Analysis by: Mar Philip Elaurza
ALIASES:

PUA/InstallCore.Gen (Avira); Riskware/InstallCore.AAAA (Fortinet); AdWare.InstallCore (VBA32); Win32.Adware.InstallCore.DY (GData)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

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

  • Threat Type: Trojan

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted:

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

This Trojan 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: 1,107,336 bytes
File Type: EXE
Memory Resident: Yes
Initial Samples Received Date: 10 Jun 2016

Arrival Details

This Trojan 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 Trojan drops the following files:

  • %Desktop%\Continue PDF Creator Installation.lnk
  • %Program Files%\is{random3}.log
  • %User Temp%\{random4}.log
  • %User Temp%\{random5}.log
  • %User Temp%\{random6}.log
  • %User Temp%\{random7}.log
  • %User Temp%\ICReinstall_{file name}.exe
  • %User Temp%\is{random2}\1242763080.cfg
  • %User Temp%\is{random2}\2049174183.cfg
  • %User Temp%\is{random2}\276652952.cfg
  • %User Temp%\is{random2}\697882_Setup.CIS
  • %User Temp%\is{random2}\697947_Setup.CIS
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\blank.gif
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\bootstrap_41592.html
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\css\buttons.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\css\ie6_main.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\css\main.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\css\sdk-ui\browse.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\css\sdk-ui\button.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\css\sdk-ui\checkbox.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\css\sdk-ui\images\button-bg.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\css\sdk-ui\images\progress-bg.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\css\sdk-ui\progress-bar.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\defaultOffer\US\offer_code.dat
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\defaultOffer\US\offer_html.dat
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\defaultOffer\offer_code.dat
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\defaultOffer\offer_html.dat
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\images\Bg.jpg
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\images\Software.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\images\back-button.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\images\close_button.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\images\finish-button.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\images\finish_button.jpg
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\images\icon.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\images\loader.gif
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\images\next-button-over.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\images\next-button.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\images\progress-bg.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\images\skip-button.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\license.txt
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\locale\EN.locale

(Note: %Desktop% is the desktop folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Desktop in Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\Desktop 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.. %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.. %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 Trojan connects to the following possibly malicious URL:

  • http://rp.{BLOCKED}scdn.com/?pcrc=1866946901
  • http://os.{BLOCKED}escdn.com/fx/v1.0.1/?v=2.0&c=1040652188
  • http://cdnus.{BLOCKED}escdn.com/Prod/PDFCreatorV4.cis
  • http://cdneu.{BLOCKED}escdn.com/Prod/PDFCreatorV4.cis
  • http://cdnus.{BLOCKED}escdn.com/ofr/BabylonToolbarV7.cis
  • http://cdneu.{BLOCKED}escdn.com/ofr/BabylonToolbarV7.cis
  • http://rp.{BLOCKED}escdn.com/vscript/utils/ip2cc.psc

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine: 9.800
SSAPI PATTERN File: 1.743.00
SSAPI PATTERN Date: 23 Jun 2016

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

Search and delete these files

[ Learn More ]
There may be some files that are hidden. Please make sure you check the Search Hidden Files and Folders checkbox in the "More advanced options" option to include all hidden files and folders in the search result.  
  • %Desktop%\Continue PDF Creator Installation.lnk
  • %Program Files%\is{random3}.log
  • %User Temp%\{random4}.log
  • %User Temp%\{random5}.log
  • %User Temp%\{random6}.log
  • %User Temp%\{random7}.log
  • %User Temp%\ICReinstall_{file name}.exe
  • %User Temp%\is{random2}\1242763080.cfg
  • %User Temp%\is{random2}\2049174183.cfg
  • %User Temp%\is{random2}\276652952.cfg
  • %User Temp%\is{random2}\697882_Setup.CIS
  • %User Temp%\is{random2}\697947_Setup.CIS
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\blank.gif
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\bootstrap_41592.html
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\css\buttons.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\css\ie6_main.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\css\main.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\css\sdk-ui\browse.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\css\sdk-ui\button.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\css\sdk-ui\checkbox.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\css\sdk-ui\images\button-bg.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\css\sdk-ui\images\progress-bg.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\css\sdk-ui\progress-bar.css
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\defaultOffer\US\offer_code.dat
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\defaultOffer\US\offer_html.dat
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\defaultOffer\offer_code.dat
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\defaultOffer\offer_html.dat
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\images\Bg.jpg
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\images\Software.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\images\back-button.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\images\close_button.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\images\finish-button.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\images\finish_button.jpg
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\images\icon.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\images\loader.gif
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\images\next-button-over.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\images\next-button.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\images\progress-bg.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\images\skip-button.png
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\license.txt
  • %User Temp%\ish{random1}\locale\EN.locale

Step 4

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