Analysis by: Anthony Joe Melgarejo
ALIASES:

a variant of Win32/DealPly.S application(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

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 uses Windows Task Scheduler to create a scheduled task that executes the dropped copy.

It requires its main component to successfully perform its intended routine.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 118,784 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 13 Nov 2014

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 copies of itself into the affected system and executes them:

  • %Application Data%\DigitalSites\UpdateProc\UpdateTask.exe

(Note: %Application Data% is the Application Data folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming 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:

  • %Application Data%\DigitalSites\UpdateProc\bkup.dat
  • %Application Data%\DigitalSites\UpdateProc\config.dat

(Note: %Application Data% is the Application Data folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming 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 uses Windows Task Scheduler to create a scheduled task that executes the dropped copy.

Autostart Technique

The scheduled task executes the malware at the following period:

  • Every hour

Other System Modifications

This adware adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\DSiteproducts

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Digital Sites

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Digital Sites
DisplayIcon = "%Application Data%\DigitalSites\UpdateProc\UpdateTask.exe"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Digital Sites
DisplayName = "Digital Sites"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Digital Sites
UninstallString = "%Application Data%\DigitalSites\UpdateProc\UpdateTask.exe /Uninstall"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Digital Sites
Publisher = "Digital Sites"

Other Details

This adware connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://{BLOCKED}er.dsiteproducts.com

It requires its main component to successfully perform its intended routine.

NOTES:

It creates the following registry entries to enable the automatic execution of its dropped component:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce DigitalSites = "wscript /E:vbscript /B "%Application Data%\DigitalSites\UpdateProc\bkup.dat""

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.700
SSAPI PATTERN File: 1.564.08
SSAPI PATTERN Date: 06 Nov 2014

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

To delete the added Scheduled Task:

For Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003:

  1. Click on Start>Programs>Accessories>System Tools>Scheduled Tasks
  2. Double-click on a job file.
  3. Check if the malware path and file name is in the Run: box.
  4. If it does, delete the job file.
  5. Repeat step 2-4 for the remaining job files.

For Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012:

  1. Open the Windows Task Scheduler. To do this:
    • On Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008, click Start, type taskschd.msc in the Search input field, then press Enter.
    • On Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012, right-click on the lower-left corner of the screen, click Run, type taskschd.msc, then press Enter.
  2. In the left panel, click Task Scheduler Library.
  3. In the upper-middle panel, select a Task.
  4. Check if the selected task starts the malware automatically. To do this, check the value in the Details column under the Actions tab in the lower-middle panel.
  5. If the malware path and file name is found, press DELETE and click Yes to delete the task.
  6. Repeat steps 3-5 for the remaining tasks.

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\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
    • DigitalSites = "wscript /E:vbscript /B "%Application Data%\DigitalSites\UpdateProc\bkup.dat""

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_CURRENT_USER\Software
    • DSiteproducts
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
    • Digital Sites

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.
  • %Application Data%\DigitalSites\UpdateProc\bkup.dat
  • %Application Data%\DigitalSites\UpdateProc\config.dat

Step 6

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