ADW_MULTIPLUG.GD

 Analysis by: RonJay Kristoffer Caragay

 ALIASES:

MultiPlug-FWG. (McAfee); a variant of Win32/Adware.MultiPlug.JI application (ESET-NOD32)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Adware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Downloaded from the Internet

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.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

Varies

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

28 Apr 2015

Payload:

Connects to URLs/IPs

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.

Installation

This adware drops the following files:

  • %User Temp%\{random foldername}\temp.ca
  • %User Temp%\{random foldername}\images\loader.gif
  • %User Temp%\{random foldername}\images\progressbar.gif
  • %User Temp%\{random foldername}\temp\bg.ca
  • %All Users Profile%\Application Data\{GUID}\{malware filename}.dat
  • %Desktop%\{malware filename}.lnk
  • %User Startup%\{malware filename}.lnk
  • %Windows%\Tasks\Bidaily Synchronize Task.job

(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.. %All Users Profile% is the All Users folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\ProgramData 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.. %User Startup% is the current user's Startup folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Profiles\{user name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\Profiles\{user name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup on Windows NT, and C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu\Programs\Startup.. %Windows% is the Windows folder, where it usually is C:\Windows on all Windows operating system versions.)

It drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %User Temp%\{random foldername 1}\temp\{malware filename}.exe
  • %All Users Profile%\Application Data\{GUID}\{malware 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.. %All Users Profile% is the All Users folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\ProgramData 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%\{random foldername}\temp
  • %User Temp%\{random foldername}\images
  • %User Temp%\{random foldername}\installer
  • %All Users Profile%\Application Data\{GUID}

(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.. %All Users Profile% is the All Users folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\ProgramData 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 adware adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\WebApp

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\WebApp\
Styles

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\WebApp\
Styles
MaxScriptStatements = "{hex values}"

Other Details

This adware connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://{BLOCKED}-models.com/hp/?
  • http://{BLOCKED}user.com/hp/?
  • http://{BLOCKED}iban.info/hp/?
  • http://c1.{BLOCKED}ics.info/?
  • http://i1.{BLOCKED}ty.com/images/accept.png
  • http://i1.{BLOCKED}ty.com/images/sidebar.jpg
  • http://i1.{BLOCKED}ty.com/images/titlebar.png
  • http://r1.{BLOCKED}single.in/

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.750

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

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 4

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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID
    • {GUID}
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
    • {GUID}
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software
    • WebApp

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%\{random foldername}\temp
  • %User Temp%\{random foldername}\images
  • %User Temp%\{random foldername}\installer
  • %All Users Profile%\Application Data\{GUID}

Step 6

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%\{random foldername}\temp.ca
  • %User Temp%\{random foldername}\images\loader.gif
  • %User Temp%\{random foldername}\images\progressbar.gif
  • %User Temp%\{random foldername}\temp\bg.ca
  • %All Users Profile%\Application Data\{GUID}\{malware filename}.dat
  • %Desktop%\{malware filename}.lnk
  • %User Startup%\{malware filename}.lnk
  • %Windows%\Tasks\Bidaily Synchronize Task.job

Step 7

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as ADW_MULTIPLUG.GD. 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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