PUA.Win32.HeroBrower.A


 PLATFORM:

Windows

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 REPORTED INFECTION:
 SYSTEM IMPACT RATING:
 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:

148,742 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

12 Mar 2020

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 adds the following processes:

  • "%User Temp%\~nsu.tmp\Au_.exe" _?=%User Temp%\
  • "%System%\cscript.exe" //Nologo "clear_cache.js"
  • "" -runmode=delproduct -name="Browser Hero"
  • "%System%\cscript.exe" //Nologo "main_installer.js" uninstall /product-name="Browser Hero" /installation-time="1573596146" /pid="2238" /zone="14129141" /czoneid="" /nmhost-dir="%Program Files%\Bench\NmHost" /app-id="38988" /updateip="54.235.90.58" /version="1.0" /straoi="" /enable-extensions /enable-incognito /chrome-id="dofnijjkjibmkamkpegfkcejeobabjgo" /chrome-update-url="http://dofnijjkjibmkamkpegfkcejeobabjgo/check/.eJwNyUsOgCAMANG7dE2Mbr2M4VO0LVADaEyMd5flvHmh2yawgj-qZgQDN9ZGWgYt0zyaSus2Jayw9nqhAXz6RmH8oLEQszC5LDbLiXsUj4zqrONd4fsB3gAhHw.Xayx-4vsApwm_Q8ewheyXlgyq2c" /close-chrome /close-firefox /close-ie
  • "" -runmode=delproduct -name="updater"
  • "" -runmode=delsystask
  • http://clicks.{BLOCKED}v.com/click?ch={GUID}

It creates the following folders:

  • %System Root%\Users
  • %User Profile%\AppData

(Note: %System Root% is the Windows root folder, where it usually is C:\ on all Windows operating system versions.. %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name} 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%\MSI20ab9.LOG
  • %User Temp%\MSI6f768.LOG
  • %User Temp%\dd_SetupUtility.txt
  • {malware file path and name}
  • %User Temp%\dd_vcredistUI0FC1.txt
  • %User Temp%\wmsetup.log
  • %User Temp%\MSIa6383.LOG
  • %User Temp%\AdobeSFX.log
  • %User Temp%\FXSAPIDebugLogFile.txt
  • %User Temp%\jawshtml.html
  • %User Temp%\ASPNETSetup_00001.log
  • %User Temp%\MSIa2c4d.LOG
  • %User Temp%\RGI282A.tmp-tmp
  • %User Temp%\MSI351f6.LOG
  • %User Temp%\Guest.bmp
  • %User Temp%\StructuredQuery.log
  • %User Temp%\vminst.log_20170124_112725.log
  • %User Temp%\Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5.2 Setup_20161212_135033207.html
  • %User Temp%\vmmsi.log_20170124_112725.log
  • %User Temp%\JavaDeployReg.log
  • %User Temp%\MSI7e436.LOG
  • %User Temp%\MSIcaa33.LOG
  • %User Temp%\MSId1a0.LOG
  • %User Temp%\dd_NDP452-KB2901907-x86-x64-AllOS-ENU_decompression_log.txt
  • %User Temp%\MSI547d8.LOG
  • %User Temp%\MSIaaade.LOG
  • %User Temp%\MSIf9aa9.LOG
  • %User Temp%\ose00000.exe
  • %User Temp%\MSIb5e83.LOG
  • %User Temp%\jusched.log
  • %User Temp%\MSI19f3b.LOG
  • %User Temp%\MSIbab6b.LOG
  • %User Temp%\MSI733bc.LOG
  • %User Temp%\dd_vcredistUI0FD5.txt
  • %User Temp%\SetupExe(201701240615299E0).log
  • %User Temp%\dd_vcredistMSI0FD5.txt
  • %User Temp%\MSIbaba9.LOG
  • %User Temp%\au-descriptor-1.8.0_211-b12.xml
  • %User Temp%\CR_E83EE.tmp\setup.exe
  • %User Temp%\Adobe_ADMLogs\Adobe_ADM.log
  • %User Temp%\ASPNETSetup_00000.log
  • %User Temp%\MSI25c23.LOG
  • %User Temp%\AdobeARM.log
  • %User Temp%\MSI27204.LOG
  • %User Temp%\dd_wcf_CA_smci_20161212_135110_351.txt
  • %User Temp%\{username}.bmp
  • %User Temp%\dd_vcredistMSI0FC1.txt
  • %User Temp%\Adobe_ADMLogs\Adobe_GDE.log
  • %User Temp%\chrome_BITS_3756_19263\9.1_all_easylist.crx3
  • %User Temp%\Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5.2 Setup_20161212_135033207-MSI_netfx_Full_GDR_x64.msi.txt
  • %User Temp%\MSI18620.LOG
  • %User Temp%\MSI97997.LOG
  • %User Temp%\Tom.bmp
  • %User Temp%\WebInstaller\ServiceUpdaterLogs.log
  • %User Temp%\MSI5a7c3.LOG
  • %User Temp%\MSI11747.LOG
  • %User Temp%\dd_wcf_CA_smci_20161212_135109_353.txt
  • %User Temp%\nsa9991.tmp
  • %User Temp%\MSIbee93.LOG
  • %User Temp%\chrome_installer.log

(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).)

It deletes the following folders:

  • %User Temp%\WebInstaller
  • %User Temp%\WPDNSE
  • %User Temp%\hsperfdata_{username}
  • %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP
  • %User Temp%\chrome_BITS_3756_19263
  • %User Temp%\Low
  • %User Temp%\nsa9991.tmp
  • %User Temp%\acrocef_low
  • %User Temp%\Deployment
  • %User Temp%\CR_E83EE.tmp
  • %User Temp%\mozilla-temp-files
  • %User Temp%\Adobe_ADMLogs

(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).)

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Browser Hero
SystemId = "6ce414a737ff73a3e361557fb08c2daa"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
AdvertisingSupport
SystemId = "6ce414a737ff73a3e361557fb08c2daa"

It deletes the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Run\BService

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Run\BService64

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Run\Wd

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Run\Bench Communicator Watcher

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Run\Bench Settings Cleaner

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Run\CService

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Run\CService64

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
Run\Browser Hero-repairJob

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\
RunOnce\Browser Hero-repairJob

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Browser Hero\(Default)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Browser Hero\AllowProxy

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Browser Hero\CDN

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Browser Hero\czoneid

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Browser Hero\InstallTime

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Browser Hero\Pid

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Browser Hero\SystemId

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Browser Hero\StrAOI

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Browser Hero\UTCInstallTime

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Browser Hero\ZoneId

Other Details

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

  • http://www.{BLOCKED}lping5.info

This report is generated via an automated analysis system.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

Step 1

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 2

Identify and terminate files detected as PUA.Win32.HeroBrower.A

[ Learn More ]
  1. Windows Task Manager may not display all running processes. In this case, please use a third-party process viewer, preferably Process Explorer, to terminate the malware/grayware/spyware file. You may download the said tool here.
  2. If the detected file is displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer but you cannot delete it, restart your computer in safe mode. To do this, refer to this link for the complete steps.
  3. If the detected file is not displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer, continue doing the next steps.

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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Browser Hero
    • SystemId = "6ce414a737ff73a3e361557fb08c2daa"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\AdvertisingSupport
    • SystemId = "6ce414a737ff73a3e361557fb08c2daa"

Step 4

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.
  • %System Root%\Users
  • %User Profile%\AppData

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as PUA.Win32.HeroBrower.A. 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:

Step 6

Restore this file from backup only Microsoft-related files will be restored. If this malware/grayware also deleted files related to programs that are not from Microsoft, please reinstall those programs on you computer again.

  • %User Temp%\MSI20ab9.LOG
  • %User Temp%\MSI6f768.LOG
  • %User Temp%\dd_SetupUtility.txt
  • {malware file path and name}
  • %User Temp%\dd_vcredistUI0FC1.txt
  • %User Temp%\wmsetup.log
  • %User Temp%\MSIa6383.LOG
  • %User Temp%\AdobeSFX.log
  • %User Temp%\FXSAPIDebugLogFile.txt
  • %User Temp%\jawshtml.html
  • %User Temp%\ASPNETSetup_00001.log
  • %User Temp%\MSIa2c4d.LOG
  • %User Temp%\RGI282A.tmp-tmp
  • %User Temp%\MSI351f6.LOG
  • %User Temp%\Guest.bmp
  • %User Temp%\StructuredQuery.log
  • %User Temp%\vminst.log_20170124_112725.log
  • %User Temp%\Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5.2 Setup_20161212_135033207.html
  • %User Temp%\vmmsi.log_20170124_112725.log
  • %User Temp%\JavaDeployReg.log
  • %User Temp%\MSI7e436.LOG
  • %User Temp%\MSIcaa33.LOG
  • %User Temp%\MSId1a0.LOG
  • %User Temp%\dd_NDP452-KB2901907-x86-x64-AllOS-ENU_decompression_log.txt
  • %User Temp%\MSI547d8.LOG
  • %User Temp%\MSIaaade.LOG
  • %User Temp%\MSIf9aa9.LOG
  • %User Temp%\ose00000.exe
  • %User Temp%\MSIb5e83.LOG
  • %User Temp%\jusched.log
  • %User Temp%\MSI19f3b.LOG
  • %User Temp%\MSIbab6b.LOG
  • %User Temp%\MSI733bc.LOG
  • %User Temp%\dd_vcredistUI0FD5.txt
  • %User Temp%\SetupExe(201701240615299E0).log
  • %User Temp%\dd_vcredistMSI0FD5.txt
  • %User Temp%\MSIbaba9.LOG
  • %User Temp%\au-descriptor-1.8.0_211-b12.xml
  • %User Temp%\CR_E83EE.tmp\setup.exe
  • %User Temp%\Adobe_ADMLogs\Adobe_ADM.log
  • %User Temp%\ASPNETSetup_00000.log
  • %User Temp%\MSI25c23.LOG
  • %User Temp%\AdobeARM.log
  • %User Temp%\MSI27204.LOG
  • %User Temp%\dd_wcf_CA_smci_20161212_135110_351.txt
  • %User Temp%\{username}.bmp
  • %User Temp%\dd_vcredistMSI0FC1.txt
  • %User Temp%\Adobe_ADMLogs\Adobe_GDE.log
  • %User Temp%\chrome_BITS_3756_19263\9.1_all_easylist.crx3
  • %User Temp%\Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5.2 Setup_20161212_135033207-MSI_netfx_Full_GDR_x64.msi.txt
  • %User Temp%\MSI18620.LOG
  • %User Temp%\MSI97997.LOG
  • %User Temp%\Tom.bmp
  • %User Temp%\WebInstaller\ServiceUpdaterLogs.log
  • %User Temp%\MSI5a7c3.LOG
  • %User Temp%\MSI11747.LOG
  • %User Temp%\dd_wcf_CA_smci_20161212_135109_353.txt
  • %User Temp%\nsa9991.tmp
  • %User Temp%\MSIbee93.LOG
  • %User Temp%\chrome_installer.log

Step 7

Restore these deleted registry keys/values from backup

*Note: Only Microsoft-related keys/values will be restored. If the malware/grayware also deleted registry keys/values related to programs that are not from Microsoft, please reinstall those programs on your computer.

  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • BService
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • BService64
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • Wd
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • Bench Communicator Watcher
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • Bench Settings Cleaner
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • CService
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • CService64
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • Browser Hero-repairJob
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
    • Browser Hero-repairJob
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Browser Hero
    • (Default)
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Browser Hero
    • AllowProxy
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Browser Hero
    • CDN
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Browser Hero
    • czoneid
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Browser Hero
    • InstallTime
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Browser Hero
    • Pid
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Browser Hero
    • SystemId
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Browser Hero
    • StrAOI
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Browser Hero
    • UTCInstallTime
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Browser Hero
    • ZoneId


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