Analysis by: Jennifer Gumban

 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 DAMAGE POTENTIAL:
 DISTRIBUTION POTENTIAL:
 REPORTED INFECTION:
 INFORMATION EXPOSURE:

  • Threat Type: Adware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel: Downloaded from the Internet, Dropped by other malware

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 modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 310,376 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: No
Initial Samples Received Date: 23 Nov 2013
Payload: Connects to URLs/IPs, Downloads files

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 adds the following mutexes to ensure that only one of its copies runs at any one time:

  • {random guid}

Other System Modifications

This adware deletes the following files:

  • %User Temp%\down.{Random Numbers}.{Random Values}.{Random File Extension}.part

(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, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista and 7.)

Web Browser Home Page and Search Page Modification

This adware modifies the Internet Explorer Zone Settings.

Dropping Routine

This adware drops the following files:

  • %TEMP%\Tsu{random value}.dll
  • %TEMP%\{Random GUID}\Custom.dll
  • %TEMP%\{Random GUID}\Readme.txt
  • %TEMP%\{Random GUID}\Setup.exe
  • %TEMP%\{Random GUID}\Setup.ico
  • %TEMP%\{Random GUID}\_Setup.dll
  • %All Users Profile%\Application Data\InstallMate\{random values}\cfg\{random name}.ini
  • %User Temp%\{Random GUID}\general_logo.bmp
  • %User Temp%\{Random GUID}\v_grey.jpg
  • %TEMP%\TSULoader.log
  • %TEMP%\~{random values}.tmp

(Note: %All Users Profile% is the All Users or Common profile folder, which is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users in Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, and C:\ProgramData in Windows Vista and 7.. %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, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista and 7.)

Download Routine

This adware downloads the file from the following URL and renames the file when stored in the affected system:

  • http://{BLOCKED}nnermyall.ru/* - downloads ext_setup.exe, extIE_setup.exe, ytab_setup.exe, ytbmk_setup.exe, browsecoupon_setup.exe
  • http://{BLOCKED}downloads.info/* - saves as newtab_setup.exe
  • http://i1.{BLOCKED}un.info/images/general_logo.bmp - saves as general_logo.bmp
  • http://i1.{BLOCKED}un.info/addons/agent2.exe - saves as helper_setup.exe
  • http://i1.{BLOCKED}\un.info/addons/ezdownloader.exe - saves as EzDownloader_setup.exe
  • http://i1.{BLOCKED}un.info/addons/search_installer.exe - saves as search_intaller.exe
  • http://i1.{BLOCKED}un.info/addons/dfndr/180/sprotector_x86_x64.exe - saves as assistant_v3.exe

Other Details

This adware performs DNS requests to the following sites:

  • http://r1.{BLOCKED}licationmy.info/?report_version=5&
  • http://c1.{BLOCKED}licationmy.info/*
  • http://{BLOCKED}wnloadscan.info/get/* - requested by assistant_v3.exe
  • http://{BLOCKED}tectionsoft.info/get/* - requested by assistant_v3.exe

NOTES:

This adware pretends to be a Quickset Installer but is actually a serial key generator for J. River Media Center version 19.0.66.

The files are temporarily named as %TEMP%\down.{random numbers}.{random name}.{random extension}.part and are renamed and saved in %User Temp%\Addons\{given name}.

The downloaded files are detected by Trend Micro as ADW_MULTIPLUG.

It executes the downloaded files. After installation, it deletes all dropped components and downloaded files.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.300
SSAPI PATTERN File: 1.458.17
SSAPI PATTERN Date: 04 Nov 2013

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

Remove the malware/grayware file that dropped/downloaded ADW_TSUPLOADER

    • ADW_MULTIPLUG

Step 3

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product and note files detected as ADW_TSUPLOADER

Step 4

Search and delete these components

[ Learn More ]
There may be some components that are hidden. Please make sure you check the Search Hidden Files and Folders checkbox in the "More advanced options" option to include all hidden files and folders in the search result.
  • %User Temp%\down.{Random Numbers}.{Random Values}.{Random File Extension}.part
  • %TEMP%\Tsu{random value}.dll
  • %TEMP%\{Random GUID}\Custom.dll
  • %TEMP%\{Random GUID}\Readme.txt
  • %TEMP%\{Random GUID}\Setup.exe
  • %TEMP%\{Random GUID}\Setup.ico
  • %TEMP%\{Random GUID}\_Setup.dll
  • %All Users Profile%\Application Data\InstallMate\{random values}\cfg\{random name}.ini
  • %User Temp%\{Random GUID}\general_logo.bmp
  • %User Temp%\{Random GUID}\v_grey.jpg
  • %TEMP%\TSULoader.log
  • %TEMP%\~{random values}.tmp

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as ADW_TSUPLOADER. 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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