PUA.Win32.MultiPlug.AG

October 04, 2022
 Analysis by: Jeffrey Francis Bonaobra
 ALIASES:

AdWare.Win32.MultiPlug (IKARUS)

 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.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

1,131,008 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

23 Sep 2022

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.

Installation

This Potentially Unwanted Application drops the following files:

  • %User Temp%\{random characters}\images\progressbar.gif
  • %User Temp%\{random characters}\images\loader.gif
  • %ProgramData%\{{GUID}}\{Malware File Name}.exe
  • %ProgramData%\{{GUID}}\{Malware File Name}.dat
  • %User Startup%\{Malware File Name}.lnk
  • %Desktop%\{Malware File Name}.lnk
  • %User Temp%\{random characters}\temp\{Malware File Name}.exe
  • %User Temp%\{random characters}\temp\bg.ca
  • %User Temp%\{random characters}\temp\1.ini.tmp
  • %User Temp%\{random characters}\temp\2.ini.tmp
  • %User Temp%\{random characters}\temp\3.ini.tmp

(Note: %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).. %ProgramData% is a version of the Program Files folder where any user on a multi-user computer can make changes to programs. This contains application data for all users. This is usually C:\ProgramData on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit), or C:\Documents and Settings\All Users on Windows Server 2003(32-bit), 2000(32-bit) and XP.. %User Startup% is the current user's Startup folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Profiles\{user name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\Profiles\{user name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows NT, C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows 2003(32-bit), XP and 2000(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit), 10(64-bit).. %Desktop% is the current user's desktop, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{User Name}\Desktop on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\Desktop on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

Other System Modifications

This Potentially Unwanted Application deletes the following files:

  • %User Temp%\{random characters}\temp\1.ini.tmp
  • %User Temp%\{random characters}\temp\2.ini.tmp
  • %User Temp%\{random characters}\temp\3.ini.tmp
  • %Desktop%\{Malware File Name}.lnk

(Note: %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).. %Desktop% is the current user's desktop, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{User Name}\Desktop on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\Desktop on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\WebApp\
Styles
MaxScriptStatements = 4294967295

Other Details

This Potentially Unwanted Application adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\WebApp

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\WebApp\
Styles

It connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • c1.{BLOCKED}nal.org/?step_id=1&sf=1&installer_id=4229222363221866106&publisher_id=22353&source_id=0&page_id=0&affiliate_id=0&country_code={Country Code}&locale={System Locale}&browser_id=4&download_id=9029616262563846649&external_id=1423723032683424882&installer_type=IX_2013&hardware_id=2876842452115866615&session_id=5816147515118672095&external_id=1423723032683424882&q={Malware File Name}&product_name={Malware File Name}&installer_file_name={Malware File Name}&ifr=1&pb=http%3A%2F%2Fads.{BLOCKED}tfiles.com%2Fclick.php%3Fc%3D2129%26z%3D6%26b%3D2106%26r%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2F{BLOCKED}ican.com%2Fwiz_3&jxbo=1&ttl=1423723032686&self_redirect=0&project_encode_id=22353&enc_u_p=1&enc_u_p=1&st=0&IX_Startapp=1&filesize=&sr=1&st=0&IX_Startapp=1&uuid=%252A
  • r1.{BLOCKED}s.org/
  • c2.{BLOCKED}y.link/?step_id=1&sf=1&installer_id=4229222363221866106&publisher_id=22353&source_id=0&page_id=0&affiliate_id=0&country_code={Country Code}&locale={System Locale}&browser_id=4&download_id=9029616262563846649&external_id=1423723032683424882&installer_type=IX_2013&hardware_id=2876842452115866615&session_id=5816147515118672095&external_id=1423723032683424882&q={Malware File Name}&product_name={Malware File Name}&installer_file_name={Malware File Name}&ifr=1&pb=http%3A%2F%2Fads.{BLOCKED}tfiles.com%2Fclick.php%3Fc%3D2129%26z%3D6%26b%3D2106%26r%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2F{BLOCKED}ican.com%2Fwiz_3&jxbo=1&ttl=1423723032686&self_redirect=0&project_encode_id=22353&enc_u_p=1&enc_u_p=1&st=0&IX_Startapp=1&filesize=&sr=1&st=0&IX_Startapp=1&uuid=%252A
  • c1.{BLOCKED}nal.org/?step_id=2&sf=1&installer_id=4229222363221866106&publisher_id=22353&source_id=0&page_id=0&affiliate_id=0&country_code={Country Code}&locale={System Locale}&browser_id=4&download_id=9029616262563846649&external_id=1423723032683424882&installer_type=IX_2013&hardware_id=2876842452115866615&session_id=5816147515118672095&external_id=1423723032683424882&q={Malware File Name}&product_name={Malware File Name}&installer_file_name={Malware File Name}&ifr=1&pb=http%3A%2F%2Fads.{BLOCKED}tfiles.com%2Fclick.php%3Fc%3D2129%26z%3D6%26b%3D2106%26r%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2F{BLOCKED}ican.com%2Fwiz_3&jxbo=1&ttl=1423723032686&self_redirect=0&project_encode_id=22353&enc_u_p=1&enc_u_p=1&st=0&IX_Startapp=1&filesize=&sr=1&st=0&IX_Startapp=1&uuid=%252A
  • r2.{BLOCKED}rth.info/
  • c2.{BLOCKED}y.link/?step_id=2&sf=1&installer_id=4229222363221866106&publisher_id=22353&source_id=0&page_id=0&affiliate_id=0&country_code={Country Code}&locale={System Locale}&browser_id=4&download_id=9029616262563846649&external_id=1423723032683424882&installer_type=IX_2013&hardware_id=2876842452115866615&session_id=5816147515118672095&external_id=1423723032683424882&q={Malware File Name}&product_name={Malware File Name}&installer_file_name={Malware File Name}&ifr=1&pb=http%3A%2F%2Fads.{BLOCKED}tfiles.com%2Fclick.php%3Fc%3D2129%26z%3D6%26b%3D2106%26r%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2F{BLOCKED}ican.com%2Fwiz_3&jxbo=1&ttl=1423723032686&self_redirect=0&project_encode_id=22353&enc_u_p=1&enc_u_p=1&st=0&IX_Startapp=1&filesize=&sr=1&st=0&IX_Startapp=1&uuid=%252A
  • c1.{BLOCKED}nal.org/?step_id=3&sf=1&installer_id=4229222363221866106&publisher_id=22353&source_id=0&page_id=0&affiliate_id=0&country_code={Country Code}&locale={System Locale}&browser_id=4&download_id=9029616262563846649&external_id=1423723032683424882&installer_type=IX_2013&hardware_id=2876842452115866615&session_id=5816147515118672095&external_id=1423723032683424882&q={Malware File Name}&product_name={Malware File Name}&installer_file_name={Malware File Name}&ifr=1&pb=http%3A%2F%2Fads.{BLOCKED}tfiles.com%2Fclick.php%3Fc%3D2129%26z%3D6%26b%3D2106%26r%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2F{BLOCKED}ican.com%2Fwiz_3&jxbo=1&ttl=1423723032686&self_redirect=0&project_encode_id=22353&enc_u_p=1&enc_u_p=1&st=0&IX_Startapp=1&filesize=&sr=1&st=0&IX_Startapp=1&uuid=%252A
  • c2.{BLOCKED}y.link/?step_id=3&sf=1&installer_id=4229222363221866106&publisher_id=22353&source_id=0&page_id=0&affiliate_id=0&country_code={Country Code}&locale={System Locale}&browser_id=4&download_id=9029616262563846649&external_id=1423723032683424882&installer_type=IX_2013&hardware_id=2876842452115866615&session_id=5816147515118672095&external_id=1423723032683424882&q={Malware File Name}&product_name={Malware File Name}&installer_file_name={Malware File Name}&ifr=1&pb=http%3A%2F%2Fads.{BLOCKED}tfiles.com%2Fclick.php%3Fc%3D2129%26z%3D6%26b%3D2106%26r%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2F{BLOCKED}ican.com%2Fwiz_3&jxbo=1&ttl=1423723032686&self_redirect=0&project_encode_id=22353&enc_u_p=1&enc_u_p=1&st=0&IX_Startapp=1&filesize=&sr=1&st=0&IX_Startapp=1&uuid=%252A

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.800

SSAPI PATTERN File:

2.553.00

SSAPI PATTERN Date:

29 Sep 2022

Step 1

Trend Micro Predictive Machine Learning detects and blocks malware at the first sign of its existence, before it executes on your system. When enabled, your Trend Micro product detects this malware under the following machine learning name:

    • TROJ.Win32.TRX.XXPE50FFF060

Step 2

Before doing any scans, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 users must disable System Restore to allow full scanning of their computers.

Step 3

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 4

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\WebApp\Styles
    • MaxScriptStatements = 4294967295

Step 5

Delete this registry key

[ 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\WebApp
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\WebApp\Styles

Step 6

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%\{random characters}\images\progressbar.gif
  • %User Temp%\{random characters}\images\loader.gif
  • %ProgramData%\{{GUID}}\{Malware File Name}.exe
  • %ProgramData%\{{GUID}}\{Malware File Name}.dat
  • %User Startup%\{Malware File Name}.lnk
  • %Desktop%\{Malware File Name}.lnk
  • %User Temp%\{random characters}\temp\{Malware File Name}.exe
  • %User Temp%\{random characters}\temp\bg.ca
  • %User Temp%\{random characters}\temp\1.ini.tmp
  • %User Temp%\{random characters}\temp\2.ini.tmp
  • %User Temp%\{random characters}\temp\3.ini.tmp

Step 7

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as PUA.Win32.MultiPlug.AG. 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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