PUA.Win32.InstallQ.GA


 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Potentially Unwanted Application

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: No

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Downloaded from the Internet, Dropped by other malware

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. It may be manually installed by a user.

It connects to certain websites to send and receive information.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

1,600,704 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

04 Mar 2019

Payload:

Drops files, Connects to URLs/IPs, Downloads files, Displays message/message boxes

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.

It may be manually installed by a user.

Installation

This Potentially Unwanted Application drops the following files:

  • %User Temp%\pkg_{numbers}\stub.log
  • %User Temp%\pkg_{numbers}\wrapper.xml
  • %User Temp%\pkg_{numbers}\autorun.txt
  • %User Temp%\pkg_{numbers}\stub.log
  • %User Temp%\pkg_{numbers}\timings.txt
  • %User Temp%\pkg_{numbers}\mimni.log
  • %User Temp%\pkg_{numbers}\detectionrules.dat

(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, 7, and 8.)

It creates the following folders:

  • %User Temp%\pkg_{numbers}

(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, 7, and 8.)

Other System Modifications

This Potentially Unwanted Application adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\{BLOCKED}e.com

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\{BLOCKED}e.com\
Installer

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Freeze.com\
Installer
test = 1

Download Routine

This Potentially Unwanted Application accesses the following websites to download files:

  • http://www.{BLOCKED}ediaplayer.com/downloads/full/FMPSetup.exe

It saves the files it downloads using the following names:

  • %User Temp%\pkg_{numbers}\FMPSetup.exe - Final Media Player installer file

(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, 7, and 8.)

Other Details

This Potentially Unwanted Application connects to the following website to send and receive information:

  • http://{BLOCKED}l.{BLOCKED}liq.com/api/detectionrequest.aspx?keyid=1&shortname=finalmediaplayer&langid=0x0411
  • http://{BLOCKED}l.{BLOCKED}liq.com/postback/V1/landing.aspx

It does the following:

  • The downloaded file is executed to install Final Media Player software.

NOTES:
It displays the following windows if it fails to receive the download information:


It accesses
  • http://www.{BLOCKED}ediaplayer.com/insterr.html if installation fails.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

SSAPI PATTERN File:

2.153.00

SSAPI PATTERN Date:

07 Mar 2019

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.Win32.InstallQ.GA

[ 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

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_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE
    • Freeze.com

Step 5

Search and delete these folders

[ 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%\pkg_{numbers}

Step 6

Remove PUA.Win32.InstallQ.GA by using its own Uninstall option

[ Learn More ]
To uninstall the grayware process

Step 7

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as PUA.Win32.InstallQ.GA. 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:


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