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 connects to a website to send and receive information.
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 component file(s):
- {Malware Path}\{Malware Filename}ak.sys
Autostart Technique
This Potentially Unwanted Application registers itself as a system service to ensure its automatic execution at every system startup by adding the following registry entries:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
services\{Malware Filename}ak
Other System Modifications
This Potentially Unwanted Application deletes the following files:
- {Malware Path}\{Malware Filename}ak.sys
It adds the following registry entries:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
services\{Malware Filename}ak
Type = 1
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
services\{Malware Filename}ak
ErrorControl = 1
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
services\{Malware Filename}ak
Start = 1
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
services\{Malware Filename}ak
ImagePath = \??\{Malware Path}\{Malware Filename}ak.sys
Backdoor Routine
This Potentially Unwanted Application connects to the following websites to send and receive information:
- http://www.ep{BLOCKED}t.com
- http://www.e{BLOCKED}t.com/PCHunter_StandardV1.4={MAC Address}
- http://www.e{BLOCKED}t.com/pchunter/pchunter_free
- {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.158.231
Adware Routine
This Potentially Unwanted Application deletes the following registry keys that were created during execution:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
services\{Malware Filename}ak\Enum
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\
services\{Malware Filename}ak
Information Theft
This Potentially Unwanted Application gathers the following data:
- MAC Address
- Running Processes
- Computer Files
- User Accounts
- System Registries
- Process Modules
- Kernel Modules
- Startup Information
- Network Connections
- Firewall Rules
Other Details
This Potentially Unwanted Application does the following:
- It loads the dropped file as a driver
- {Malware Path}\{Malware Filename}ak.sys
- It displays the following image:

- It can view and display system process and process threads
- It can terminate, suspend and resume processes and threads
- It displays current network connections, including the local and remote addresses and state of TCP connections
- It displays and can edit system registry
- It displays and can delete files and folders
- It can view file properties information
- It displays autorun entries
- It can delete and edit autorun entries
- It displays and can delete user accounts
- It displays affected machine’s firewall rules
- It can delete a firewall rule
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
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
Restart in Safe Mode
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To restart in Safe Mode:
• For Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 (R2) users
- Restart your computer.
- Press F8 after the Power-On Self Test (POST) routine is done. If the Advanced Boot Options menu does not appear, try restarting and then pressing F8 several times after the POST screen is displayed.
- On the Advanced Boot Options menu, use the arrow keys to select the Safe Mode option, and then press Enter.
• For Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012 users
- Access the Charms bar by moving your mouse pointer to the upper right corner of the screen.
- Move your mouse pointer down and click Settings>Change your PC Settings.
- In the left panel, click General.
- In the right panel, scroll down to the bottom to find the Advanced startup section, then click the Restart now button and wait for the system to restart.
- In the Advanced Startup menu, click Troubleshoot>Advanced Options>Startup Settings>Restart and wait for the system to restart.
- In the Startup Settings menu, press 4 to enable safe mode.
• For Windows 10 users
- Press Windows logo key + I on your keyboard to open Settings. If that doesn't work, select the Start button, then select Settings.
- Select Update & Security > Recovery.
- Under Advanced startup, select Restart now.
- After your PC restarts to the Choose an option screen, select Troubleshoot > Advcanced options > Startup settings > Restart.
- After your PC restarts, you'll see a list og options. Select 4 or press F4 to start your PC in Safe Mode.
Step 4
Delete this registry value
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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\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\services\{Malware Filename}ak
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\services\{Malware Filename}ak
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\services\{Malware Filename}ak
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\services\{Malware Filename}ak
- ImagePath = \??\{Malware Path}\{Malware Filename}ak.sys
To delete the registry value this malware created:
- Open Registry Editor. To do this:
» For Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 (R2) users, click the Start button, type regedit in the Search input field then press Enter.
» For Windows 8, Windows 8.1, 10, and Windows Server 2012 (R2) users, right-click on the lower left corner of the screen, click Run, type regedit in the text box provided, and then press Enter. - In the left panel of the Registry Editor window, double-click the following:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>SYSTEM>ControlSet001>services>{Malware Filename}ak - In the right panel, locate and delete the entry:
Type = 1 - Again In the right panel, locate and delete the entry:
ErrorControl = 1 - Again In the right panel, locate and delete the entry:
Start = 1 - Again In the right panel, locate and delete the entry:
ImagePath = \??\{Malware Path}\{Malware Filename}ak.sys - Close Registry Editor.
Step 5
Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as PUA.Win64.PCHunter.A. 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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