PUA_HomePager

February 04, 2016
 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

This Trojan 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:

5,790,296 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

04 Feb 2016

Arrival Details

This Trojan 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 Trojan drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %User Profile%\Searcher\Searcher.exe

(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista and 7.)

It creates the following folders:

  • %User Profile%\Application Data\Searcher
  • %System%\GroupPolicy\Adm

(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista and 7.. %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.)

Other System Modifications

This Trojan adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\SearchScopes\{D66B743D-2207-47FF-946B-D5EEA7AF0443}

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Searcher

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Searcher

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\SearchScopes\{D66B743D-2207-47FF-946B-D5EEA7AF0443}
FaviconURL = "http://{BLOCKED}cher.com/favicon.ico"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\SearchScopes\{D66B743D-2207-47FF-946B-D5EEA7AF0443}
URL = "{random characters}"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Internet Explorer\SearchScopes
DefaultScope = "{D66B743D-2207-47FF-946B-D5EEA7AF0443}"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Searcher
Version = "version.dll"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Searcher
PathToApplication = "%User Profile%\Searcher\Searcher.exe"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Searcher
PCID = "18067D0A-6132-47BC-AF64-629780493776"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Searcher
DisplayIcon = "%User Profile%\Searcher\Searcher.exe"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Searcher
DisplayName = "Searcher"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Searcher
Publisher = "Searcher"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Searcher
InstallDate = "20150107"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Searcher
UninstallString = "%User Profile%\Searcher\Searcher.exe /uninstall"

Dropping Routine

This Trojan drops the following files:

  • %User Profile%\Searcher\searcher_T
  • %User Profile%\Searcher\searcher
  • %User Profile%\Searcher\brar.dll
  • %User Profile%\Searcher\chrome.adm
  • %User Profile%\Searcher\gpt.ini
  • %User Profile%\Searcher\libeay32.dll
  • %User Profile%\Searcher\sqlite3.dll
  • %User Profile%\Searcher\ssleay32.dll
  • %System%\GroupPolicy\Machine\Registry.pol
  • %System%\GroupPolicy\User\Registry.pol
  • %System%\GroupPolicy\gpt.ini
  • %System%\GroupPolicy\Adm\chrome.adm

(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista and 7.. %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.)

This report is generated via an automated analysis system.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.8

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

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\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchScopes
    • {D66B743D-2207-47FF-946B-D5EEA7AF0443}
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software
    • Searcher
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
    • Searcher

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_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchScopes\{D66B743D-2207-47FF-946B-D5EEA7AF0443}
    • FaviconURL = "http://{BLOCKED}cher.com/favicon.ico"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchScopes\{D66B743D-2207-47FF-946B-D5EEA7AF0443}
    • URL = "{random characters}"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchScopes
    • DefaultScope = "{D66B743D-2207-47FF-946B-D5EEA7AF0443}"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Searcher
    • Version = "version.dll"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Searcher
    • PathToApplication = "%User Profile%\Searcher\Searcher.exe"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Searcher
    • PCID = "18067D0A-6132-47BC-AF64-629780493776"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Searcher
    • DisplayIcon = "%User Profile%\Searcher\Searcher.exe"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Searcher
    • DisplayName = "Searcher"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Searcher
    • Publisher = "Searcher"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Searcher
    • InstallDate = "20150107"
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Searcher
    • UninstallString = "%User Profile%\Searcher\Searcher.exe /uninstall"

Step 4

Search and delete these components

[ Learn More ]
There may be some components 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 Profile%\Searcher\searcher_T
  • %User Profile%\Searcher\searcher
  • %User Profile%\Searcher\brar.dll
  • %User Profile%\Searcher\chrome.adm
  • %User Profile%\Searcher\gpt.ini
  • %User Profile%\Searcher\libeay32.dll
  • %User Profile%\Searcher\sqlite3.dll
  • %User Profile%\Searcher\ssleay32.dll
  • %System%\GroupPolicy\Machine\Registry.pol
  • %System%\GroupPolicy\User\Registry.pol
  • %System%\GroupPolicy\gpt.ini
  • %System%\GroupPolicy\Adm\chrome.adm

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 Profile%\Application Data\Searcher
  • %System%\GroupPolicy\Adm

Step 6

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