ADW_INSTALLCORE.GB

March 16, 2017
 Analysis by: Cris Nowell Pantanilla
 ALIASES:

InstallCore (fs) (Sunbelt)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Adware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

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.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

678,552 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

15 Mar 2017

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 copies of itself into the affected system and executes them:

  • %User Temp%\ICReinstall_{original filename}.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 drops the following files:

  • %User Temp%\is{random number}\{random number}_stp.EXE
  • %User Temp%\is{random number}\{random number}_stp.EXE.part
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\css\ie6_main.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\css\main.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\css\sdk-ui\browse.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\css\sdk-ui\button.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\css\sdk-ui\checkbox.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\css\sdk-ui\images\button-bg.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\css\sdk-ui\images\progress-bg.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\css\sdk-ui\images\progress-bg2.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\css\sdk-ui\images\progress-bg-corner.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\css\sdk-ui\progress-bar.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\csshover3.htc
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\form.bmp.Mask
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\images\BG.jpg
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\images\close.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\images\close_hover.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\images\Color_Button.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\images\Color_Button_Hover.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\images\default_tb.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\images\default_wi.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\images\Grey_Button.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\images\Grey_Button_Hover.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\images\icon_generic.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\images\loader.gif
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\images\Pause_Button.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\images\progress.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\images\ProgressBar.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\images\Quick_Specs.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\images\Resume_Button.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\images\sponsored.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\locale\AR.locale
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\locale\CS.locale
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\locale\DA.locale
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\locale\DE.locale
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\locale\EL.locale
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\locale\EN.locale
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\locale\ES.locale
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\locale\FR.locale
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\locale\ID.locale
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\locale\IT.locale
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\locale\JA.locale
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\locale\KO.locale
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\locale\NL.locale
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\locale\NO.locale
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\locale\PL.locale
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\locale\PT.locale
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\locale\RU.locale
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\locale\SV.locale
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\locale\TR.locale
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\locale\ZH.locale
  • %Desktop%\Continue uTorrent Installation.lnk ← points to copy of itself

(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.. %Desktop% is the desktop folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Desktop in Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\Desktop in 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%\is{random number}
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\css\sdk-ui
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\css\sdk-ui\images
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\images
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}\locale

(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.)

Download Routine

This adware saves the files it downloads using the following names:

  • %User Temp%\{digits}_stp.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.)

Other Details

This adware connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://os.{BLOCKED}aliacdn.com/Vittalia/?v=3.0&c={digits}
  • http://rp.{BLOCKED}aliacdn.com/?pcrc={digits}

  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

Identify and terminate files detected as ADW_INSTALLCORE.GB

[ 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 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.
  • %User Temp%\is{random number}
  • %User Temp%\ish{random number}

Step 5

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.
%Desktop%\Continue uTorrent Installation.lnk
%User Temp%\{digits}_stp.EXE

Step 6

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