PUA_ADDLYRICS.GA

July 05, 2016
 Analysis by: Janus Agcaoili
 ALIASES:

a variant of Win32/AdWare.AddLyrics.AH (ESET-NOD32), Riskware/AddLyrics (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

This potentially unwanted application may arrive bundled with malware packages as a malware component. It arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

However, as of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

173,459 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

01 Jul 2016

Arrival Details

This potentially unwanted application may arrive bundled with malware packages as a malware component.

It 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 copies of itself into the affected system and executes them:

  • %User Temp%\~nsu.tmp\Au_.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 creates the following folders:

  • %User Temp%\ns{random}.tmp
  • %User Temp%\~nsu.tmp

(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.)

Dropping Routine

This potentially unwanted application drops the following files:

  • %User Temp%\ns{random}.tmp\ioSpecial.ini
  • %User Temp%\ns{random}.tmp\modern-wizard.bmp
  • %User Temp%\ns{random}.tmp\InstallOptions.dll
  • %User Temp%\ns{random}.tmp\ru.dll

(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.)

Other Details

This potentially unwanted application connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://fr.{BLOCKED}div.net/report/uninstalled/?p={value}&ver={value}&aff={value}&subaff={value}&os={OS version}&browsers={default browser}&itm=&utm={value}&v={value}&ast={value}&uid&s={value}&vd={value}&ad={value}&r={value}&c={value}&eb=

However, as of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.800

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 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%\ns{random}.tmp
  • %User Temp%\~nsu.tmp

Step 4

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