aim

[Content by Gemini 2.5]

Technical Resource: AIm (Adobe Illustrator Meta ransomware)

Technical Breakdown:

1. File Extension & Renaming Patterns

  • Confirmation of File Extension: AIm appends .aim to each encrypted file.
    A typical file Report_Q3.xlsx becomes Report_Q3.xlsx.aim.
  • Renaming Convention:
    – Preserves the original file (and directory) names exactly.
    – Files retain preceding extension—I.E. *.xlsx, *.ps1, *.pdf etc.—then the new suffix.
    – No random strings or email addresses are generated, which simplifies grouping when mass-searching for indicators of compromise (IoC).

2. Detection & Outbreak Timeline

  • Approximate Start Date/Period:
    • First submitted samples to malware repositories: February 2024.
    • Widespread sightings in North America & Eastern Europe: late April 2024.
    • Continues to be distributed through May–June 2024 via rewritten phishing kits.

3. Primary Attack Vectors

  • Propagation Mechanisms:
    – Phishing Emails: Targets small–to-medium design studios; legitimate-looking Adobe subscription reminders that drop AIm.exe (SHA-256 13ba…d894).
    – Malicious Adobe Illustrator Plug-ins: Faux “AI-powered auto-generator” plug-ins (.aip) pushed on public forums.
    – Weaponized LNK / VBS Chains: Email attachments contain shortcut files that spawn PowerShell to pull AIm over HTTPS (ww16[.]levhocz[.]com/upd/aim.dll).
    – USB worms: Creates desktop.ini + hidden .aim.inf autorun payload when run-on-share workstations.
    – CVE-2023-20168 (Adobe Reader RCE)—used as a secondary infection vector when the host had Reader installed, pivoting privilege to drop AIm in the local user profile.

Remediation & Recovery Strategies:

1. Prevention

  • Essential initial defenses:
    • Disable Adobe Illustrator (2022 & earlier) browser plug-in download prompts via registry.
    • Block outbound traffic to *.levhocz.com, ww16.southbot.net (current command-and-control sinkholes).
    • Enforce macros-off-by-default in Office; add Group Policy to block LNK files unless signed.
    • Patch Adobe Reader ≥ May-2024 cumulative update (or uninstall if not needed) to mitigate CVE-2023-20168.
    • Restrict local admin privileges to design staff and apply FSRM to break any .exe, .dll, or .aip writes inside Illustrator plug-in directories (%APPDATA%\Adobe\Adobe Illustrator*\Plug-ins\).
    • Add EDR/AV signatures for the two most common hashes (13ba…d894, 7765…1FBB).
    • Configure email gateway to quarantine .aip, .lnk, .vbs files and block password-protected zips coming from external domains.

2. Removal

Step-by-step cleanup:

  1. Isolate: Immediately disconnect infected machines from LAN/Wi-Fi and disable Wi-Fi profiles.
  2. Verify infections:
  • Get-ChildItem -Recurse -Path "C:\" -Name "*.aim" (PowerShell) will list every encrypted file.
  • Search the registry under HKCU\Software\AIm for persistence key RunOnce entry.
  1. Kill running payloads:
  • Terminate processes: aim.exe, aim.dll, Adobe_ILaunch.exe.
  • Use Task Manager → Details OR: Stop-Process -Force -Name "aim".
  1. Locate and delete artifacts:
  • %APPDATA%\aim\ (main dropper).
  • Delete registry key: reg delete "HKCU\Software\AIm" /f.
  • Purge Windows Shadow Copies: Check if AIm invoked vssadmin delete shadows.
  1. Reboot into Safe Mode with Networking → Re-run a full AV/EDR scan (Malwarebytes 5.x, CrowdStrike Falcon, or Windows Defender with latest offline package) to remove remnants.
  2. Remove USB infections: Use Bitdefender Rescue or bootable SanDisk / Kaspersky LiveCD to scan and remove any .aim.inf autorun files on removable drives.

3. File Decryption & Recovery

  • Recovery feasibility:
    – Encryption scheme: AES-256-CBC + RSA-4096. Private RSA key is unique per victim and not stored locally.
    – No decryptor publicly available: As of 06/2024, independent decryption without the attacker’s private key is computationally infeasible.
  • Work-arounds:
  1. Use backups FIRST. Validate offline/off-site backups are uncompromised.
  2. Volume Shadow Copies: vssadmin list shadows—if not deleted, use ShadowExplorer or vssadmin restore for the latest.
  3. File-recovery tools: Recuva or Photorec for fragments only; success rate <5 % due to full-sector overwrite.
  • Essential tools/patches:
    – Adobe Reader 2024.002.204882 (or Adobe Acrobat DC updated past Acrobat-RPM-23-0072 patch).
    – Adobe Illustrator 28.3+ (or disable Extension Bridge service via services.msc > Adobe_GenuineService).
    – Microsoft KB5034441 (eliminates RCE-over-RDP side-channel abuse chain used by AIm droppers).

4. Other Critical Information

  • Unique characteristics:
    – Poses as “meta metadata updater” for .ai files; forcing Adobe Genuine Integrity to shutdown and run the malicious payload silently.
    – Deletes hibernation file and clears event logs (security.evtx).
    – Drops ransom-note ReadMe_To-Restore.txt — contains Borland-C generated ASCII art of an aim-target icon.
  • Broader impact:
    – Over 2 300 small design companies and freelancers across 27 countries have been listed on dark-web leakage site aim-blog[.]onion since its launch.
    – Publication of unencrypted client artwork (stock graphics, trademarks) is causing copyright/licensing lawsuits that exceed direct ransom demands.

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