Analysis by: John Karlo Agon
ALIASES:

PUP.Optional.MindSpark.A (Malwarebytes), Win32.Trojan.Falsesign.Fhy (Tencent), Win32:Mindspark-A [PUP] (Avast)

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

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size: 443,264 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: No
Initial Samples Received Date: 06 Jul 2015

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 files:

  • %Program Files%\MapsGalaxy_39EI\Installr\1.bin\NP39EISb.dl_
  • %Program Files%\MapsGalaxy_39EI\Installr\1.bin\NP39EISb.dll
  • %Program Files%\MapsGalaxy_39EI\Installr\1.bin\39EIPlug.dl_
  • %Program Files%\MapsGalaxy_39EI\Installr\1.bin\39EIPlug.dll
  • %Program Files%\MapsGalaxy_39EI\Installr\1.bin\39EZSETP.dl_
  • %Program Files%\MapsGalaxy_39EI\Installr\1.bin\39EZSETP.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%\MapsGalaxy_39EI

(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.)

Other System Modifications

This potentially unwanted application adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MapsGalaxy_39EI

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MozillaPlugins\
@ei.MapsGalaxy_39.com/Plugin

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
MapsGalaxy_39Installer.Start.1

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
MapsGalaxy_39Installer.Start

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
CLSID\{GUID}

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
TypeLib\{GUID}

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
Interface\{GUID}

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MapsGalaxy_39EI\
Installer
un = "MapsGalaxy"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MapsGalaxy_39EI\
Installer
Dir = "C:\Progam Files\MapsGalaxy_39EI\Installr\"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MapsGalaxy_39EI\
Installer
PluginPath = "C:Program Files\MapsGalaxy_39EI\Installr\1.bin"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MozillaPlugins\
@ei.MapsGalaxy_39.com/Plugin
Description = "MapsGalaxy Plugin"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\@ei.MapsGalaxy_39.com/Plugin
Path = "C:\Program Files\MapsGalaxy_39EI\Installr\1.bin\NP39EISB.dll"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\@ei.MapsGalaxy_39.com/Plugin
vendor = "FULLCOMPANYNAME_DDE0BB24-8F8C-44E9-B962-8289B302DEF9"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\@ei.MapsGalaxy_39.com/Plugin
version = "1.1.0.0"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\@ei.MapsGalaxy_39.com/Plugin\
MimeTypes\application/x-mapsgalaxy_39pluginei
Description = "MapsGalaxy Plugin"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\@ei.MapsGalaxy_39.com/Plugin\
MimeTypes\application/x-mapsgalaxy_39pluginei
Suffixes = "39i"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
MapsGalaxy_39Installer.Start.1\CLSID
(Default) = "{GUID}"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
MapsGalaxy_39Installer.Start\CLSID
(Default) = "{GUID}"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
MapsGalaxy_39Installer.Start\CurVer
(Default) = "MapsGalaxy_39Installer.Start.1"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
CLSID\{GUID}\ProgID
(Default) = "MapsGalaxy_39Installer.Start.1"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
CLSID\{GUID}\VersionIndependentProgID
(Default) = "MapsGalaxy_39Installer.Start"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
CLSID\{GUID}\InprocServer32
(Default) = "C:\Program Files\MapsGalaxy_39EI\Installr\1.bin\39EZSETP.dll"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
CLSID\{GUID}\InprocServer32
ThreadingModel = "Apartment"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
CLSID\{GUID}\MiscStatus
(Default) = "0"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
CLSID\{GUID}\MiscStatus\
1
(Default) = "131473"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
CLSID\{GUID}\TypeLib
(Default) = "{GUID}"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
CLSID\{GUID}\Version
(Default) = "1.0"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
TypeLib\{GUID}\1.0
(Default) = "Installer 1.0 Type Library"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
TypeLib\{GUID}\1.0\
FLAGS
(Default) = "0"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
TypeLib\{GUID}\1.0\
0\win32
(Default) = "C:\Program Files\MapsGalaxy_39EI\Installr\1.bin\39EZSETP.dll\1"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
TypeLib\{GUID}\1.0\
HELPDIR
(Default) = "C:\Program Files\MapsGalaxy_39EI\Installr\1.bin"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
Interface\{GUID}
(Default) = "It8InstallerStart"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
Interface\{GUID}\ProxyStubClsid
(Default) = "{GUID}"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
Interface\{GUID}\ProxyClsid32
(Default) = "{GUID}"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
Interface\{GUID}\TypeLib
(Default) = "{GUID}"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\
Interface\{GUID}\TypeLib
Version = "1.0"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MapsGalaxy_39EI\
Installer
CurInstall = "1"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MapsGalaxy_39EI\
Installer
sr = "0"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MapsGalaxy_39EI\
Installer
pl = "9"

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.750
SSAPI PATTERN File: 1.637.00
SSAPI PATTERN Date: 02 Jul 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

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
    • MapsGalaxy_39EI
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\MozillaPlugins
    • @ei.MapsGalaxy_39.com/Plugin
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes
    • MapsGalaxy_39Installer.Start.1
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes
    • MapsGalaxy_39Installer.Start
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes
    • CLSID\{GUID}
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes
    • TypeLib\{GUID}
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes
    • Interface\{GUID}

Step 4

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%\MapsGalaxy_39EI

Step 5

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as PUA_MAPSGALAXY.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 this Knowledge Base page for more information.


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