ADW_PLUGIN
Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003
Threat Type: Adware
Destructiveness: No
Encrypted: Yes
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 dropped by other malware.
It presents itself as a plugin/add-on/extension for certain applications.
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 dropped by the following malware:
- SPYW_FAKEHACK
Installation
This adware drops the following files:
- %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0\chrome\background.html
- %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0\chrome\google.html
- %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0\chrome\manifest.json
- %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0\chrome.crx
- %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0\chrome.manifest
- %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0\chrome.pem
- %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0\content
- %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0\content\googlebar.js
- %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0\content\googlebar.xul
- %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0\install.rdf
- %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0\MyGoogle.html
- %Application Data%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{random}.default\.autoreg
- %Application Data%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{random}.default\downloads.sqlite
- %Application Data%\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{random}.default\bookmarkbackups\bookmarks-{year}-{month}-{day}.json
(Note: %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista and 7.)
It creates the following folders:
- %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar
- %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar
- %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0
- %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0\chrome
(Note: %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista and 7.)
Autostart Technique
This adware adds the following registry entries to install itself as a Browser Helper Object (BHO):
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Mozilla\
Firefox\Extensions
googlebar@google.com = "%Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Wow6432Node\
Mozilla\Firefox\Extensions
googlebar@google.com = "%Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Google\Chrome\Extensions\
fldnjidbmhkdbjmojbopclcjbjonnanb
path = "%Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0\chrome.crx"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Google\Chrome\Extensions\
fldnjidbmhkdbjmojbopclcjbjonnanb
version = "1.0"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Google\
Chrome\Extensions\fldnjidbmhkdbjmojbopclcjbjonnanb
path = "%Application Data%\Google_Toolbar\Google_Toolbar\1.0.0.0\chrome.crx"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Google\
Chrome\Extensions\fldnjidbmhkdbjmojbopclcjbjonnanb
version = "1.0"
Other System Modifications
This adware adds the following registry keys as part of its installation routine:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Mozilla
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Mozilla\
Firefox
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Mozilla\
Firefox\Extensions
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Wow6432Node
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Wow6432Node\
Mozilla
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Wow6432Node\
Mozilla\Firefox
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Wow6432Node\
Mozilla\Firefox\Extensions
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Google
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Google\Chrome
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Google\Chrome\Extensions
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\
Google\Chrome\Extensions\
fldnjidbmhkdbjmojbopclcjbjonnanb
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Google\
Chrome
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Google\
Chrome\Extensions
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Google\
Chrome\Extensions\fldnjidbmhkdbjmojbopclcjbjonnanb
Other Details
This adware presents itself as a plugin/add-on/extension for the following applications:
- Facebook Hacker Pro
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 3
Close all opened browser windows
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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Google\Chrome\Extensions
- fldnjidbmhkdbjmojbopclcjbjonnanb
- fldnjidbmhkdbjmojbopclcjbjonnanb
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Google\Chrome\Extensions
- fldnjidbmhkdbjmojbopclcjbjonnanb
- fldnjidbmhkdbjmojbopclcjbjonnanb
Step 5
Search and delete this folder
- %Application Data%\Google_Toolbar
Step 6
Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as ADW_PLUGIN. 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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