ADW_TSADBOT.GA
Spyware:Win32/Conducent (Microsoft); AdGateway Timesink Installer (Sophos); Adware/TimeSink (Fortinet)
Windows
Threat Type: Adware
Destructiveness: No
Encrypted:
In the wild: Yes
OVERVIEW
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.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
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 drops the following files:
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\ReGet.exe
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\ReGetApi.dll
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\ReGet.inf
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\License.txt
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\ReGet.dat
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\RG_link.htm
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\RG_all.htm
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\rg_list.htm
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\RgStart.exe
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\ReGet.chm
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\TSUninst.exe
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\AdSetup.exe
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\ADVPACK.DLL
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\W95INF32.DLL
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\W95INF16.DLL
- %User Temp%\{random}\TSAd.dll
- %User Temp%\{random}\TSAdBot.exe
- %User Temp%\{random}\Empty.exe
- %User Temp%\{random}\VcpDLL.dll
- %User Temp%\{random}\SimpleRegistration.dll
- %Windows%\TSAd.dll
- %Windows%\VcpDLL.dll
- %Program Files%\TimeSink\AdGateway\TSAdBot.exe
- %Program Files%\ReGet\SET{random}.tmp
- %ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\ReGet.lnk
(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.. %Windows% is the Windows folder, where it usually is C:\Windows on all Windows operating system versions.. %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.. %ProgramData% is the Program Data folder, where it usually is C:\Program Files in Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\ProgramData in 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:
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP
- %User Temp%\{random}
- %Program Files%\TimeSink
- %Program Files%\TimeSink\AdGateway
- %Program Files%\ReGet
(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.. %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 Adware adds the following registry keys:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\TimeSink, Inc.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\TimeSink, Inc.\
TSAdBot
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\TimeSink, Inc.\
TSAdBot\Clients
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\TimeSink, Inc.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\TimeSink, Inc.\
AdGateway
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\TimeSink, Inc.\
AdGateway\Channels
It adds the following registry entries:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\TimeSink, Inc.\
AdGateway\Channels\ReGet140Beta
ChannelID = {Hex Values}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
TimeSink Ad Client = "%Program Files%\TimeSink\AdGateway\TSAdBot.exe"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
GrpConv = "grpconv.exe -o"
SOLUTION
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
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.
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\TimeSink, Inc.
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\TimeSink, Inc.\TSAdBot
- HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\TimeSink, Inc.\TSAdBot\Clients
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\TimeSink, Inc.
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\TimeSink, Inc.\AdGateway
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\TimeSink, Inc.\AdGateway\Channels
Step 4
Delete this registry value
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\TimeSink, Inc.\AdGateway\Channels\ReGet140Beta
- ChannelID = {Hex Values}
- ChannelID = {Hex Values}
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
- TimeSink Ad Client = "%Program Files%\TimeSink\AdGateway\TSAdBot.exe"
- TimeSink Ad Client = "%Program Files%\TimeSink\AdGateway\TSAdBot.exe"
- In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
- GrpConv = "grpconv.exe -o"
- GrpConv = "grpconv.exe -o"
Step 5
Search and delete these folders
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP
- %User Temp%\{random}
- %Program Files%\TimeSink
- %Program Files%\TimeSink\AdGateway
- %Program Files%\ReGet
Step 6
Search and delete this file
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\ReGet.exe
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\ReGetApi.dll
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\ReGet.inf
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\License.txt
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\ReGet.dat
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\RG_link.htm
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\RG_all.htm
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\rg_list.htm
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\RgStart.exe
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\ReGet.chm
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\TSUninst.exe
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\AdSetup.exe
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\ADVPACK.DLL
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\W95INF32.DLL
- %User Temp%\IXP000.TMP\W95INF16.DLL
- %User Temp%\{random}\TSAd.dll
- %User Temp%\{random}\TSAdBot.exe
- %User Temp%\{random}\Empty.exe
- %User Temp%\{random}\VcpDLL.dll
- %User Temp%\{random}\SimpleRegistration.dll
- %Windows%\TSAd.dll
- %Windows%\VcpDLL.dll
- %Program Files%\TimeSink\AdGateway\TSAdBot.exe
- %Program Files%\ReGet\SET{random}.tmp
- %ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\ReGet.lnk
Step 7
Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as ADW_TSADBOT.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.
Did this description help? Tell us how we did.