Rewterz Threat Alert – ThiefQuest ransomware impersonating as Google Software Update program

Severity

High

Analysis Summary

A new data wiper and info-stealer called ThiefQuest is using ransomware as a decoy to steal files from macOS users. ThiefQuest includes the capability to check if it’s running in a virtual machine. It also checks for some common security tools and antimalware solutions and opens a reverse shell used for communication with its command-and-control (C2) server. Once the malware has been deployed, it starts encrypting certain types of files found on the system, including archives, images, audio and video files, documents, spreadsheets, presentations, databases and web files. 

Researchers have pointed out that all victims are provided the same Bitcoin address for paying the ransom and the ransom note does not include an email address or other information for contacting the attacker. 

Impact

File encryption

Indicators of Compromise

MD5

• 522962021e383c44afbd0bc788cf6da3
• 6d1a07f57da74f474b050228c6422790
• 98638d7cd7fe750b6eab5b46ff102abd

SHA-256

• b24dd25b42e82a9b4a3fedf05913a4318154e6b04d7e54510f9d3dcf4c8d3438
• d43291684d6412f537d7f2001c21ad58313643a3556b730c287aed2015624a31
• f409b059205d9a7700d45022dad179f889f18c58c7a284673975271f6af41794

SHA1

• 3f2739edcb6bb2fbf94af82fc4fe4bb6a9f0bf39
• 178b29ba691eea7f366a40771635dd57d8e8f7e8
• efc9cfa76c2780bb6cab373c93dbcb22718faf9e

Remediation

• Block all threat indicators at your respective controls.
• Search for IOCs in your existing environment.