PUA_OUTBROWSE

 Analysis by: Anthony Joe Melgarejo

 ALIASES:

Adware-OutBrowse.h (McAfee), not-a-virus:HEUR:AdWare.Win32.OutBrowse.heur (Kaspersky), Win32/OutBrowse.BZ (ESET)

 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 as a component bundled with malware/grayware packages.

It does not have any propagation routine.

It uses a user interface (UI).

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

45,568 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

08 Jan 2016

Payload:

Downloads files

Arrival Details

This potentially unwanted application arrives as a component bundled with malware/grayware packages.

Installation

This potentially unwanted application drops the following files:

  • %Desktop%\Setup_product_{random numbers 3}.exe - html file containing URL for redirection

(Note: %Desktop% is the desktop folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Desktop in Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\Desktop in 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.)

It creates the following folders:

  • %User Temp%\81445334{random numbers 1}
  • %User Temp%\81445334{random numbers 2}

(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.)

Propagation

This potentially unwanted application does not have any propagation routine.

Other Details

This potentially unwanted application uses the following user interface:

NOTES:

The installation user interface may be slightly different with other versions of this potentially unwanted application.

It connects to the URL http://srv.{BLOCKED}datasrv.com//offers/DynamicOfferScreen?{query} to download the images it uses for its installation user interface.

After the installation, it opens a web browser and visits the URL http://srv.{BLOCKED}-app.info/installer/thankyou?{query} to display an ad that will lead to another download of PUA.

Below are some examples of the visited web pages:

The file %Desktop%\Setup_product_{random numbers 3}.exe contains the redirection URL http://www.{BLOCKED}i.dj.

If it successfully connects to the above URL, it downloads another installer Mixi.DJ Toolbar and saves it as %User Temp%\81445334{random numbers 2}\Setup_product_{random numbers 4}.exe. However, as of this writing, it is already inaccessible.

It takes advantage of http://www.revenyou.com a pay-per-install service.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.750

SSAPI PATTERN File:

1.673.00

SSAPI PATTERN Date:

05 Nov 2015

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

Search and delete these folders

[ Learn More ]
Please make sure you check the Search Hidden Files and Folders checkbox in the More advanced options option to include all hidden folders in the search result.
  • %User Temp%\\81445334{random numbers 1}
  • %User Temp%\\81445334{random numbers 2}

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.  
  • %Desktop%\Setup_product_{random numbers 3}.exe

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as PUA_OUTBROWSE. 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 this Knowledge Base page for more information.


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