ADW_INSTACORE.GD
Riskware/InstallCore (Fortinet); PUP.Optional.BundleInstaller (Malwarebytes)
Windows
Threat Type: Adware
Destructiveness: No
Encrypted: No
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.
It does not have any propagation routine.
It does not have any backdoor routine.
It gathers information and reports it to its servers.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
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 drops the following component file(s):
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\css\ie6_Dlm_main.css
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\css\mainDlm.css
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\css\sdk-ui\browse.css
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\css\sdk-ui\button.css
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\css\sdk-ui\checkbox.css
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\css\sdk-ui\images\button-bg.png
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\css\sdk-ui\images\progress-bg-corner.png
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\css\sdk-ui\images\progress-bg.png
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\css\sdk-ui\images\progress-bg2.png
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\css\sdk-ui\progress-bar.css
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\csshover3.htc
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\form.bmp.Mask
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\images\BGD.png
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\images\Close.png
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\images\Close_Hover.png
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\images\Color_Button.png
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\images\Color_Button_Hover.png
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\images\Grey_Button.png
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\images\Grey_Button_Hover.png
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\images\Icon_Generic.png
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\images\Loader.gif
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\images\Pause_Button.png
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\images\ProgressBarD.png
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\images\ProgressD.png
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\images\Quick_Specs.png
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\images\Resume_Button.png
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\images\sponsored.png
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\locale\DLM\CS.locale
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\locale\DLM\DA.locale
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\locale\DLM\DE.locale
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\locale\DLM\EL.locale
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\locale\DLM\EN.locale
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\locale\DLM\ES.locale
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\locale\DLM\FI.locale
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\locale\DLM\FR.locale
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\locale\DLM\ID.locale
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\locale\DLM\IT.locale
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\locale\DLM\JA.locale
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\locale\DLM\KO.locale
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\locale\DLM\NL.locale
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\locale\DLM\NO.locale
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\locale\DLM\PL.locale
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\locale\DLM\PT.locale
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\locale\DLM\RU.locale
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\locale\DLM\SV.locale
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\locale\DLM\TR.locale
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\locale\DLM\ZH.locale
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}\bootstrap_31059.html
- %User Temp%\in{random hex}\0A91BCF6_stp.EXE
- %User Temp%\in{random hex}\4D3A68A3_stp.CIS
- %User Temp%\in{random hex}\33FE5E3C_stp.CIS
- %User Temp%\in{random hex}\4D3A68A3_stp.CIS.part
- %User Temp%\in{random hex}\4D3A68A3_stp\osutils.vbs
- %User Temp%\in{random hex}\33FE5E3C_stp.CIS.part
- %User Temp%\in{random hex}\0A91BCF6_stp.EXE.part
(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 creates the following folders:
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}
- %User Temp%\in{random hex}
(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.)
Other System Modifications
This adware adds the following registry entries as part of its installation routine:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\undefined
ReneePDFAide_2016_v4_free.exe = 1478513147740,http://downloads.{BLOCKED}ab.com/ReneePDFAide_2016_v64_free.exe
It adds the following registry keys as part of its installation routine:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/undefined
Propagation
This adware does not have any propagation routine.
Backdoor Routine
This adware does not have any backdoor routine.
Download Routine
This adware accesses the following websites to download files:
- http://{BLOCKED}ads.{BLOCKED}ab.com/ ReneePDFAide_2016_v64_free.exe
- http://rp.{BLOCKED}rener.com/?v=2.0&subver=6.21&pcrc={value}
- http://info.{BLOCKED}rener.com/?v=1.03&c={value}&at={value}&cntr=0
- http://os.{BLOCKED}rener.com/ReneeLab/?v=6.0&c={value}&t={value}
- http://www.{BLOCKED}ab.jp/upfiles/pdf-72x72.png
- http://cdneu.{BLOCKED}rener.com/ofr/Solululadul/osutils.cis
- http://cdnus.{BLOCKED}rener.com/ofr/Solululadul/osutils.cis
- http://img.{BLOCKED}rener.com/img/Malaromoro/bg1.jpg
- http://cdneu.{BLOCKED}rener.com/ofr/Malaromoro/Malaromoro_170515.cis
- http://img.{BLOCKED}rener.com/img/Nininininon/Nininininon.png
- http://cdneu.{BLOCKED}rener.com/ofr/Nininininon/Nininininon_11Apr16.cis
Other Details
This adware does the following:
- It displays the following installation windows:
It asks user if it would like to install certain applications:
- It displays the following installation options:
- After downloading it will ask the user if they want to install the downloaded file.
- If the user clicked "Install Now", It will execute the downloaded file %User Profile%\My Documents\ReneePDFAide_2016_v64_free.exe
- If the user agrees to install the said applications it drops the following files:
- %Desktop%\StormFall.lnk
- %Application Data%\StormFall\sf.ico
- %Start Menu%\Programs\StormFall\StormFall.lnk
- %Application Data%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\StormFall.lnk
- %Windows%\Tasks\StormFall{0-3}.job
- %Desktop%\AION.lnk
- %Application Data%\AION\td.ico
- %Start Menu%\Programs\AION\AION.lnk
- %Application Data%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\AION.lnk
- %Windows%\Tasks\AION{0-3}.job
It gathers the following information and reports it to its servers:
- Unique Identifier (Mac Address + last 4 characters of Volume Serial Number)
- Mac and IP Address
- System Date and Time
- VM Status(if running in Virtual Machine)
- PE Mode
- DEP Mode
- Is Administrator
- Adware Filename
- Check sum of Executable
- Os Version
- Service Pack
- OS Language
- Is 64 bit
- Is Proxy
- Is Vpn (Virtual Private Network)
- System bios
- CPU name
NOTES:
It does not have rootkit capabilities.
It does not exploit any vulnerability.
SOLUTION
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
Identify and terminate files detected as ADW_INSTACORE.GD
- 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 4
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. Before you could do this, you must restart in Safe Mode. For instructions on how to do this, you may refer to this page If the preceding step requires you to restart in safe mode, you may proceed to edit the system registry.
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software
- undefined
- undefined
Step 5
Search and delete these folders
- %User Temp%\inH{random number}
- %User Temp%\in{random hex}
Step 6
Search and delete these files
- %User Profile%\My Documents\ReneePDFAide_2016_v64_free.exe
- %Desktop%\StormFall.lnk
- %Application Data%\StormFall\sf.ico
- %Start Menu%\Programs\StormFall\StormFall.lnk
- %Application Data%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\StormFall.lnk
- %Windows%\Tasks\StormFall{0-3}.job
- %Desktop%\AION.lnk
- %Application Data%\AION\td.ico
- %Start Menu%\Programs\AION\AION.lnk
- %Application Data%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\AION.lnk
- %Windows%\Tasks\AION{0-3}.job
Step 7
Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as ADW_INSTACORE.GD. 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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