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PUA_ADLOAD.GA

April 20, 2018
 ALIASES:

Gen:Variant.Adware.Adload.25 (BitDefender); Downloader.Win32.AdLoad.tocc (Kaspersky)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 DAMAGE POTENTIAL:
 DISTRIBUTION POTENTIAL:
 REPORTED INFECTION:
 INFORMATION EXPOSURE:

  • Threat Type: Potentially Unwanted Application

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

This Potentially Unwanted Application arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites. It may be manually installed by a user.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

75,752 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

29 Aug 2015

Arrival Details

This Potentially Unwanted Application arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

It may be manually installed by a user.

Installation

This Potentially Unwanted Application drops the following files:

  • %User Temp%\nse{random string}.tmp\UserInfo.dll
  • %User Temp%\nse{random string}.tmp\System.dll
  • %User Temp%\nse{random string}.tmp\inetcw.dll
  • %User Temp%\nse{random string}.tmp\dwnldLink
  • %User Temp%\nse{random string}.tmp\Installer-75872556.exe
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Welcome.zip
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation.zip
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Welcome\img\bottomleft.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\index.html
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Welcome\img\bottomright.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Welcome\img\check-icon.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Welcome\img\download-logo.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\script.js
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Welcome\img\green-btn.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Welcome\img\grey-btn.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Welcome\img\installer-bg.jpg
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Welcome\img\topleft.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\styles.css
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Welcome\img\topright.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Welcome\img\windows-32x32.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\bottomleft.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Welcome\index.html
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\bottomright.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\download-logo.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\green-btn.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Finish.zip
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\grey-btn.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Welcome\script.js
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\installer-bg.jpg
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Welcome\styles.css
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Finish\index.html
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Finish\script.js
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Common\jquery.min.js
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\pause-button.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\progressbar-left.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\progressbar-right.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\progressfilled-left.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\progressfilled-right.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Finish\styles.css
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\resume-button.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\stop-button.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Common\json3.min.js
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Finish\img\bottomleft.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Common\stats.js
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Finish\img\bottomright.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Finish\img\download-logo.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\topleft.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\topright.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\windows-32x32.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Finish\img\green-btn.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Finish\img\grey-btn.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Finish\img\installer-bg.jpg
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Finish\img\topleft.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Finish\img\topright.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Finish\img\windows-32x32.png

(Note: %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)

Other System Modifications

This Potentially Unwanted Application adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\Styles
MaxScriptStatements = 4294967295

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows Script\Settings
JITDebug = 0

Other Details

This Potentially Unwanted Application connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://www.{BLOCKED}tall-download.com/advplatform/api.cgi?act=getConfig&appid={value}&pnid={value}&proto={value}
  • http://d3cuuzg6zdm61u.{BLOCKED}ront.net/advplatform/1/Welcome.zip
  • http://d3cuuzg6zdm61u.{BLOCKED}ront.net/advplatform/1/Installation.zip
  • http://d3cuuzg6zdm61u.{BLOCKED}ront.net/advplatform/1/Finish.zip
  • http://api.{BLOCKED}t.com/rest/v2.0/software/productDLM?partTag=spigotinstaller&productSetId={value}

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

SSAPI PATTERN File:

1.943.00

SSAPI PATTERN Date:

26 Apr 2018

Step 1

Before doing any scans, Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7 users must disable System Restore to allow full scanning of their computers.

Step 2

Note that not all files, folders, and registry keys and entries are installed on your computer during this malware's/spyware's/grayware's execution. This may be due to incomplete installation or other operating system conditions. If you do not find the same files/folders/registry information, please proceed to the next step.

Step 3

Delete this registry value

[ Learn More ]

Important: Editing the Windows Registry incorrectly can lead to irreversible system malfunction. Please do this step only if you know how or you can ask assistance from your system administrator. Else, check this Microsoft article first before modifying your computer's registry.

  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Styles
    • MaxScriptStatements = 4294967295
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows Script\Settings
    • JITDebug = 0

Step 4

Search and delete this file

[ Learn More ]
There may be some files that are hidden. Please make sure you check the Search Hidden Files and Folders checkbox in the "More advanced options" option to include all hidden files and folders in the search result.  
  • %User Temp%\nse{random string}.tmp\UserInfo.dll
  • %User Temp%\nse{random string}.tmp\System.dll
  • %User Temp%\nse{random string}.tmp\inetcw.dll
  • %User Temp%\nse{random string}.tmp\dwnldLink
  • %User Temp%\nse{random string}.tmp\Installer-75872556.exe
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Welcome.zip
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation.zip
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Welcome\img\bottomleft.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\index.html
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Welcome\img\bottomright.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Welcome\img\check-icon.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Welcome\img\download-logo.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\script.js
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Welcome\img\green-btn.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Welcome\img\grey-btn.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Welcome\img\installer-bg.jpg
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Welcome\img\topleft.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\styles.css
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Welcome\img\topright.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Welcome\img\windows-32x32.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\bottomleft.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Welcome\index.html
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\bottomright.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\download-logo.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\green-btn.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Finish.zip
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\grey-btn.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Welcome\script.js
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\installer-bg.jpg
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Welcome\styles.css
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Finish\index.html
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Finish\script.js
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Common\jquery.min.js
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\pause-button.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\progressbar-left.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\progressbar-right.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\progressfilled-left.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\progressfilled-right.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Finish\styles.css
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\resume-button.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\stop-button.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Common\json3.min.js
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Finish\img\bottomleft.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Common\stats.js
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Finish\img\bottomright.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Finish\img\download-logo.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\topleft.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\topright.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Installation\img\windows-32x32.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Finish\img\green-btn.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Finish\img\grey-btn.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Finish\img\installer-bg.jpg
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Finish\img\topleft.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Finish\img\topright.png
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Finish\img\windows-32x32.png

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as PUA_ADLOAD.GA. If the detected files have already been cleaned, deleted, or quarantined by your Trend Micro product, no further step is required. You may opt to simply delete the quarantined files. Please check the following Trend Micro Support pages for more information:


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