Analysis by: Pearl Charlaine Espejo

ALIASES:

PUP.Optional.MultiPlug (Malwarebytes); PUP/Win32.MultiPlug (AhnLab-V3); W32/MultiPlug.O.gen!Eldorado (Cyren); not-a-virus:AdWare.Win32.Esprot.bbjf (Kaspersky); BProtector PUA (Sophos)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Adware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

This adware 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 may be manually installed by a user.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 1,584,128 bytes
File Type: DLL
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 04 Sep 2015
Payload: Connects to URLs/IPs, Steals information

Arrival Details

This adware 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 may be manually installed by a user.

Installation

This adware drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %Program Files%\IncrementGeneration\IncrementGeneration.dll

(Note: %Program Files% is the Program Files folder, where it usually is C:\Program Files on all Windows operating system versions; C:\Program Files (x86) for 32-bit applications running on Windows 64-bit operating systems.)

It creates the following folders:

  • %Program Files%\IncrementGeneration

(Note: %Program Files% is the Program Files folder, where it usually is C:\Program Files on all Windows operating system versions; C:\Program Files (x86) for 32-bit applications running on Windows 64-bit operating systems.)

Autostart Technique

This adware registers as a system service to ensure its automatic execution at every system startup by adding the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\{random numbers 1}
Type = "16"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\{random numbers 1}
Start = "2"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\{random numbers 1}
ImagePath = "%System%\rundll32.exe" "%Program Files%\IncrementGeneration\IncrementGeneration.dll",serv

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\{random numbers 1}
DisplayName = "IncrementGeneration"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\{random numbers 1}
ObjectName = "LocalSystem"

Other System Modifications

This adware adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\{UID 1}

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\{UID 2}

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\{UID 3}

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\{UID 3}\
_{random numbers 1}

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\{UID 4}

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\{UID 4}\
{random numbers 2}

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\{random numbers 1}

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
{UID 3}{random numbers 1}

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\{UID 1}
n = "1"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\{UID 1}
{random numbers 1} = "%Program Files%\IncrementGeneration\IncrementGeneration.dll"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\{UID 3}\
_{random numbers 1}
dlpath = "%progra~1\increm~1\increm~1.dll"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\{UID 3}\
_{random numbers 1}
svpath = "%Program Files%\IncrementGeneration\IncrementGeneration.dll"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\{UID 3}\
_{random numbers 1}
svn = "IncrementGeneration"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\{UID 3}\
_{random numbers 1}
Install_Dir = "%Program Files%\IncrementGeneration"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\{UID 4}\
{random numbers 2}
svn = "IncrementGeneration"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
{UID 3}{random numbers 1}
UninstallString = "%System%\RUNDLL32.EXE" "%PROGRA~1\INCREM~1\INCREM~1.DLL",_uninstall /un

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
{UID 3}{random numbers 1}
QuietUninstallString = "%System%\RUNDLL32.EXE" "%PROGRA~1\INCREM~1\INCREM~1.DLL",_uninstall /un /uq

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
{UID 3}{random numbers 1}
NoModify = "1"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
{UID 3}{random numbers 1}
NoRepair = "1"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
{UID 3}{random numbers 1}
Publisher = "Software Publisher"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
{UID 3}{random numbers 1}
InstallDate = "{date}"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
{UID 3}{random numbers 1}
CategoryName = ""

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
{UID 3}{random numbers 1}
DisplayName = "IncrementGeneration"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\
{UID 3}{random numbers 1}
Cache = "{numbers}"

It modifies the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
LoadAppInit_DLLs = "1"

(Note: The default value data of the said registry entry is "0".)

Other Details

This adware connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://{BLOCKED}itive.info/get/?data={data}&version={number}
  • http://{BLOCKED}itive.xyz/get/?data={data}&version={number}
  • http://{BLOCKED}positive.info/get/?data={data}&version={number}

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.750
SSAPI PATTERN File: 1.656.15
SSAPI PATTERN Date: 04 Sep 2015

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

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

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. Before you could do this, you must restart in Safe Mode. For instructions on how to do this, you may refer to this page If the preceding step requires you to restart in safe mode, you may proceed to edit the system registry.

  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE
    • {UID 1}
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE
    • {UID 2}
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE
    • {UID 3}
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE
    • {UID 3}
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE
    • {UID 4}
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services
    • {random numbers 1}
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall
    • {UID 3}{random numbers 1}

Step 5

Restore this modified registry value

[ 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\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
    • From: LoadAppInit_DLLs = "1"
      To: LoadAppInit_DLLs = "0"

Step 6

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. %Program Files%\IncrementGeneration

Step 7

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as ADW_MULTIPLUG.GG. 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.


Did this description help? Tell us how we did.