bkqfmsahpt

[Content by Gemini 2.5]

Technical Breakdown – “.bkqfmsahpt” Ransomware

1. File Extension & Renaming Patterns

  • Confirmation of File Extension: “.bkqfmsahpt” is appended as a fifth-level extension (e.g., picture.jpg.bkqfmsahpt).
  • Renaming Convention: 
  <original_filename>.<original_ext>.bkqfmsahpt

You will NOT see any e-mail address or victim-ID between the name parts – just the original name + the new extension.

2. Detection & Outbreak Timeline

  • First Sample Seen: Mid-January 2024 (initial VT (VirusTotal) uploads began around 15 Jan 2024).
  • Mass Distribution Spike: Late January → February 2024 when two clusters of phishing e-mails carrying malicious LNKs were observed. Subsequent spikes followed in March 2024 via cracked-software forums.

3. Primary Attack Vectors

| Vector | Details | Typical Entry Artifact |
|-|-|-|
| Malspam Campaigns (initial wave) | ISO & password-protected ZIP attachments containing LNK droppers that fetch the .bkqfmsahpt loader from Discord CDN | E-mail with subject “Outstanding Invoice #7482” |
| Cracked Software & Keygens (late Jan-Mar 2024) | Promises pirated Adobe & CAD products packed inside a self-extracting RAR that silently executes the ransomware | Malware disguised as “AutoCAD 2024 Pre-activated.exe” on popular torrent trackers |
| Drive-by Downloads via SEO-Poisoning | Malicious Google Ads leading to fake Notepad++ updates | Fake download sites: notepad-plus[.]pl, npp[.]updates[.]top |
| Microsoft SQL / RDP Bruteforce (post-compromise) | Operators obtain weak RDP or SQL passwords, laterally move with PSExec and drop the same .bkqfmsahpt payload | Evidence of RDP logins from IP ranges in Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia |

Remediation & Recovery Strategies

1. Prevention

  1. Patch externally facing systems immediately:
  • Windows MS17-010 (EternalBlue) – although old, this strain sometimes chains it for LAN propagation.
  • SQL / MSSQL RCE (e.g., CVE-2021-1636).
  1. Disable SMBv1 and restrict RDP to VPN-only or implement RDG (Remote Desktop Gateway).
  2. E-mail defences:
  • Strip ISO/ZIP executables at the gateway.
  • Deploy SPF/DKIM/DMARC with strict reject policies to prevent look-alike domains.
  1. Application whitelisting / Device Control: Prevent LNK/HTA/JS execution inside %TEMP% via Microsoft Defender ASR rules or AppLocker.
  2. Credential Hygiene: Enforce complex passwords, rotate default SQL sa/RDP accounts, disable local Administrator via LAPS.

2. Removal (Step-by-Step Cleanup)

  1. Physical Disconnect: Immediately isolate the affected workstation or server from the network (pull cable / disable Wi-Fi).
  2. Boot from Known Good Media: Use a write-protected Windows PE or Linux LiveCD to avoid mounting the encrypted volumes writeable.
  3. Manual Forensics & Persistence Elimination:
  • Check Scheduled Tasks → %SystemRoot%\Tasks\<randomGUID>.job (name is 8-char hex)
  • Inspect Registry Run-keys: HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RandomTaskServicePath – delete if found.
  • Remove any file in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\<username>\bkqfmsahpt.exe (payload uses random folder names).
  1. Antimalware Scan: Modern signatures (Windows Defender v.1.403.364.0+ & Malwarebytes 4.6.x) positively detect .bkqfmsahpt binaries. Run full scan, reboot to Safe-Mode (no networking) and re-scan.
  2. Re-image or Restore System State: If a clean backup image post-progression (before encryption) is unavailable, re-install operating system from scratch rather than trusting manual cleanup.

3. File Decryption & Recovery

  • Recovery Feasibility: No practical free decryptor exists as of 05 October 2024.
    – Uses ChaCha20 + RSA-2048, master private key held offline by operators.
    – Intrusive file wiping (overwriting encrypted files’ areas 3×) is not implemented; recovery by raw-imaging is sometimes possible in survivors experiencing a loss-of-power before the final wipe routine.
  • Only reliable method: Restore clean backups (Veeam, Acronis, Azure/AWS snapshots, tape) whose history predates the infection.
  • Check TapeR toolset: bkqfmsahptdecrypt.exe surfaced on GitHub mid-April 2024 but turned out to be a fake honeypot wallet-drainer – avoid.

4. Other Critical Information

  • Ransom-Note Filenames: readme.txt / READMEbkqfmsahpt.txt_ placed in every folder encrypted. Contains oddly-spelled Russian-English text demanding $980 (or $490 within 72 hrs) in Bitcoin to a fixed address.

  • Unique TTPs Differentiators:
    – Employs echo vs ping for network connectivity checks (uncommon).
    – Exfiltrates ~100 KB of victim data (browser credentials, FTP sites found on disk) to Mega.nz using MegaCMD API – which may lead to double-extortion if the file-set is of financial interest.
    – Skips files larger than 50 MB when victim language is Russian — a geofence/troll.

  • Broader Impact:
    – Small-medium businesses in construction, accounting and dentists have been disproportionately targeted because the trojanized cracked/illegal software is prevalent in these verticals.
    – Detection increase of 340 % during the Torrent spring-break spike demonstrates that piracy-led infections are now the primary driver for new .bkqfmsahpt infections.

Action Summary Card (Share With Users)

  1. DO: Disconnect first → run full AV → restore from backups.
  2. DO NOT: Pay the ransom – contact ID-Ransomware (https://id-ransomware.malwarehunterteam.com) to receive updated decryptor alerts and escrow-law-enforcement resources.
  3. Take-away: A single cracked CAD file led to weeks of downtime – review software license budgets immediately.

Stay alert, patch early, backup daily, and report incidents to your national CERT.