Analysis by: RonJay Kristoffer Caragay
ALIASES:

MediaGet (PUA) (Sophos); PUP/MediaGET (Panda); PUP.Optional.MediaGet (Malwarebytes); not-a-virus:HEUR:Downloader.Win32.MediaGet.gen (Kaspersky); a variant of Win32/MediaGet.AE potentially unwanted (ESET-NOD32); Win32.Adware.MediaGet.A (GData)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • 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.

However, as of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 672,800 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: No
Initial Samples Received Date: 28 Dec 2016

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 folders:

  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp
  • %AppDataLocal%\MediaGet2
  • %AppDataLocal%\Media Get LLC

(Note: %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp 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.. %AppDataLocal% is the Application Data folder found in Local Settings, where it is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local 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.)

It drops the following files:

  • %AppDataLocal%\MediaGet2\mediaget-tmp-{random}.tmp
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\mediaget-tmp-{random}.tmp
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\cancel.template
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\cancel-en.template
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\cancel_page.jpg
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\cancel_page_en.jpg
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\cancel-cancel.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\cancel-cancel-grey.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\cancel-cancel-grey-en.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\cancel-try.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\cancel-try-en.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\checkbox-off.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\checkbox-on.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\checkbox-white-off.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\checkbox-white-on.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\close.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\custom-back.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\mediaget-logo.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\next.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\next-en.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\next-hovered.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\next-hovered-en.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\next-hovered-tr.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\next-tr.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\prime-cancel.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\prime-cancel-hover.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\prime-play.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\prime-play-hover.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\prime-screen.jpg
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\tanks-screen.jpg
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\yabrowser-logo.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\yabrowser-next.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\yabrowser-skip.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\yabrowsertr-next.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\yabrowsertr-skip.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\yandex-logo-ru.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\img\yandex-logo-tr.png
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\index.html
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\index.template
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\install.template
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\install-min.template
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\js\jquery.min.1.6.4.js
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\js\jquery-ui.min.1.8.0.js
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\page.template
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\postinstall.template
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\preinstall.template
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\preinstall_1.template
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\preinstall_2.template
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp\stub.html

(Note: %AppDataLocal% is the Application Data folder found in Local Settings, where it is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local 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.. %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp 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_CURRENT_USER\Software\Media Get LLC

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Media Get LLC\
MediaGet2-systemScope

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Media Get LLC\
MediaGet2-systemScope\installer

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Media Get LLC\
MediaGet2-systemScope\installer
associate_files = "{value}"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Media Get LLC\
MediaGet2-systemScope\installer
associate_media_files = "{value}"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Media Get LLC\
MediaGet2-systemScope\installer
auto_start = "{value}"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Media Get LLC\
MediaGet2-systemScope\installer
bubbles_comment = ""

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Media Get LLC\
MediaGet2-systemScope\installer
bubbles_id = ""

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Media Get LLC\
MediaGet2-systemScope\installer
bundles_accepted = "orbspeeddial"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Media Get LLC\
MediaGet2-systemScope\installer
destdir = ""

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Media Get LLC\
MediaGet2-systemScope\installer
hp_before = "http://www.microsoft.com/isapi/redir.dll?prd=ie&pver=6&ar=msnhome"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Media Get LLC\
MediaGet2-systemScope\installer
installer_id = "0"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Media Get LLC\
MediaGet2-systemScope\installer
installer_version = "224"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Media Get LLC\
MediaGet2-systemScope\installer
mgtoolbar_web_url = ""

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Media Get LLC\
MediaGet2-systemScope\installer
playlist_url = ""

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Media Get LLC\
MediaGet2-systemScope\installer
reseller = ""

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Media Get LLC\
MediaGet2-systemScope\installer
setup_lang = "en"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Media Get LLC\
MediaGet2-systemScope\installer
subid = ""

Other Details

This potentially unwanted application connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • https://{BLOCKED}l.{BLOCKED}a-get.ru/index2.php
  • http://{BLOCKED}1.{BLOCKED}a-get.com/getdata.php?id={value}

However, as of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.800
SSAPI PATTERN File: 1.797.00
SSAPI PATTERN Date: 29 Dec 2016

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 key

[ Learn More ]

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
    • Media Get LLC

Step 4

Search and delete this folder

[ Learn More ]
Please make sure you check the Search Hidden Files and Folders checkbox in the More advanced options option to include all hidden folders in the search result.
  • %User Temp%\mediaget-installer-tmp
  • %AppDataLocal%\MediaGet2
  • %AppDataLocal%\Media Get LLC

Step 5

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