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PUA_INSTALMONSTR.GA

February 05, 2018
 Analysis by: Camille Reyes
 ALIASES:

Adware.InstallMonster (Malwarebytes); Trojan.Win32.Inject.aiewq (Kaspersky)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Potentially Unwanted Application

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW


This Potentially Unwanted Application arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

It modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

5259776 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

27 Jan 2018

Arrival Details

This Potentially Unwanted Application 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 Potentially Unwanted Application drops the following files:

  • %System Root%\Users\Public\Desktop\Download PowerISO6.2Mul...lnk
  • %Temporary Internet Files%\Content.IE5\index.dat
  • %Cookies%\index.dat
  • %AppDataLocal%\Microsoft\Windows\History\History.IE5\index.dat

(Note: %System Root% is the Windows root folder, where it usually is C:\ on all Windows operating system versions.. %Temporary Internet Files% is the Temporary Internet Files folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), and Windows Server 2008; C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache on Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), and Windows Server 2012.. %Cookies% is the cookies folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Cookies on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), and Windows Server 2008; C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCookies on Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), and Windows Server 2012.. %AppDataLocal% is the Application Data folder found in Local Settings, where it is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local 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 copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %User Temp%\{file name}.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 adds the following processes:

  • iexplore.exe

Web Browser Home Page and Search Page Modification

This Potentially Unwanted Application modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.

Other Details

This Potentially Unwanted Application connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://{BLOCKED}naz.top/api
  • http://ic-dc.{BLOCKED}dlcenter.com/pr/72e8e276-8bc5-11e6-a5ec-0695da005429/typ_1.html
  • http://ic-dc.{BLOCKED}dlcenter.com/pr/public/js/detector.js
  • http://ic-dc.s3.{BLOCKED}naws.com/ads.js?stam=err

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

SSAPI PATTERN File:

1.917.38

SSAPI PATTERN Date:

08 Feb 2018

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

Close all opened browser windows

Step 4

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%\e383cb6926adbbab9cc83add992f7f739956a09a.exe
  • %System Root%\Users\Public\Desktop\Download PowerISO6.2Mul...lnk
  • %Temporary Internet Files%\Content.IE5\index.dat
  • %Cookies%\index.dat
  • %AppDataLocal%\Microsoft\Windows\History\History.IE5\index.dat

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as PUA_INSTALMONSTR.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 the following Trend Micro Support pages for more information:


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