ADW_SIMBAR

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.

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:

• *User Profile%\Desktop\SweetPcFix.url
• %User Profile%\Desktop\Search the Web.url

(Note: %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Profiles\{user name} on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\Profiles\{user name} on Windows NT, and C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003.)

It creates the following folders:

• %System Root%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\SweetIM
• %Program Files%\SweetIM

(Note: %System Root% is the root folder, which is usually C:\. It is also where the operating system is located.. %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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
SweetIM = "%Program Files%\SweetIM\Messenger\SweetIM.exe"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Sweetpacks Communicator = "%Program Files%\SweetIM\Communicator\SweetPacksUpdateManager.exe"

It adds the following registry entries to install itself as a Browser Helper Object (BHO):

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Browser Helper Objects\{EEE6C35C-6118-11DC-9C72-001320C79847}
{default} = "SWEETIE"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Browser Helper Objects\{EEE6C35C-6118-11DC-9C72-001320C79847}
NoExplorer = "1"

Other System Modifications

This adware adds the following registry entries as part of its installation routine:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SweetIM\
Toolbars\Internet Explorer\Data
AutoSearch = "http://{BLOCKED}.sweetim.com/search.asp?src=2&crg=3.1010008&barid={CLSID}&q=$ushtranslateparam; "

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\SweetIM\
Messenger
InstallDir = "%Program Files%\SweetIM\Messenger\"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\SweetIM\
Communicator
InstallDir = "%Program Files%\SweetIM\Communicator\"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\SweetIM\
Communicator
DataDir = "%System Root%\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\SweetIM\Communicator\"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\SweetIM\
Messenger\Adapters\4
DLL = "mgICQMessengerAdapter.dll"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\SweetIM\
SweetpacksBundle
UninstallDialogURL = "http://{BLOCKED}tim.com/SweetPacksBundleUninstaller/?cargo=3.1010008 "

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
sim-packages\shell\open\
command
{default} = "%Program Files%\SweetIM\Messenger\ContentPackagesActivationHandler.exe "%1""

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\
SweetIM.exe
{default} = "%Program Files%\SweetIM\Messenger\SweetIM.exe"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\
SweetIM.exe
Path = "%Program Files%\SweetIM\Messenger\"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\
User Agent\Post Platform
SIMBAR={6E4F80E2-2ACA-11E2-9035-000C29551670} = ""

It adds the following registry keys as part of its installation routine:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SweetIM

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\SweetIM\
Messenger

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\SweetIM

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\SweetIM\
Messenger\Adapters\4

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\SweetIM\
SweetpacksBundle

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\SweetIM\
Toolbars

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
sim-packages

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
SWEETIE.IEToolbar

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
SweetIM_URLSearchHook.ToolbarURLSearchHook

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
Toolbar3.SWEETIE

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\
SweetIM.exe

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
Browser Helper Objects\{EEE6C35C-6118-11DC-9C72-001320C79847}

It creates the following registry entry(ies) to bypass Windows Firewall:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\
List
%Program Files%\SweetIM\Communicator\SweetPacksUpdateManager.exe = "%Program Files%\SweetIM\Communicator\SweetPacksUpdateManager.exe:*:Enabled:SweetPacksUpdateManager"

Download Routine

This adware connects to the following URL(s) to download its component file(s):

• http://{BLOCKED}load.sweetim.com/download/sweetpacks/sim/mgsqlite3.7z
• http://{BLOCKED}ent.sweetim.com/install/v1/installer_finish_flash_18fps.swf
• http://{BLOCKED}load.sweetpacks.com/simsdm/common/sweetiesetup.7z
• http://{BLOCKED}load.sweetpacks.com/simsdm/common/updatemanagersetup.exe
• http://{BLOCKED}load.sweetpacks.com/simsdm/update/simboapp.exe

It saves the files it downloads using the following names:

• %User Temp%\Finish.swf
• %User Temp%\mgsqlite3.7z
• %User Temp%\SIMEEI2Installer.exe
• %User Temp%\SIMEEIInstaller.exe
• %User Temp%\SweetIESetup.exe.7z
• %User Temp%\SweetIMSetup.exe.7z

(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, XP, and Server 2003.)