ADW_WHENU.GA
Win32:Whenu-H (AVG); Adware.Vomba (MalwareBytes); AdVantage (Sophos)
Windows
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.
However, as of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
1,920,968 bytes
EXE
Yes
04 Aug 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 adds the following folders:
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Lang
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Icons
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Plugins
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Plugins\Images
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\URL1
- %Start Menu%\Programs\DAEMON Tools
- %User Temp%\ns{random characters}.tmp
(Note: %Program Files% is the Program Files folder, where it usually is C:\Program Files on all Windows operating system versions; C:\Program Files (x86) for 32-bit applications running on Windows 64-bit operating systems.. %Start Menu% is the Start Menu folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Start Menu on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu 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.. %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:
- %Desktop%\DAEMON Tools.lnk
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\AdVantageSetup.exe
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\chkupd.exe
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\cryptapi.dll
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\daemon.dll
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\daemon.exe
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Icons\tray1.ico
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Icons\tray2.ico
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Lang\ENU.dll
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\pfctoc.dll
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Plugins\Images\bw5mount.dll
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Plugins\Images\bwtmount.dll
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Plugins\Images\ccdmount.dll
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Plugins\Images\cuemount.dll
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Plugins\Images\iszmount.dll
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Plugins\Images\mdsmount.dll
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Plugins\Images\nrgmount.dll
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Plugins\Images\pdimount.dll
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Plugins\Images\pfcmount.dll
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\setup.cfg
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\uninst.exe
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\URL1\setup.cfg
- %Start Menu%\Programs\DAEMON Tools\DAEMON Tools.lnk
- %Start Menu%\Programs\DAEMON Tools\Uninstall.lnk
- %System%\drivers\sptd.sys
- %User Temp%\ns{random characters}.tmp\dtsetup.ini
- %User Temp%\ns{random characters}.tmp\HomePage.ini
- %User Temp%\ns{random characters}.tmp\InstallOptions.dll
- %User Temp%\ns{random characters}.tmp\ioSpecial.ini
- %User Temp%\ns{random characters}.tmp\modern-header.bmp
- %User Temp%\ns{random characters}.tmp\modern-wizard.bmp
- %User Temp%\ns{random characters}.tmp\RegPage.ini
- %User Temp%\ns{random characters}.tmp\setuphlp.dll
- %User Temp%\ns{random characters}.tmp\StartPage.bmp
- %User Temp%\ns{random characters}.tmp\InstallOptionsEx.dll
- %User Temp%\SPTDinst-x86.exe
(Note: %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.. %Program Files% is the Program Files folder, where it usually is C:\Program Files on all Windows operating system versions; C:\Program Files (x86) for 32-bit applications running on Windows 64-bit operating systems.. %Start Menu% is the Start Menu folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Start Menu on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu 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.. %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.. %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 System Modifications
This Adware adds the following registry keys:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE19659239224e364682fa4baf72c53ea4
It adds the following registry entries:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\19659239224e364682fa4baf72c53ea4
r = "1"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\19659239224e364682fa4baf72c53ea4
s = "0"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\19659239224e364682fa4baf72c53ea4
HP = "1"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\19659239224e364682fa4baf72c53ea4
SP = "2"
It modifies the following registry entries:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\
Internet Explorer\Main
Start Page = "http://my.{BLOCKED}search.com/startpage"
Other Details
This Adware connects to the following possibly malicious URL:
- http://downloads.{BLOCKED}a.com/DAEM071127/setup.cfg
- http://app.{BLOCKED}a.com/AppInstall?app=Setup_CFG&url=DAEM071127&id={hex values}&ui=QC&ver={setup version}&svr={OS version}
However, as of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.
SOLUTION
9.850
1.863.00
10 Aug 2017
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
Remove ADW_WHENU.GA by using its own Uninstall option
Step 4
Delete this registry value
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\19659239224e364682fa4baf72c53ea4
- r = "1"
- r = "1"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\19659239224e364682fa4baf72c53ea4
- s = "0"
- s = "0"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\19659239224e364682fa4baf72c53ea4
- HP = "1"
- HP = "1"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\19659239224e364682fa4baf72c53ea4
- SP = "2"
- SP = "2"
Step 5
Delete this registry key
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
- 19659239224e364682fa4baf72c53ea4
- 19659239224e364682fa4baf72c53ea4
Step 6
Search and delete this file
- %Desktop%\DAEMON Tools.lnk
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\AdVantageSetup.exe
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\chkupd.exe
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\cryptapi.dll
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\daemon.dll
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\daemon.exe
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Icons\tray1.ico
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Icons\tray2.ico
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Lang\ENU.dll
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\pfctoc.dll
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Plugins\Images\bw5mount.dll
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Plugins\Images\bwtmount.dll
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Plugins\Images\ccdmount.dll
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Plugins\Images\cuemount.dll
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Plugins\Images\iszmount.dll
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Plugins\Images\mdsmount.dll
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Plugins\Images\nrgmount.dll
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Plugins\Images\pdimount.dll
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Plugins\Images\pfcmount.dll
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\setup.cfg
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\uninst.exe
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\URL1\setup.cfg
- %Start Menu%\Programs\DAEMON Tools\DAEMON Tools.lnk
- %Start Menu%\Programs\DAEMON Tools\Uninstall.lnk
- %User Temp%\ns{random characters}.tmp\dtsetup.ini
- %User Temp%\ns{random characters}.tmp\HomePage.ini
- %User Temp%\ns{random characters}.tmp\InstallOptions.dll
- %User Temp%\ns{random characters}.tmp\ioSpecial.ini
- %User Temp%\ns{random characters}.tmp\modern-header.bmp
- %User Temp%\ns{random characters}.tmp\modern-wizard.bmp
- %User Temp%\ns{random characters}.tmp\RegPage.ini
- %User Temp%\ns{random characters}.tmp\setuphlp.dll
- %User Temp%\ns{random characters}.tmp\StartPage.bmp
- %User Temp%\ns{random characters}.tmp\InstallOptionsEx.dll
- %User Temp%\SPTDinst-x86.exe
Step 7
Search and delete this folder
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Lang
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Icons
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Plugins
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\Plugins\Images
- %Program Files%\DAEMON Tools\URL1
- %Start Menu%\Programs\DAEMON Tools
- %User Temp%\ns{random characters}.tmp
Step 8
Reset the Internet Explorer Home and Search pages
Step 9
Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as ADW_WHENU.GA. 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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