ADW_BRANTALL

Infection Channel: Dropped by other malware, Downloaded from the Internet

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.

File Size: 718,720 bytes

File Type: EXE

Memory Resident: No

Initial Samples Received Date: 19 Jun 2014

Payload: Drops files, Connects to URLs/IPs

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.

Installation

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

%User Temp%\PC Performer613879.exe

(Note: %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)

It creates the following folders:

%All Users Profile%\IBUpdaterService
%User Temp%\ibtmp90bb489 - deleted afterwards
%User Temp%\ibtmp90bb489\config - deleted afterwards
%User Temp%\ibtmp90bb489\config\events - deleted afterwards
%User Temp%\ibtmp90bb489\config\conditions - deleted afterwards

(Note: %All Users Profile% is the All Users folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\ProgramData on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.. %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)

Other System Modifications

This adware adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows Script\Settings

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows Script

It adds the following registry entries:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows Script\Settings
JITDebug = "0"

Dropping Routine

This adware drops the following files:

%User Temp%\ibtmp90bb489\config\conditions\conditions.js - deleted afterwards
%User Temp%\ibtmp90bb489\config\events\events.js - deleted afterwards
%User Temp%\ibtmp90bb489\intallLog - deleted afterwards
%User Profile%\IBUpdaterService\repository.xml

(Note: %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.. %User Profile% is the current user's profile folder, which is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name} on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003, or C:\Users\{user name} on Windows Vista and 7.)

Download Routine

This adware saves the files it downloads using the following names:

%User Temp%\ConduitChecker.exe - also detected as ADW_BRANTALL

(Note: %User Temp% is the user's temporary folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Temp on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local\Temp on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)

Other Details

This adware connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

http://api.{BLOCKED}o.com/utils/dns?cid={random}
http://www.{BLOCKED}tech.com/
http://{BLOCKED}-182385724-1591972470.us-east-1.elb.{BLOCKED}aws.com/service/country.php
http://www.{BLOCKED}tech.com/service/country.php
http://www.{BLOCKED}tech.com/files/components/conduit_checker.exe - download file also detected as ADW_BRANTALL

NOTES:

It notifies the following URLs for the installation:

http://api.{BLOCKED}o.com/track/ib-start?cid={random}
http://{BLOCKED}l.{BLOCKED}o.com/installer/{random characters}
http://api.{BLOCKED}o.com/track/ib-install?cid={random}&componentid={random}
http://api.{BLOCKED}o.com/track/ib-finish?cid={random}

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.700

SSAPI PATTERN File: 1.502.26

SSAPI PATTERN Date: 21 Apr 2014

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

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_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft
- Windows Script

Step 3

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.

%All Users Profile%\IBUpdaterService

Step 4

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as ADW_BRANTALL. 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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