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Adware.Win32.OpenCandy.GIDFI

January 22, 2019
 Analysis by: Arvin Roi Macaraeg
 ALIASES:

HEUR:WebToolbar.Win32.Asparnet.gen(KASPERSKY)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Adware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Downloaded from the Internet, Dropped by other malware, Manually installed by user


This Adware 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 a website to send and receive information.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

3,914,176 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

No

Initial Samples Received Date:

14 Jan 2019

Payload:

Adds registry entries, Displays windows

Arrival Details

This Adware 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 Adware adds the following folders:

  • %Program Files%\Acro Software\CutePDF Writer
  • %Start Menu%\Programs\CutePDF\PDF Writer
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\_isetup
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\Driver
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\Driver\x64

(Note: %Program Files% is the default Program Files folder, usually C:\Program Files in Windows 2000, Server 2003, and XP (32-bit), Vista (32-bit), 7 (32-bit), and 8 (32-bit), or C:\Program Files (x86) in Windows XP (64-bit), Vista (64-bit), 7 (64-bit), and 8 (64-bit).. %Start Menu% is the current user's Start Menu folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Start Menu or C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu on Windows Vista, 7, and 8.. %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 drops the following files:

  • %Program Files%\Acro Software\CutePDF Writer\CPWSave.exe
  • %Program Files%\Acro Software\CutePDF Writer\PDFWrite.rsp
  • %Program Files%\Acro Software\CutePDF Writer\README.HTM
  • %Program Files%\Acro Software\CutePDF Writer\uninscpw.exe
  • %Start Menu%\Programs\CutePDF\PDF Writer\Readme.lnk
  • %System%\cpwmon2k.dll
  • %System%\spool\drivers\w32x86\CUTEPDFW.PPD
  • %System%\spool\drivers\w32x86\PS5UI.DLL
  • %System%\spool\drivers\w32x86\PSCRIPT.HLP
  • %System%\spool\drivers\w32x86\PSCRIPT.NTF
  • %System%\spool\drivers\w32x86\PSCRIPT5.DLL
  • %User Temp%\_is{random}.dll
  • %User Temp%\_is{random}.tmp
  • %User Temp%\_MSI5166._IS
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\_ISMSIDEL.INI
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\0x{hex numbers}.ini
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\1033.MST
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Ask Toolbar.msi
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Setup.INI
  • %User Temp%\{GUID}\Windows Installer 3.0 for Windows XP and later (x86).prq
  • %User Temp%\~{random}.tmp
  • %User Temp%\install_log.log
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\_isetup\_RegDLL.tmp
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\_isetup\_shfoldr.dll
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\Ask_Logo.bmp
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\Ask_Toolbar.bmp
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\AskInstallChecker.exe
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\askToolbarInstaller.exe
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\cpwmon2k.dll
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\CPWSave.exe
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\CuteWriter.tmp
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\Driver\CUTEPDFW.PPD
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\Driver\Cutepdfw.spd
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\Driver\FONTS.MFM
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\Driver\ICONLIB.DLL
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\Driver\is-{random}.tmp
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\Driver\PS5UI.DLL
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\Driver\PSCRIPT.DRV
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\Driver\PSCRIPT.HLP
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\Driver\PSCRIPT.INI
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\Driver\PSCRIPT.NTF
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\Driver\PSCRIPT5.DLL
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\Driver\PSMON.DLL
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\Driver\TESTPS.TXT
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\Driver\x64\is-{random}.tmp
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\Driver\x64\PS5UI.DLL
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\Driver\x64\PSCRIPT.HLP
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\Driver\x64\PSCRIPT.NTF
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\Driver\x64\PSCRIPT5.DLL
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\is-{random}.tmp
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\OCSetupHlp.dll
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\PDFWrite.rsp
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\Readme.htm
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\Setup.exe
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\UNINSCPW.exe
  • %User Temp%\is-{random}.tmp\WizModernSmallImage-IS.bmp
  • %User Temp%\NEWFB00.tmp.exe

(Note: %Program Files% is the default Program Files folder, usually C:\Program Files in Windows 2000, Server 2003, and XP (32-bit), Vista (32-bit), 7 (32-bit), and 8 (32-bit), or C:\Program Files (x86) in Windows XP (64-bit), Vista (64-bit), 7 (64-bit), and 8 (64-bit).. %Start Menu% is the current user's Start Menu folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Start Menu or C:\Documents and Settings\{User name}\Start Menu on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu on Windows Vista, 7, and 8.. %System% is the Windows system folder, where it usually is C:\Windows\System32 on all Windows operating system versions.. %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 Adware adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
CutePDF Writer Installation

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Acro Software Inc

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Acro Software Inc\
CutePDF Writer

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
CutePDF Writer Installation
DisplayName = CutePDF Writer 2.8

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
CutePDF Writer Installation
UninstallString = %Program Files%\Acro Software\CutePDF Writer\uninscpw.exe

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Acro Software Inc\
CutePDF Writer
Destination Folder = %Program Files%\Acro Software\CutePDF Writer

Backdoor Routine

This Adware connects to the following websites to send and receive information:

  • http://websearch.{BLOCKED}k.com/interim/askbardis/getTbProperties.jsp?tbr=ARS
  • http://websearch.{BLOCKED}k.com/preinstall?client=ic&tb=ARS&r=0&ipid=&npid=ARS&iev=8&ielu=0&fflu=0&iv=&nv=1.8.0.0&clientv=1.5.0.0&rep=0

Other Details

This Adware does the following:

  • It connects to the following URL(s) to download a free converter "PS2PDF converter":
    • http://download.{BLOCKED}ftware.com/download/converter.asp?V=W0
    • http://download.{BLOCKED}ftware.com/download/gplgs.exe
  • Displays the following GUIs during and after installation:
    • Display a pop up containing a guide.

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.850

SSAPI PATTERN File:

2.137.00

SSAPI PATTERN Date:

03 Jan 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 Adware.Win32.OpenCandy.GIDFI

[ 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

Remove Adware.Win32.OpenCandy.GIDFI by using its own Uninstall option

[ Learn More ]
To uninstall the grayware process

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as Adware.Win32.OpenCandy.GIDFI. 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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