ADW_LOLLIPOP

April 03, 2016
 Analysis by: Andrei Castillo
 Modified by: Mar Philip Elaurza
 ALIASES:

Adware/Lollipop.FX.44(Antivir), Win32/Cryptor(AVG), W32/Skintrim.C!tr(Fortinet), Virus.Win32.Cryptor(Ikarus)

 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows Vista (32-bit, 64-bit), Windows 7 (32-bit, 64-bit)

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

  • Threat Type: Adware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

This adware arrives as a component bundled with malware/grayware packages.

It comes with an uninstall package that completely removes the files it dropped and the registries it created.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

371,904 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

03 Apr 2016

Arrival Details

This adware arrives as a component bundled with malware/grayware packages.

Installation

This adware drops the following files:

  • %AppDataLocal%\Lollipop\logo.ico
  • %AppDataLocal%\Lollipop\lollipop.bat
  • %AppDataLocal%\Lollipop\lollipop.lpd
  • %AppDataLocal%\Lollipop\lollipop_ps.lpd
  • %Start Menu%\Programs\Lollipop.lnk

(Note: %AppDataLocal% is the Application Data folder found in Local Settings, where it is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local 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.. %Start Menu% is the Start Menu folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Start Menu on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu 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 drops and executes the following files:

  • %AppDataLocal%\Lollipop\lollipop.exe

(Note: %AppDataLocal% is the Application Data folder found in Local Settings, where it is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local 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 creates the following folders:

  • %AppDataLocal%\Lollipop

(Note: %AppDataLocal% is the Application Data folder found in Local Settings, where it is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local 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.)

Autostart Technique

This adware adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
lollipop = ""%AppDataLocal%\lollipop\lollipop.exe" lollipop"

It drops the following file(s) in the Windows User Startup folder to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

  • %Start Menu%\Programs\lollipop.lnk

(Note: %Start Menu% is the Start Menu folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Start Menu on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu 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 adware adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\lollipop

Other Details

This adware adds the following registry entries to add an uninstall option to the Control Panel:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
lollipop

It comes with an uninstall package that completely removes the files it dropped and the registries it added.

NOTES:

This adware may send information such as browsing history to its remote server which it can use for advertising purposes.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.800

SSAPI PATTERN File:

1.716.43

SSAPI PATTERN Date:

22 Mar 2016

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\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • lollipop = ""%AppDataLocal%\lollipop\lollipop.exe" lollipop"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
    • lollipop

Step 4

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
    • lollipop

Step 5

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.
  • %AppDataLocal%\Lollipop\logo.ico
  • %AppDataLocal%\Lollipop\lollipop.bat
  • %AppDataLocal%\Lollipop\lollipop.lpd
  • %AppDataLocal%\Lollipop\lollipop_ps.lpd
  • %Start Menu%\Programs\Lollipop.lnk
  • %AppDataLocal%\Lollipop\lollipop.exe

Step 6

Search and delete this folder

[ 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.
  • %AppDataLocal%\Lollipop

Step 7

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to clean files detected as ADW_LOLLIPOP. 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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