PUA.Win32.PCGoldOptimizer.A
Windows
![](/vinfo/imgFiles/legend.jpg)
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.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
5,171,741 bytes
EXE
Yes
07 Jun 2020
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 processes:
- MSIEXEC.EXE /i "%AppDataLocal%\Downloaded Installations\{7770AC45-2516-4FCD-B862-3C1F9B871919}\PC Gold.msi" SETUPEXEDIR="%User Temp%" SETUPEXENAME="{malware file name}.exe"
(Note: %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)
It creates the following folders:
- %AppDataLocal%\Downloaded Installations\{7770AC45-2516-4FCD-B862-3C1F9B871919}
- %AppDataLocal%\Downloaded Installations
- %User Temp%\{5867F8ED-C7D6-4B19-BBC4-6DF54AE8A462}
(Note: %AppDataLocal% is the Local Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).. %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)
Other System Modifications
This Potentially Unwanted Application deletes the following registry keys:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\%IS_PREREQ%-PC Gold
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\%IS_PREREQF%-PC Gold
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce\
ISSetupPrerequisistes
Dropping Routine
This Potentially Unwanted Application drops the following files:
- %AppDataLocal%\Downloaded Installations\{7770AC45-2516-4FCD-B862-3C1F9B871919}\PC Gold.msi
- %User Temp%\{5867F8ED-C7D6-4B19-BBC4-6DF54AE8A462}\Setup.INI
- %User Temp%\{5867F8ED-C7D6-4B19-BBC4-6DF54AE8A462}\PC Gold.msi
- %User Temp%\{5867F8ED-C7D6-4B19-BBC4-6DF54AE8A462}\_ISMSIDEL.INI
- %User Temp%\_MSI5166._IS
- %User Temp%\{5867F8ED-C7D6-4B19-BBC4-6DF54AE8A462}\Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 Web.prq
- %User Temp%\{5867F8ED-C7D6-4B19-BBC4-6DF54AE8A462}\0x0409.ini
(Note: %AppDataLocal% is the Local Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).. %User Temp% is the current user's Temp folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)
This report is generated via an automated analysis system.
SOLUTION
9.850
Step 1
Before doing any scans, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 users must disable System Restore to allow full scanning of their computers.
Step 2
Identify and terminate files detected as PUA.Win32.PCGoldOptimizer.A
- Windows Task Manager may not display all running processes. In this case, please use a third-party process viewer, preferably Process Explorer, to terminate the malware/grayware/spyware file. You may download the said tool here.
- If the detected file is displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer but you cannot delete it, restart your computer in safe mode. To do this, refer to this link for the complete steps.
- If the detected file is not displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer, continue doing the next steps.
Step 3
Search and delete these components
- %AppDataLocal%\Downloaded Installations\{7770AC45-2516-4FCD-B862-3C1F9B871919}\PC Gold.msi
- %User Temp%\{5867F8ED-C7D6-4B19-BBC4-6DF54AE8A462}\Setup.INI
- %User Temp%\{5867F8ED-C7D6-4B19-BBC4-6DF54AE8A462}\PC Gold.msi
- %User Temp%\{5867F8ED-C7D6-4B19-BBC4-6DF54AE8A462}\_ISMSIDEL.INI
- %User Temp%\_MSI5166._IS
- %User Temp%\{5867F8ED-C7D6-4B19-BBC4-6DF54AE8A462}\Microsoft .NET Framework 4.5 Web.prq
- %User Temp%\{5867F8ED-C7D6-4B19-BBC4-6DF54AE8A462}\0x0409.ini
Step 4
Search and delete these folders
- %AppDataLocal%\Downloaded Installations\{7770AC45-2516-4FCD-B862-3C1F9B871919}
- %AppDataLocal%\Downloaded Installations
- %User Temp%\{5867F8ED-C7D6-4B19-BBC4-6DF54AE8A462}
Step 5
Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as PUA.Win32.PCGoldOptimizer.A. 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:
Step 6
Restore these deleted registry keys/values from backup
*Note: Only Microsoft-related keys/values will be restored. If the malware/grayware also deleted registry keys/values related to programs that are not from Microsoft, please reinstall those programs on your computer.
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
- %IS_PREREQ%-PC Gold
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
- %IS_PREREQF%-PC Gold
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
- ISSetupPrerequisistes
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