PUA.Win32.InstallQ.HD
Windows
Threat Type: Potentially Unwanted Application
Destructiveness: No
Encrypted:
In the wild: Yes
OVERVIEW
This Potentially Unwanted Application arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Arrival Details
This Potentially Unwanted Application 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 Potentially Unwanted Application adds the following processes:
- "{malware file path and name}" /wrapper /dir="%User Temp%\pkg_a227fb0" /pproc="pythonw.exe"
- "%AppDataLocal%Low\cookieman.exe" /mode=read freeze.com
It creates the following folders:
- %User Temp%\pkg_a227fb0
(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(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)
Other System Modifications
This Potentially Unwanted Application deletes the following files:
- %AppDataLocal%Low\cookie.dat
- %AppDataLocal%Low\cookie.ini
(Note: %AppDataLocal% is the Local Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)
Dropping Routine
This Potentially Unwanted Application drops the following files:
- %User Temp%\pkg_a227fb0\wrapper.xml
- %User Temp%\pkg_a227fb0\stub.log
- %User Temp%\pkg_a227fb0\stubinfo.ini
- %User Temp%\pkg_a227fb0\timings.txt
- %User Temp%\pkg_a227fb0\{malware file name}.log
- %User Temp%\pkg_a227fb0\autorun.txt
- %User Temp%\pkg_a227fb0\resource.0000.pkg
- %AppDataLocal%Low\cookieman.exe
(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(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).. %AppDataLocal% is the Local Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000(32-bit), XP, and Server 2003(32-bit), or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1, 2008(64-bit), 2012(64-bit) and 10(64-bit).)
Other Details
This Potentially Unwanted Application connects to the following possibly malicious URL:
- http://register.{BLOCKED}e.com/postback/V1/landing.aspx
- http://ww38.{BLOCKED}er.freeze.com/postback/V1/landing.aspx
- http://{BLOCKED}gcrew.net/assets/scripts/js3.js
- http://ww38.{BLOCKED}er.freeze.com/track.php?{random characters}
- http://ww38.{BLOCKED}er.freeze.com/ls.php
- http://ww38.{BLOCKED}er.freeze.com/favicon.ico
- http://{BLOCKED}b.com/?{random characters}
- http://{BLOCKED}b.com/px.js?ch=1
- http://{BLOCKED}b.com/px.js?ch=2
- http://i2.{BLOCKED}age.com/__media__/js/min.js?v2.2
- http://{BLOCKED}b.com/sk-logabpstatus.php?{random characters}
- http://i1.{BLOCKED}age.com/__media__/pics/8624/numArrow.gif
- http://i1.{BLOCKED}age.com/__media__/pics/8624/searchIcon.gif
- http://{BLOCKED}b.com/favicon.ico
- http://go.{BLOCKED}oft.com
- http://api.{BLOCKED}g.com
- http://www.{BLOCKED}g.com
- http://installer.{BLOCKED}e.com
- http://katie.{BLOCKED}n.net
- http://s3-eu-west-1.{BLOCKED}aws.com
This report is generated via an automated analysis system.
SOLUTION
Step 1
Before doing any scans, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10 users must disable System Restore to allow full scanning of their computers.
Step 2
Identify and terminate files detected as PUA.Win32.InstallQ.HD
- 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 3
Search and delete these components
- %User Temp%\pkg_a227fb0\wrapper.xml
- %User Temp%\pkg_a227fb0\stub.log
- %User Temp%\pkg_a227fb0\stubinfo.ini
- %User Temp%\pkg_a227fb0\timings.txt
- %User Temp%\pkg_a227fb0\{malware file name}.log
- %User Temp%\pkg_a227fb0\autorun.txt
- %User Temp%\pkg_a227fb0\resource.0000.pkg
- %AppDataLocal%Low\cookieman.exe
Step 4
Search and delete this folder
- %User Temp%\pkg_a227fb0
Step 5
Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as PUA.Win32.InstallQ.HD. 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 the following Trend Micro Support pages for more information:
Step 6
Restore this file from backup only Microsoft-related files will be restored. If this malware/grayware also deleted files related to programs that are not from Microsoft, please reinstall those programs on you computer again.
- %AppDataLocal%Low\cookie.dat
- %AppDataLocal%Low\cookie.ini
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