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PUA_SPEEDCHECK.GA

March 13, 2017
 Analysis by: Joselyn Canuela
 ALIASES:

RiskTool.Win32.SpeedUpMyPC.tyq (Kaspersky), Gen:Variant.Strictor.106956 (BitDefender), Riskware/EasySpeedCheck (Fortinet), RiskTool.NSIS.SpeedUpMyPC.A (QuickHeal)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Potentially Unwanted Application

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: No

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Downloaded from the Internet, Dropped by other malware


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 displays pop-up advertisements.

It uses a user interface (UI).

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

511,231 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

07 Sep 2016

Payload:

Connects to URLs/IPs, Downloads files

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 adds the following folders:

  • %Program Files%\Easy Speed Check

(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.)

Autostart Technique

This potentially unwanted application adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
EasySpeedCheck = "%Program Files%\Easy Speed Check\easyspeedcheck.exe"

Other System Modifications

This potentially unwanted application adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Easy Speed Check

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ClkApp

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Easy Speed Check
ver = "1.1.3"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ClkApp
vts = "0"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ClkApp
a1t = "0"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ClkApp
a1p = "0"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ClkApp
u1 = "18000"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ClkApp
u2 = "3600"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ClkApp
umid = "8AA7DEE7"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ClkApp
srid = "NG5661UA7M"

Download Routine

This potentially unwanted application connects to the following URL(s) to download its component file(s):

  • http://{BLOCKED}ad.{BLOCKED}eedcheck.com/easyspeedcheck_1_1_3.data
  • http://www.{BLOCKED}eedcheck.com/easyinstallprolib/easyinstallprolog/log-install.php?ins=NG5661UA7M&ver=1.1.3.529&st=1&umi=8AA7DEE7

It saves the files it downloads using the following names:

  • %Program Files%\Easy Speed Check\libcurl.dll
  • %Program Files%\Easy Speed Check\libeay32.dll
  • %Program Files%\Easy Speed Check\libgcc_s_dw2-1.dll
  • %Program Files%\Easy Speed Check\libidn-11.dll
  • %Program Files%\Easy Speed Check\libstdc++-6.dll
  • %Program Files%\Easy Speed Check\ssleay32.dll
  • %Program Files%\Easy Speed Check\uninstall.exe
  • %Program Files%\Easy Speed Check\zlib1.dll
  • %Program Files%\Easy Speed Check\cwebpage.dll
  • %Program Files%\Easy Speed Check\esc.ico
  • %Program Files%\Easy Speed Check\easyspeedcheck.exe - this is executed and attach itself in the System Tray

(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.)

Adware Routine

This potentially unwanted application displays pop-up advertisements.

Other Details

This potentially unwanted application displays a pop-up window with the following message:


It uses the following user interface:

NOTES:

The installer does not display any GUI or EULA that makes the user unaware of its installation.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

SSAPI PATTERN File:

1.815.00

SSAPI PATTERN Date:

25 Feb 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

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.

  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Easy Speed Check
  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ClkApp

Step 4

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\Run
    • EasySpeedCheck = "%Program Files%\Easy Speed Check\easyspeedcheck.exe"

Step 5

Search and delete this folder

[ 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.
  • %Program Files%\Easy Speed Check

Step 6

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