Analysis by: Janus Agcaoili
ALIASES:

a variant of Win32/Toolbar.Montiera.F potentially unwanted (ESET-NOD32)

 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 may arrive bundled with malware packages as a malware component. It arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

It requires its main component to successfully perform its intended routine.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 300,544 bytes
File Type: DLL
Memory Resident: No
Initial Samples Received Date: 09 May 2017

Arrival Details

This Potentially Unwanted Application may arrive bundled with malware packages as a malware component.

It arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

Other Details

This Potentially Unwanted Application requires its main component to successfully perform its intended routine.

It does the following:

  • Possibly redirects the home page of Internet Explorer Browser to the metacrawler search page:
    • www.metacrawler.com

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.850
SSAPI PATTERN File: 1.837.00
SSAPI PATTERN Date: 11 May 2017

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

Identify and terminate files detected as PUA_MONTIERA.GB

[ Learn More ]
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. If the detected file is not displayed in either Windows Task Manager or Process Explorer, continue doing the next steps.

Step 4

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

Step 5

Reset the Internet Explorer Home and Search pages

[ Learn More ]


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