ADW_SEARCHCLOUD
Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003
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 executes downloaded files whose malicious routines are exhibited by the affected system.
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.
Installation
This adware drops the following files:
- %Program Files%\SearchCloud\Setup_SearchCloudHidden.exe
- %Program Files%\SearchCloud\Uninstall.exe
- %Program Files%\SearchCloud\Uninstall.ini
(Note: %Program Files% is the default Program Files folder, usually C:\Program Files.)
It creates the following folders:
- %Program Files%\SearchCloud
(Note: %Program Files% is the default Program Files folder, usually C:\Program Files.)
Autostart Technique
This adware adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
SearchCloud = "%Program Files%\SearchCloud\pluskeyU.exe" (if download was not successful)
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
SearchCloud = "%Program Files%\SearchCloud\SearchCloudU.exe" (if download was successful)
Other System Modifications
This adware adds the following registry keys:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Key
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Key\sKey
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
SearchCloud
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SearchCloud
It adds the following registry entries:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Key\sKey
serial = "{random characters}"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Key\sKey
sChk = "1"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SearchCloud
exec = "1001"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SearchCloud
update = "1001"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SearchCloud
pid = "searchcloud"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SearchCloud
Run Date = "{date of last execution of SearchCloud.exe}"
It adds the following registry entries as part of its installation routine:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
SearchCloud
DisplayName = "SearchCloud"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
SearchCloud
DisplayIcon = "%Program Files%\SearchCloud\Uninstall.exe"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
SearchCloud
UninstallString = "%Program Files%\SearchCloud\Uninstall.exe"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
SearchCloud
NoModify = "1"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
SearchCloud
NoRepair = "1"
Download Routine
This adware accesses the following websites to download files:
- http://search.{BLOCKED}her.com/support/serialMk.asp?mode=serial&domain=searchcloud
- http://search.{BLOCKED}her.com/product/version.asp?domain=searchcloud&serial={random characters}
- http://search.{BLOCKED}her.com/support/installPro.asp?domain=searchcloud&serial={random characters}&sort=INS
- http://search.{BLOCKED}her.com/product/log.asp?serial={random characters}
It connects to the following URL(s) to download its component file(s):
- http://search.{BLOCKED}her.com/product/program/SearchCloud/1001/searchcloud/DelLog.exe
- http://search.{BLOCKED}her.com/product/program/SearchCloud/1001/searchcloud/SearchCloud.dll
- http://search.{BLOCKED}her.com/product/program/SearchCloud/1001/searchcloud/SearchCloud.exe
- http://search.{BLOCKED}her.com/product/program/SearchCloud/1001/searchcloud/SearchCloudU.exe
- http://search.{BLOCKED}her.com/product/program/SearchCloud/1001/searchcloud/Uninstall.exe
- http://search.{BLOCKED}her.com/product/program/SearchCloud/1001/searchcloud/Uninstall.ini
It saves the files it downloads using the following names:
- %Program Files%\SearchCloud\DelLog.exe
- %Program Files%\SearchCloud\SearchCloud.dll
- %Program Files%\SearchCloud\SearchCloud.exe
- %Program Files%\SearchCloud\SearchCloudU.exe
- %Program Files%\SearchCloud\Uninstall.exe
- %Program Files%\SearchCloud\Uninstall.ini
(Note: %Program Files% is the default Program Files folder, usually C:\Program Files.)
It executes downloaded files :
- %Program Files%\SearchCloud\SearchCloudU.exe
- %Program Files%\SearchCloud\SearchCloud.exe
(Note: %Program Files% is the default Program Files folder, usually C:\Program Files.)
whose malicious routines are exhibited by the affected system.NOTES:
This adware installs a global keyboard hook using the exported function GetAddress of the dropped file %Program Files%\SearchCloud\SearchCloud.dll. It monitors text boxes in the webpages displayed in Internet Explorer.
It accesses the following URL to get the URL to access to display advertisements:
- http://search.{BLOCKED}ther.com/support/keyInfo.asp?keyword={search symbol typedin the browser}&domain=searchcloud&urlYN=N&serial={random characters}&linkurl={search URL}
It then opens an Internet Explorer window with the returned URL.
SOLUTION
Step 1
For Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 users, before doing any scans, please make sure you disable System Restore to allow full scanning of your computer.
Step 2
Close all opened browser windows
Step 3
Terminate a malware/grayware process
*Note: If the detected process is not displayed in theWindows Task Manager, continue doing the next steps.
- SearchCloud.exe
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.
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft
- Key
- Key
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software
- SearchCloud
- SearchCloud
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
- SearchCloud
- SearchCloud
Step 5
Delete this registry value
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
- SearchCloud = "%Program Files%\SearchCloud\pluskeyU.exe" or "%Program Files%\SearchCloud\SearchCloudU.exe"
- SearchCloud = "%Program Files%\SearchCloud\pluskeyU.exe" or "%Program Files%\SearchCloud\SearchCloudU.exe"
Step 6
Search and delete this folder
- %Program Files%\SearchCloud
Step 7
Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as ADW_SEARCHCLOUD. 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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