bubble-elements.exe

Puzzle Zone Games LLC

The installer utilizes the installCore download manager which may bundle additional offers for various ad-supported toolbars, extensions and utilities. The application bubble-elements.exe by Puzzle Zone Games has been detected as adware by 3 anti-malware scanners. The program is a setup application that uses the installCore installer. The setup program uses the InstallCore engine which may bundle additional software offers including toolbars and browser extensions. The file has been seen being downloaded from installerlaunch-pz1.com.
Publisher:
Puzzle Zone Games LLC  (signed and verified)

MD5:
54b6c5e1c497cc8567f2dc46969067d8

SHA-1:
d5d9ca2e229760a6cfa8cae1be4275f537b14c91

SHA-256:
5bee6ff7a89aeee52170aba982a5f8534c67e44914920a309c9e4d7092815893

Scanner detections:
3 / 68

Status:
Adware

Explanation:
Uses the InstallCore download manager to install additional potentially unwanted software which may include extensions such as DealPly and various toolbars.

Description:
This is an installer which may bundle legitimate applications with offers for additional 3rd-party applications that may be unwanted by the user. While the installer contains an 'opt-out' feature this is not set be defult and is usually overlooked.

Analysis date:
4/26/2024 7:40:25 PM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

Dr.Web
Adware.InstallCore.133, Adware.GameVance.198
9.0.1.05190

ESET NOD32
Win32/InstallCore.BV potentially unwanted application
8.0.319.0

Reason Heuristics
PUP.installCore.PuzzleZo (M)
16.6.2.4

File size:
913.6 KB (935,504 bytes)

File type:
Executable application (Win32 EXE)

Bundler/Installer:
installCore (using Inno Setup)

Common path:
C:\users\{user}\downloads\bubble-elements.exe

Digital Signature
Authority:
VeriSign, Inc.

Valid from:
4/1/2013 12:00:00 AM

Valid to:
5/1/2015 11:59:59 PM

Subject:
CN=Puzzle Zone Games LLC, OU=Digital ID Class 3 - Microsoft Software Validation v2, O=Puzzle Zone Games LLC, L=Jersey City, S=New Jersey, C=US

Issuer:
CN=VeriSign Class 3 Code Signing 2010 CA, OU=Terms of use at https://www.verisign.com/rpa (c)10, OU=VeriSign Trust Network, O="VeriSign, Inc.", C=US

Serial number:
148574E327EC8ED99B4372B65FF2B06D

File PE Metadata
Compilation timestamp:
6/20/1992 12:22:17 AM

OS version:
1.0

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
2.25

CTPH (ssdeep):
24576:NSMJfson4tOq8q7B87JIXr0mm2mLKBAEevYL1F1R:NFJfso0OGB8ir9lAJiR

Entry address:
0x98CC

Entry point:
55, 8B, EC, 83, C4, CC, 53, 56, 57, 33, C0, 89, 45, F0, 89, 45, DC, E8, FA, 97, FF, FF, E8, 01, AA, FF, FF, E8, 2C, CC, FF, FF, E8, 73, CC, FF, FF, E8, 0A, F3, FF, FF, E8, 71, F4, FF, FF, 33, C0, 55, 68, 76, 9F, 40, 00, 64, FF, 30, 64, 89, 20, 33, D2, 55, 68, 2C, 9F, 40, 00, 64, FF, 32, 64, 89, 22, A1, 14, B0, 40, 00, E8, 9B, FE, FF, FF, E8, 26, FA, FF, FF, 8D, 55, F0, 33, C0, E8, E0, D0, FF, FF, 8B, 55, F0, B8, D8, BD, 40, 00, E8, AB, 98, FF, FF, 6A, 02, 6A, 00, 6A, 01, 8B, 0D, D8, BD, 40, 00, B2, 01, B8...
 
[+]

Packer / compiler:
Inno Setup v5.x - Installer Maker

Code size:
36 KB (36,864 bytes)

The file bubble-elements.exe has been seen being distributed by the following URL.

Remove bubble-elements.exe - Powered by Reason Core Security