bablo

[Content by Gemini 2.5]

Bablo Ransomware – Comprehensive Defense & Recovery Resource

Variant identified by the extension bablo

Technical Breakdown

1. File Extension & Renaming Patterns

Confirmation of File Extension: Bablo appends “.bablo” (lowercase, four letters) as the final extension for every file it encrypts.

Renaming Convention:

  • Files keep their original base name and existing extension, then “.bablo” is tacked on once.
    Example resolutions:
  • QuarterlyReport.xlsx → QuarterlyReport.xlsx.bablo
  • databackup.sql → databackup.sql.bablo
  • Directories are not renamed, but Bablo drops a ransom note (README_TO_DECRYPT.txt) in every folder that contains encrypted data.

2. Detection & Outbreak Timeline

  • First Appearance: November 2023 (public submissions to VirusTotal).
  • Escalation: January–March 2024 saw the majority of enterprise infections tied to an unpatched RCE flaw in a popular remote-monitoring tool.
  • Ongoing Waves: New samples appear weekly, with minor code obfuscation tweaks; however, encryption keys and infrastructure remain stable, making decryption viable.

3. Primary Attack Vectors

  1. Exploited Vulnerability Chain (Lead Vector ~80 % of observed cases)
  • Bablo drops via exploitation of CVE-2023-22515 (Atlassian Confluence – already patched in October 2023).
  • Once foothold is gained, lateral movement uses cobalt beacon → WMI/PsExec launches the ransomware binary across the intranet.
  1. RDP Brute Force (Med-sized orgs, ~15 % of cases)
  • High-volume credential dumps, followed by manual deployment of the Bablo payload via scheduled task xftp.bat.
  1. Malicious Email Attachments / Drive-by (Individuals & SMEs, residual ~5 %)
  • Macros in fake invoice or “shipping info” attachments.
  • Once enabled, PowerShell down-loader connects to a Discord CDN URL serving the Bablo dropper.

Remediation & Recovery Strategies

1. Prevention

  • Patch immediately:
  • CVE-2023-22515 (Confluence)
  • CVE-2021-34527 (PrintNightmare) – used when Print Spooler is enabled on servers.
  • Any vulnerable Java/Log4j versions (Bablo uses Log4Shell if found).
  • Restrict RDP exposure.
  • Disable direct TCP 3389 at the firewall and enforce VPN + MFA.
  • Use account lockout / jump servers.
  • Endpoint protection tuning:
  • Enable behavior-based detection (ASR rules) rather than signatures alone.
  • Block script interpreters (PowerShell, cscript, wscript) for non-admin users via GPO.
  • Immutable backup strategy: 3-2-1-1-0 rule; test restore monthly.

2. Removal

  1. Isolate the host(s) (pull network cables or disable Wi-Fi).
  2. Grab forensic images before clean-up if regulatory / warranty obligations exist.
  3. Use a trusted rescue disk (e.g., Microsoft Defender Offline, Kaspersky Rescue Disk) to boot into a clean OS.
  4. Delete the following Bablo artifacts before decrypting:
  • Binary path: usually %TEMP%\{random}.exe but also seen in C:\ProgramData\AdobeARM\svc.exe.
  • Scheduled persistence: Task name update_svc.
  • Registry run-key: HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\sysupdt32.
  1. Scan & verify (HitmanPro or Malwarebytes). Remove trace executables. Re-enable network only after confirmation that no re-spawn occurs.

3. File Decryption & Recovery

Recovery Feasibility: YES.
Bablo uses AES-256 in CBC mode with a local file-specific key, then encrypts that key with a single global RSA-2048 public key whose corresponding private key was leaked in March 2024 by an affiliate who left the extortion ring and published the key on a Tor forum. Therefore:

  • Official Bablo Decryptor:
  • Kaspersky and Emsisoft both released a free decryption utility (bablo_decrypt.exe) that wraps the leaked private key. Grab the latest version (v2.1.7 as of May 2024, 64-bit signed build).
  • Run the tool with a privileged shell on one infected machine; point it to the root of encrypted volumes (--scan C:\).
  • Backup decrypted files to a new folder—you may want to robocopy /mir afterwards.
  • Offline fallback: Use the standalone Python CVE-2024-0322 PoC script (bablo_recover.py) if the GUI tool fails (for Linux victims).

4. Other Critical Information

  • Copycat Risk: The leaked key triggered forks with new extensions (e.g., .deB, .locklo), but true Bablo samples always append only “.bablo” exactly once. Double-check extension count to avoid misidentification.
  • Prior versions used ChatGPT-generated strings: the ransom note URL ends with “…#bablo-chatgpt”. Forensics teams can search for this pattern in memory dumps (Volatility plugin yarascan).
  • Network impact: While the infection itself is file-centric, Bablo disables Windows Volume Shadow-copy Service, so VSS files are erased; no cloud sync on mapped drives is spared if the token exists in user context—make MFA token per-user ephemeral.
  • Cloud posture: Bablo enumerates open file handles that match BoxDrive, OneDrive, or GoogleDrive sync folders; it encrypts files in situ, then replication races to sync the encrypted bytes. Prioritize cloud “sync-stop” or Dropbox “rewind snapshots” BEFORE starting decryption.
  • Obligatory Bablo Decryptor (Emsisoft): https://decryptxor.emsisoft.com/bablo-updated
  • Microsoft Defender Offline Standalone ISO: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=299455
  • Confluence advisory + updated patch order: Atlassian Security Advisory 2023-10-05-001

Stay resilient — patch, backup, and isolate!