ADW_PLUGIN

December 12, 2013
 Analysis by: Sabrina Lei Sioting
 Modified by: Mark Joseph Manahan
 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003

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

  • Threat Type: Adware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: Yes

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Dropped by other malware, Downloaded from the Internet

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 dropped by other malware.

It presents itself as a plugin/add-on/extension for certain applications.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

57,856 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

01 Jun 2012

Payload:

Drops files

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 dropped by the following malware:

  • SPYW_FAKEHACK

Installation

This adware drops the following files:

  • %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0\chrome\background.html
  • %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0\chrome\google.html
  • %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0\chrome\manifest.json
  • %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0\chrome.crx
  • %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0\chrome.manifest
  • %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0\chrome.pem
  • %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0\content
  • %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0\content\googlebar.js
  • %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0\content\googlebar.xul
  • %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0\install.rdf
  • %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0\MyGoogle.html
  • %Application Data%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{random}.default\.autoreg
  • %Application Data%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{random}.default\downloads.sqlite
  • %Application Data%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{random}.default\bookmarkbackups\bookmarks-{year}-{month}-{day}.json

(Note: %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista and 7.)

It creates the following folders:

  • %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar
  • %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar
  • %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0
  • %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0\chrome

(Note: %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista and 7.)

Autostart Technique

This adware adds the following registry entries to install itself as a Browser Helper Object (BHO):

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Mozilla\
Firefox\Extensions
googlebar@google.com = "%Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Wow6432Node\
Mozilla\Firefox\Extensions
googlebar@google.com = "%Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Google\Chrome\Extensions\
fldnjidbmhkdbjmojbopclcjbjonnanb
path = "%Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0\chrome.crx"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Google\Chrome\Extensions\
fldnjidbmhkdbjmojbopclcjbjonnanb
version = "1.0"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Google\
Chrome\Extensions\fldnjidbmhkdbjmojbopclcjbjonnanb
path = "%Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0\chrome.crx"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Google\
Chrome\Extensions\fldnjidbmhkdbjmojbopclcjbjonnanb
version = "1.0"

Other System Modifications

This adware adds the following registry keys as part of its installation routine:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Mozilla

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Mozilla\
Firefox

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Mozilla\
Firefox\Extensions

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Wow6432Node

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Wow6432Node\
Mozilla

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Wow6432Node\
Mozilla\Firefox

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Wow6432Node\
Mozilla\Firefox\Extensions

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Google

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Google\Chrome

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Google\Chrome\Extensions

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Google\Chrome\Extensions\
fldnjidbmhkdbjmojbopclcjbjonnanb

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Google\
Chrome

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Google\
Chrome\Extensions

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Google\
Chrome\Extensions\fldnjidbmhkdbjmojbopclcjbjonnanb

Other Details

This adware presents itself as a plugin/add-on/extension for the following applications:

  • Facebook Hacker Pro

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.200

SSAPI PATTERN File:

1.294.03

SSAPI PATTERN Date:

01 Jun 2012

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

Remove the malware/grayware file that dropped/downloaded ADW_PLUGIN

Step 3

Close all opened browser windows

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. Before you could do this, you must restart in Safe Mode. For instructions on how to do this, you may refer to this page If the preceding step requires you to restart in safe mode, you may proceed to edit the system registry.

  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Google\Chrome\Extensions
    • fldnjidbmhkdbjmojbopclcjbjonnanb
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Google\Chrome\Extensions
    • fldnjidbmhkdbjmojbopclcjbjonnanb

Step 5

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.
  • %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar

Step 6

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


Did this description help? Tell us how we did.