name Description
wp_encrypt

[1]
FriedEx

[1]
Enterprise Layer
download view

Techniques Used

Domain ID Name Use
Enterprise T1548 .002 Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism: Bypass User Account Control

BitPaymer can suppress UAC prompts by setting the HKCU\Software\Classes\ms-settings\shell\open\command registry key on Windows 10 or HKCU\Software\Classes\mscfile\shell\open\command on Windows 7 and launching the eventvwr.msc process, which launches BitPaymer with elevated privileges.[1]
Enterprise T1134 .001 Access Token Manipulation: Token Impersonation/Theft

BitPaymer can use the tokens of users to create processes on infected systems.[1]
Enterprise T1087 .001 Account Discovery: Local Account

BitPaymer can enumerate the sessions for each user logged onto the infected host.[1]
Enterprise T1547 .001 Boot or Logon Autostart Execution: Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder

BitPaymer has set the run key HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run for persistence.[1]
Enterprise T1543 .003 Create or Modify System Process: Windows Service

BitPaymer has attempted to install itself as a service to maintain persistence.[1]
Enterprise T1486 Data Encrypted for Impact

BitPaymer can import a hard-coded RSA 1024-bit public key, generate a 128-bit RC4 key for each file, and encrypt the file in place, appending .locked to the filename.[1]
Enterprise T1480 Execution Guardrails

BitPaymer compares file names and paths to a list of excluded names and directory names during encryption.[1]
Enterprise T1222 .001 File and Directory Permissions Modification: Windows File and Directory Permissions Modification

BitPaymer can use icacls /reset and takeown /F to reset a targeted executable's permissions and then take ownership.[1]
Enterprise T1564 .004 Hide Artifacts: NTFS File Attributes

BitPaymer has copied itself to the :bin alternate data stream of a newly created file.[1]
Enterprise T1070 .006 Indicator Removal on Host: Timestomp

BitPaymer can modify the timestamp of an executable so that it can be identified and restored by the decryption tool.[1]
Enterprise T1490 Inhibit System Recovery

BitPaymer attempts to remove the backup shadow files from the host using vssadmin.exe Delete Shadows /All /Quiet.[1]
Enterprise T1112 Modify Registry

BitPaymer can set values in the Registry to help in execution.[1]

Enterprise T1106 Native API

BitPaymer has used dynamic API resolution to avoid identifiable strings within the binary, including RegEnumKeyW.[1]
Enterprise T1135 Network Share Discovery

BitPaymer can search for network shares on the domain or workgroup using net view .[1]
Enterprise T1027 Obfuscated Files or Information

BitPaymer has used RC4-encrypted strings and string hashes to avoid identifiable strings within the binary.[1]
Enterprise T1012 Query Registry

BitPaymer can use the RegEnumKeyW to iterate through Registry keys.[1]

Enterprise T1018 Remote System Discovery

BitPaymer can use net view to discover remote systems.[1]
Enterprise T1007 System Service Discovery

BitPaymer can enumerate existing Windows services on the host that are configured to run as LocalSystem.[1]

Groups That Use This Software

ID Name References
G0119 Indrik Spider

[1][2]

References

  1. Frankoff, S., Hartley, B. (2018, November 14). Big Game Hunting: The Evolution of INDRIK SPIDER From Dridex Wire Fraud to BitPaymer Targeted Ransomware. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  1. Podlosky, A., Feeley, B. (2021, March 17). INDRIK SPIDER Supersedes WastedLocker with Hades Ransomware to Circumvent OFAC Sanctions. Retrieved September 15, 2021.