alql.exe

TotalPlusHD-3.1V25.11

Winston Project

This adware is a web browser extension that will inject advertising in the browser in the form of unwanted banners and text-links which may link to malware sites and install unwanted software. The application alql.exe, “TotalPlusHD-3.1V25.11 exe” by Winston Project has been detected as adware by 21 anti-malware scanners. It runs as a scheduled task under the Windows Task Scheduler triggered to execute each time a user logs in. It is built using the Crossrider cross-browser extension platform. While the file utilizes the Crossrider framework and delivery services, it is not owned by Crossrider. It is distributed as part of the Brightcircle group of browser-extensions.
Publisher:
HDPlus-3.1TotalV25.11  (signed by Winston Project)

Product:
TotalPlusHD-3.1V25.11

Description:
TotalPlusHD-3.1V25.11 exe

Version:
1000.1000.1000.1000

MD5:
bb18f4817438b13fd66f348b0238da02

SHA-1:
a097fff952705f061a16ad575aadaabcc2d02b89

SHA-256:
0a8b65f71d900f2f08828e487c46884567955084fbea39e229b5ca4d61a16f11

Scanner detections:
21 / 68

Status:
Adware

Explanation:
May modify the web browser's settings including changing the homepage and search provider in addition to delivering ads (by injecting banner and text-links directly in the webpage). Distributed through the Brightcircle investments brand.

Analysis date:
4/20/2024 1:50:25 AM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

Lavasoft Ad-Aware
Gen:Application.Heur.Zv1@kW85uXfO
801

AhnLab V3 Security
PUP/Win32.CrossRider
2014.11.25

Avira AntiVirus
Adware/CrossRider.KC
7.11.188.174

AVG
Winston
2015.0.3279

Baidu Antivirus
PUA.Win32.CrossRider
4.0.3.141126

Bitdefender
Gen:Application.Heur.Zv1@kW85uXfO
1.0.20.1650

Comodo Security
Application.Win32.Plush.GRI
20190

ESET NOD32
Win32/Toolbar.CrossRider.BN (variant)
8.10777

Fortinet FortiGate
Adware/Adwapper
11/30/2014

F-Prot
W32/A-6583813c
v6.4.7.1.166

F-Secure
Gen:Application.Heur.Zv1@kW85uXfO
11.2014-26-11_4

G Data
Gen:Application.Heur.Zv1@kW85uXfO
14.11.24

Kaspersky
not-a-virus:AdWare.NSIS.Adwapper
14.0.0.2889

Malwarebytes
v2014.11.26.04

McAfee
Artemis!A3845B6328A3
5600.6931

MicroWorld eScan
Gen:Application.Heur.Zv1@kW85uXfO
15.0.0.990

Panda Antivirus
Trj/Genetic.gen
14.11.30.10

Qihoo 360 Security
HEUR/QVM10.1.Malware.Gen
1.0.0.1015

Reason Heuristics
PUP.Task.WinstonProject.E
14.11.29.18

Sophos
Generic PUA MI
4.98

VIPRE Antivirus
Crossrider
35110

File size:
1.8 MB (1,885,080 bytes)

Product version:
1000.1000.1000.1000

Copyright:
Copyright 2011

Original file name:
TotalPlusHD-3.1V25.11.exe

File type:
Executable application (Win32 EXE)

Language:
English (United States)

Common path:
C:\users\{user}\appdata\roaming\alql.exe

Digital Signature
Signed by:

Authority:
COMODO CA Limited

Valid from:
10/20/2014 2:00:00 AM

Valid to:
10/21/2015 1:59:59 AM

Subject:
CN=Winston Project, O=Winston Project, STREET=Athinodorou 3, STREET=Dasoupoli Strovolos, L=Nicosia, S=Cyprus, PostalCode=2025, C=CY

Issuer:
CN=COMODO Code Signing CA 2, O=COMODO CA Limited, L=Salford, S=Greater Manchester, C=GB

Serial number:
00B312FD1B7F10CF48C48080B24091FB8E

File PE Metadata
Compilation timestamp:
11/25/2014 1:05:21 AM

OS version:
5.1

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
11.0

CTPH (ssdeep):
49152:C2KRQt3kDA8z+xogrSIa4mqpScTTnQZ1V1DzC:yg0ORrfa4gG

Entry address:
0xD6CA4

Entry point:
E8, 5E, E4, 00, 00, E9, 7F, FE, FF, FF, 55, 8B, EC, 56, 8B, 75, 08, 85, F6, 78, 09, E8, 91, E5, 00, 00, 3B, 30, 7C, 07, E8, 88, E5, 00, 00, 8B, 30, E8, 7B, E5, 00, 00, 8B, 04, B0, 5E, 5D, C3, 55, 8B, EC, 56, E8, C0, 43, 00, 00, 8B, F0, 85, F6, 75, 07, B8, 30, D3, 53, 00, EB, 26, 53, 57, 33, FF, BB, 86, 00, 00, 00, 39, 7E, 24, 75, 1B, 6A, 01, 53, E8, 69, 2D, 00, 00, 59, 59, 89, 46, 24, 85, C0, 75, 0A, B8, 30, D3, 53, 00, 5F, 5B, 5E, 5D, C3, FF, 75, 08, 8B, 76, 24, E8, 90, FF, FF, FF, 50, 53, 56, E8, 33, D2...
 
[+]

Code size:
1023 KB (1,047,552 bytes)

Scheduled Task
Task name:
ALQL

Trigger:
Logon (Runs on logon)


The executing file has been seen to make the following network communications in live environments.

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to ip-50-63-202-40.ip.secureserver.net  (50.63.202.40:80)

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com  (54.231.40.113:80)

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