PUA_INTERNETSPEEDTRACKER.GC

 Analysis by: John Anthony Banes

 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 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 modifies the user's Internet Explorer home page into a certain website. This action allows the malware to point to a website which may contain malware, putting the affected computer at greater risk of malware infection.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

319,320 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

03 Mar 2018

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.

It may be manually installed by a user.

Installation

This Potentially Unwanted Application drops the following files:

  • %User Temp%\ns{random}.tmp\nsDialogs.dll
  • %User Temp%\ns{random}.tmp\System.dll
  • %User Temp%\ns{random}.tmp\installerParams
  • %User Temp%\ns{random}.tmp\MIP-ist-03_1458242004959.bmp
  • %User Temp%\ns{random}.tmp\reporting
  • %AppDataLocal%\Internet Speed TrackerTooltab\TooltabExtension.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.. %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:

  • %User Temp%\ns{random}.tmp
  • %AppDataLocal%\Internet Speed TrackerTooltab

(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.. %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.)

Other System Modifications

This Potentially Unwanted Application adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Internet Speed Tracker

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Internet Speed Tracker
Start Page = http://hp.{BLOCKED}y.com/internetspeedtracker/ttab02/index.html?n=C074956&p2=^BBQ^mni000^TTAB02&ptb=340DB200-4CC6-4240-81CE-BC1B39FCEEDC

Web Browser Home Page and Search Page Modification

This Potentially Unwanted Application modifies the user's Internet Explorer home page to the following websites:

  • http://hp.{BLOCKED}y.com/internetspeedtracker/ttab02/index.html?n=C074956&p2=^BBQ^mni000^TTAB02&ptb=340DB200-4CC6-4240-81CE-BC1B39FCEEDC

Other Details

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

  • http://dp.tb.{BLOCKED}k.com:443
  • http://anx.{BLOCKED}ark.com/anx.gif?anxa=CAPDownloadProcess&anxe=Error&errorCode=-11&errorType=nsisError&errorDetails=Server+Error+%28502%29&platform=vicinio&anxv=2.0.1.2&anxd=2016-03-31&coid=0166b9a4dae740638db5fef24b1b9a0e&refPartner=^BBQ^mni000^TTAB02&refSub=&anxl=en-US&anxr=-2147229422&refCobrand=BBQ&refCampaign=mni000&refTrack=TTAB02&refCountry=
  • http://anx.{BLOCKED}ark.com/anx.gif?anxa=CAPDownloadProcess&anxe=InstallerInvoked&platform=vicinio&anxv=2.0.1.2&anxd=2016-03-31&coid=0166b9a4dae740638db5fef24b1b9a0e&refPartner=^BBQ^mni000^TTAB02&refSub=&anxl=en-US&anxr=-2064479644&refCobrand=BBQ&refCampaign=mni000&refTrack=TTAB02&refCountry=
  • http://anx.{BLOCKED}ark.com/anx.gif?anxa=CAPDownloadProcess&anxe=InstallerFinished&tbUID=340DB200-4CC6-4240-81CE-BC1B39FCEEDC&tbVer=&platform=vicinio&anxv=2.0.1.2&anxd=2016-03-31&coid=0166b9a4dae740638db5fef24b1b9a0e&refPartner=^BBQ^mni000^TTAB02&refSub=&anxl=en-US&anxr=-2030944654&refCobrand=BBQ&refCampaign=mni000&refTrack=TTAB02&refCountry=

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

SSAPI PATTERN File:

1.939.00

SSAPI PATTERN Date:

12 Apr 2018

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 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
    • Internet Speed Tracker

Step 4

Search and delete this file

[ 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.  
  • %User Temp%\ns{random}.tmp\nsDialogs.dll
  • %User Temp%\ns{random}.tmp\System.dll
  • %User Temp%\ns{random}.tmp\installerParams
  • %User Temp%\ns{random}.tmp\MIP-ist-03_1458242004959.bmp
  • %User Temp%\ns{random}.tmp\reporting
  • %AppDataLocal%\Internet Speed TrackerTooltab\TooltabExtension.dll

Step 5

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
  • %AppDataLocal%\Internet Speed TrackerTooltab

Step 6

Reset the Internet Explorer Home and Search pages

[ Learn More ]

Step 7

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as PUA_INTERNETSPEEDTRACKER.GC. 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:


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