ADW_BROWSEF

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 manually installed by a user.

It executes then deletes itself afterward.

It does not have any propagation routine.

It does not have any backdoor routine.

It does not have any information-stealing capability.

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 manually installed by a user.

Installation

This adware drops the following file(s)/component(s):

• %Program Files%\Higher Aurum\HigherAurum.ico
• %Program Files%\Higher Aurum\HigherAurumUninstall.exe
• %Program Files%\Higher Aurum\{random string}.crx
• %Program Files%\Higher Aurum\sqlite3.exe
• %Program Files%\Higher Aurum\updateHigherAurum.InstallState
• %Program Files%\Higher Aurum\updateHigherAurum.exe -also detected as ADW_BROWSEF

(Note: %Program Files% is the Program Files folder, where it usually is C:\Program Files on all Windows operating system versions; C:\Program Files (x86) for 32-bit applications running on Windows 64-bit operating systems.)

It creates the following folders:

• %Program Files%\Higher Aurum
• %User Temp%\Higher Aurum

(Note: %Program Files% is the Program Files folder, where it usually is C:\Program Files on all Windows operating system versions; C:\Program Files (x86) for 32-bit applications running on Windows 64-bit operating systems.. %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 executes then deletes itself afterward.

Autostart Technique

This adware registers itself as a system service to ensure its automatic execution at every system startup by adding the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\Update Higher Aurum
ImagePath = "%Program Files%\Higher Aurum\updateHigherAurum.exe"

Other System Modifications

This adware adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Higher Aurum

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Higher Aurum\
Chrome

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Higher Aurum

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Higher Aurum\
Chrome

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Higher Aurum\
Firefox

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Higher Aurum\
Internet Explorer

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Google\
Chrome\Extensions\{random string}

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Higher Aurum

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\Update Higher Aurum

It adds the following registry entries as part of its installation routine:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Higher Aurum
is = "bs"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Higher Aurum
iid = "bs"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Higher Aurum
id = "{Date and time of installation}"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Higher Aurum\
Chrome
ug = "CEE4277F-1BF3-4A16-8F71-A79691C0D1E9"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Higher Aurum\
Chrome
sgc = "false"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Higher Aurum\
Firefox
sff = "false"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Higher Aurum\
Internet Explorer
sie = "false"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Google\
Chrome\Extensions\{random string}
path = "%Program Files%\Higher Aurum\{random string}.crx"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Google\
Chrome\Extensions\{random string}
version = "1.0.0"

Propagation

This adware does not have any propagation routine.

Backdoor Routine

This adware does not have any backdoor routine.

Download Routine

This adware connects to the following website(s) to download and execute a malicious file:

• http://{BLOCKED}c.{BLOCKED}2.edgecastcdn.net/800952/2cdaf566-c797-43d0-ba1a-0df673b59d5f-install/setup.exe?crc=53e31291

It saves the files it downloads using the following names:

• %User Temp%\Higher Aurum\Setup.exe - Also detected as ADW_BROWSEF

(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.)

Information Theft

This adware does not have any information-stealing capability.

NOTES:

This adware connects to the following malicious URLs to inform of its installation.

• http://{BLOCKED}l.higher-aurum.co/mg?alpha={random values}
• http://{BLOCKED}l.higher-aurum.co/ii?alpha={random values}
• http://{BLOCKED}l.higher-aurum.co/ii?alpha={random values}

ADW_BROWSEF works on Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer as an add-on. While the user is browsing, it searches the Web for deals to find best prices. While it is running, it also displays advertisements.

It does not have rootkit capabilities.

It does not exploit any vulnerability.