ADW_ARCHSMS

July 09, 2015
 Analysis by: RonJay Kristoffer Caragay
 ALIASES:

Hoax.Win32.FakeInstaller.tv (Kaspersky); Riskware/FileTour (Fortinet); Adware/Win32.SMSHoax (AhnLab-V3); Trojan.FakeAV (Symantec);

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Adware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: No

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Downloaded from the Internet, Dropped by other malware

This adware 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.

It executes downloaded files whose malicious routines are exhibited by the affected system.

It connects to certain websites to send and receive information.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

1,635,840 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

25 Nov 2014

Payload:

Connects to URLs/IPs, Downloads files, Displays ads

Arrival Details

This adware 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 downloaded from the following remote sites:

  • http://{BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}fs.ru/download.php

It may be manually installed by a user.

Download Routine

This adware connects to the following website(s) to download and execute a malicious file:

  • http://{BLOCKED}kmailru.{BLOCKED}l.ru/mailruhomesearchvbm.exe
  • http://{BLOCKED}in.{BLOCKED}l.ru/AmigoDistrib.exe
  • http://www.{BLOCKED}o.{BLOCKED}a.ru/bx/1.dat?did=
  • http://www.{BLOCKED}o.{BLOCKED}a.ru/bx/64.dat?did=

It saves the files it downloads using the following names:

  • %User Temp%\mailruhomesearchvbm.exe
  • %User Temp%\AmigoDistrib.exe
  • %User Temp%\tq1.exe
  • %User Temp%\tq64.exe

(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.)

It executes downloaded files :

  • with the following parameters:
    • %User Temp%\mailruhomesearchvbm.exe /silent --without-updater /rfr={data} --mpcln=9516 /partner_homepage={URL} /partner_dse={URL} /partner_vbm={URL}
    • %User Temp%\AmigoDistrib.exe --silent --rfr={data} "--partner_new_url={URL}"
    • %User Temp%\tq1.exe ac627ab1ccbdb62ec96e702f07f6425b
    • %User Temp%\tq64.exe

(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.)

whose malicious routines are exhibited by the affected system.

Adware Routine

This adware connects to the following URL(s) to display ads on the affected system:

  • http://www.{BLOCKED}o.{BLOCKED}a.ru/jump.php --> redirects to http://{BLOCKED}tux.com/

Other Details

This adware connects to the following website to send and receive information:

  • http://{BLOCKED}s.{BLOCKED}linkers.ru/get_info?pid=7834
  • http://www.{BLOCKED}o.{BLOCKED}a.ru/notificate.php?did=&run=1

NOTES:

This adware disguise itself as a WinZip 2014 extractor.

It displays the following screenshots to trick users into thinking that the file being run is a legitimate extractor of the said application:

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.700

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 files

[ 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%\mailruhomesearchvbm.exe
  • %User Temp%\AmigoDistrib.exe
  • %User Temp%\tq1.exe
  • %User Temp%\tq64.exe

Step 4

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as ADW_ARCHSMS. 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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