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PUA.Win32.InstallCore.MANHOCBS

April 29, 2022
 Analysis by: Jeffrey Francis Bonaobra
 Modified by: Nathaniel Gregory Ragasa
 ALIASES:

PUA/InstallCore.Gen(ANTIVIR), Adware/InstallCore(FORTINET)

 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

Infection Channel:

Downloaded from the Internet, Dropped by other malware


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:

561,672 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

25 Apr 2022

Payload:

Connects to URLs/IPs, Drops files

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}.log
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\blank.gif
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\css\buttons.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\css\ie6_main.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\css\main.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\css\sdk-ui\browse.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\css\sdk-ui\button.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\css\sdk-ui\checkbox.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\css\sdk-ui\images\button-bg.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\css\sdk-ui\images\progress-bg.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\css\sdk-ui\progress-bar.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\defaultOffer\offer_code.dat
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\defaultOffer\offer_html.dat
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\defaultOffer\US\offer_code.dat
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\defaultOffer\US\offer_html.dat
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\images\back-button.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\images\Bg.jpg
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\images\close_button.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\images\finish-button.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\images\finish_button.jpg
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\images\icon.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\images\loader.gif
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\images\next-button-over.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\images\next-button.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\images\progress-bg.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\images\skip-button.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\images\Software.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\license.txt
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\locale\EN.locale
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\sdk\exceptlist.txt
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\bootstrap_36625.html
  • %Program Files%\is{random characters}.log
  • %User Temp%\ICReinstall_{File Name}.exe
  • %Desktop%\Continue FoxTab PDF Creator Installation.lnk
  • %User Temp%\{random characters}.log
  • %User Temp%\is1373634743\{random numbers}.cfg
  • %User Temp%\is1373634743\{random numbers}_Setup.CIS
  • %AppDataLocal%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\MSIMGSIZ.DAT

(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).. %Program Files% is the default Program Files folder, usually C:\Program Files in Windows 2000(32-bit), Server 2003(32-bit), XP, Vista(64-bit), 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit) , or C:\Program Files (x86) in Windows XP(64-bit), Vista(64-bit), 7(64-bit), 8(64-bit), 8.1(64-bit), 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).. %AppDataLocal% is the Local Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)

It creates the following folders:

  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\css\sdk-ui
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\defaultOffer
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\images
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\locale
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\sdk

(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).)

Other Details

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

  • http://cdnus.{BLOCKED}ile.com/Prod/PDFCreator-v2.cis
  • http://{BLOCKED}ile.com/Prod/PDFCreator-v2.cis

It does the following:

  • It displays the following during installation:

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.800

SSAPI PATTERN File:

2.509.00

SSAPI PATTERN Date:

28 Apr 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.XXPE50FFF055

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

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%\{random characters}.log
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\blank.gif
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\css\buttons.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\css\ie6_main.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\css\main.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\css\sdk-ui\browse.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\css\sdk-ui\button.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\css\sdk-ui\checkbox.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\css\sdk-ui\images\button-bg.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\css\sdk-ui\images\progress-bg.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\css\sdk-ui\progress-bar.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\defaultOffer\offer_code.dat
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\defaultOffer\offer_html.dat
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\defaultOffer\US\offer_code.dat
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\defaultOffer\US\offer_html.dat
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\images\back-button.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\images\Bg.jpg
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\images\close_button.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\images\finish-button.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\images\finish_button.jpg
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\images\icon.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\images\loader.gif
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\images\next-button-over.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\images\next-button.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\images\progress-bg.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\images\skip-button.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\images\Software.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\license.txt
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\locale\EN.locale
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\sdk\exceptlist.txt
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\bootstrap_36625.html
  • %Program Files%\is{random characters}.log
  • %User Temp%\ICReinstall_{File Name}.exe
  • %Desktop%\Continue FoxTab PDF Creator Installation.lnk
  • %User Temp%\{random characters}.log
  • %User Temp%\is1373634743\{random numbers}.cfg
  • %User Temp%\is1373634743\{random numbers}_Setup.CIS
  • %AppDataLocal%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\MSIMGSIZ.DAT

Step 5

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%\ish{random numbers}
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\css\sdk-ui
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\defaultOffer
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\images
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\locale
  • %User Temp%\ish{random numbers}\sdk

Step 6

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as PUA.Win32.InstallCore.MANHOCBS. 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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