PUA_INSTALLC.GC
Win32.Adware.Excite.Gly (Tencent), Adware.MyWay (DrWeb), Adware.W32.Excite!c (AegisLab)
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 drops the following files:
- %System%\Goldfish.scr
- %Windows%\s4Setp.exe
- %Windows%\ungoldf\UNWISE.INI
- %Windows%\ungoldf\UNWISE.EXE
- %Windows%\ungoldf\INSTALL.LOG
- %Program Files%\MyWay\myBar\1.bin\MY2NS.EXE
- %Program Files%\MyWay\myBar\1.bin\MY2NS.EXE
- %Program Files%\MyWay\myBar\1.bin\MYBAR.DLL
- %Program Files%\MyWay\myBar\1.bin\MYBAR.DLL
- %Program Files%\MyWay\myBar\1.bin\MYUNSETP.HTA
- %Program Files%\MyWay\myBar\1.bin\MYUNSETP.HTA
- %Program Files%\MyWay\myBar\1.bin\MYWAYPLUGINPROXY.CLASS
- %Program Files%\MyWay\myBar\1.bin\MYWAYPLUGINPROXY.CLASS
- %Program Files%\MyWay\myBar\1.bin\NPMYWAY.DLL
- %Program Files%\MyWay\myBar\1.bin\NPMYWAY.DLL
- %Program Files%\MyWay\myBar\1.bin\PARTNER.DAT
- %Program Files%\MyWay\myBar\1.bin\PARTNER.DAT
- %Program Files%\MyWay\myBar\1.bin\UNINSTALL.INF
- %Program Files%\MyWay\myBar\1.bin\UNINSTALL.INF
- %Program Files%\Save\Save.exe
- %Program Files%\Save\save.htm
- %Program Files%\Save\SaveUninst.exe
- %Program Files%\Save\ReadMe.txt
- %Program Files%\WeatherCast\Weather.exe
- %Program Files%\WeatherCast\Uninst.exe
(Note: %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.. %Windows% is the Windows folder, where it usually is C:\Windows on all Windows operating system versions.. %Program Files% is the Program Files folder, where it usually is C:\Program Files on all Windows operating system versions; C:\Program Files (x86) for 32-bit applications running on Windows 64-bit operating systems.)
It creates the following folders:
- %Start Menu%\Programs\WeatherCast
- %Program Files%\WeatherCast
- %Program Files%\Save
- %Windows%\ungoldf
- %Program Files%\MyWay
- %Program Files%\MyWay\myBar
- %Program Files%\MyWay\myBar\1.bin
(Note: %Start Menu% is the Start Menu folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Start Menu on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.. %Program Files% is the Program Files folder, where it usually is C:\Program Files on all Windows operating system versions; C:\Program Files (x86) for 32-bit applications running on Windows 64-bit operating systems.. %Windows% is the Windows folder, where it usually is C:\Windows on all Windows operating system versions.)
Autostart Technique
This potentially unwanted application adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
WhenUSave = %Program Files%\Save\Save.exe
It drops the following file(s) in the Windows User Startup folder to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:
- %Start Menu%\Programs\WeatherCast\WeatherCast.lnk
(Note: %Start Menu% is the Start Menu folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Start Menu on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)
Other System Modifications
This potentially unwanted application adds the following registry keys:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
My Way Speedbar Uninstall
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
WeatherCast
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
Goldfish
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
SaveNow
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WhenUSave
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WhenUSave\
Partners
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WhenUSave\
Partners\WUSV
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MyWay
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MyWay\
test
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MyWay\
myBar
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MyWay\
myBar\partner
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\WhenU
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\WhenU\
Weather
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WhenUSave\
Partners\CAST
It adds the following registry entries:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
SaveNow
DisplayIcon = %Program Files%\Save\Save.exe,1
Other Details
This potentially unwanted application connects to the following possibly malicious URL:
- http://{BLOCKED}b.whenu.com/heartbeat?program=weather&partner=TLAG1202&id=D7D2683CF15B449EB60BC100CACD7610&ver=1.11
- http://{BLOCKED}p.whenu.com/WeatherDB
- http://{BLOCKED}p.whenu.com/WthrPrefs?mode=bg&ccode=5564
- http://{BLOCKED}p.whenu.com/WthrPrefs?mode=nt&nid=1
- http://{BLOCKED}p.whenu.com/Weather?id=D7D2683CF15B449EB60BC100CACD7610&url=TLAG1202&src=silent
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 2
Note that not all files, folders, and registry keys and entries are installed on your computer during this malware's/spyware's/grayware's execution. This may be due to incomplete installation or other operating system conditions. If you do not find the same files/folders/registry information, please proceed to the next step.
Step 3
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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- WhenUSave = %Program Files%\Save\Save.exe
- WhenUSave = %Program Files%\Save\Save.exe
DATA_GENERIC_ENTRY
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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
- Goldfish
- Goldfish
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
- SaveNow
- SaveNow
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
- My Way Speedbar Uninstall
- My Way Speedbar Uninstall
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
- WeatherCast
- WeatherCast
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE
- WhenUSave
- WhenUSave
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE
- MyWay
- MyWay
- In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software
- WhenU
- WhenU
Step 5
Search and delete these folders
- %Start Menu%\Programs\WeatherCast
- %Program Files%\WeatherCast
- %Program Files%\Save
- %Windows%\ungoldf
- %Program Files%\MyWay
- %Program Files%\MyWay\myBar
- %Program Files%\MyWay\myBar\1.bin
Step 6
Search and delete this file
- %System%\Goldfish.scr
- %Windows%\s4Setp.exe
Step 7
Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as PUA_INSTALLC.GC. 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.
Did this description help? Tell us how we did.