name: SamSam Ransomware
id: c4b89506-fbcf-4cb7-bfd6-527e54789604
version: 1
date: '2018-12-13'
author: Rico Valdez, Splunk
type: batch
description: Leverage searches that allow you to detect and investigate unusual activities
  that might relate to the SamSam ransomware, including looking for file writes associated
  with SamSam, RDP brute force attacks, the presence of files with SamSam ransomware
  extensions, suspicious psexec use, and more.
narrative: 'The first version of the SamSam ransomware (a.k.a. Samas or SamsamCrypt)
  was launched in 2015 by a group of Iranian threat actors. The malicious software
  has affected and continues to affect thousands of victims and has raised almost
  $6M in ransom.\

  Although categorized under the heading of ransomware, SamSam campaigns have some
  importance distinguishing characteristics. Most notable is the fact that conventional
  ransomware is a numbers game. Perpetrators use a "spray-and-pray" approach with
  phishing campaigns or other mechanisms, charging a small ransom (typically under
  $1,000). The goal is to find a large number of victims willing to pay these mini-ransoms,
  adding up to a lucrative payday. They use relatively simple methods for infecting
  systems.\

  SamSam attacks are different beasts. They have become progressively more targeted
  and skillful than typical ransomware attacks. First, malicious actors break into
  a victim''s network, surveil it, then run the malware manually. The attacks are
  tailored to cause maximum damage and the threat actors usually demand amounts in
  the tens of thousands of dollars.\

  In a typical attack on one large healthcare organization in 2018, the company ended
  up paying a ransom of four Bitcoins, then worth $56,707. Reports showed that access
  to the company''s files was restored within two hours of paying the sum.\

  According to Sophos, SamSam previously leveraged  RDP to gain access to targeted
  networks via brute force. SamSam is not spread automatically, like other malware.
  It requires skill because it forces the attacker to adapt their tactics to the individual
  environment. Next, the actors escalate their privileges to admin level. They scan
  the networks for worthy targets, using conventional tools, such as PsExec or PaExec,
  to deploy/execute, quickly encrypting files.\

  This Analytic Story includes searches designed to help detect and investigate signs
  of the SamSam ransomware, such as the creation of fileswrites to system32, writes
  with tell-tale extensions, batch files written to system32, and evidence of brute-force
  attacks via RDP.'
references:
- https://www.crowdstrike.com/blog/an-in-depth-analysis-of-samsam-ransomware-and-boss-spider/
- https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2018/07/31/samsam-the-almost-6-million-ransomware/
- https://thehackernews.com/2018/07/samsam-ransomware-attacks.html
tags:
  analytic_story: SamSam Ransomware
  category:
  - Malware
  product:
  - Splunk Enterprise
  - Splunk Enterprise Security
  - Splunk Cloud
  usecase: Advanced Threat Detection
