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chrome_install.exe

Google Chrome

Download Assistant

This is part of the Air Installer, a download manager which bundles applications with offers for additional 3rd party software, mostly unwanted adware, and may be installed with minimal consent. The application chrome_install.exe by Download Assistant has been detected as adware by 1 anti-malware scanner with very strong indications that the file is a potential threat. The program is a setup application that uses the AirInstaller Download Manager installer. With this installer, users are expecting to download Google's Chrome web browser but before that occurs they may be presented with additional offers, mostly potentially unwanted software or adware.
Publisher:
Download Assistant  (signed and verified)

Product:
Google Chrome

Version:
3.0.0.154

MD5:
6fc39c5945c5b8c32f4ad0334ea9856f

SHA-1:
9c4e3d2eff863df3814fb8d03d11f94c3d315ea3

SHA-256:
9f34e69778d178b8a1279e859effa19a2d114fa26f434c2d4120262458cbaafa

Scanner detections:
1 / 68

Status:
Adware

Note:
Our current pool of anti-malware engines have not currently detected this file, however based on our own detection heuristics we feel that this file is unwanted.

Description:
This is also known as bundleware, or downloadware, which is an downloader designed to simply deliver ad-supported offers in the setup routine of an otherwise legitimate software.

Analysis date:
8/4/2025 2:25:46 PM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

Reason Heuristics
PUP.Air Software (M)
16.7.28.17

File size:
1.1 MB (1,134,904 bytes)

Product version:
3.0.0.154

Copyright:
(c) Download Assistant

File type:
Executable application (Win32 EXE)

Bundler/Installer:
AirInstaller Download Manager

Language:
Language Neutral

Common path:
C:\users\{user}\appdata\local\microsoft\windows\temporary internet files\content.ie5\{random}\chrome_install.exe

Digital Signature
Signed by:
Download Assistant

Authority:
Symantec Corporation

Valid from:
3/23/2016 3:00:00 AM

Valid to:
6/23/2017 2:59:59 AM

Subject:
CN=Download Assistant, O=Download Assistant, L=Victoria, S=British Columbia, C=CA

Issuer:
CN=Symantec Class 3 SHA256 Code Signing CA, OU=Symantec Trust Network, O=Symantec Corporation, C=US

Serial number:
148B902A7D1B3F28E1F8304459D901C7

File PE Metadata
Compilation timestamp:
1/30/2013 5:21:56 PM

OS version:
5.0

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
2.25

CTPH (ssdeep):
24576:5xGHu2eCthXfWAxmjcwBJuYdRuaJ67xh+KTx+cioNsADgduEJakb:S5Xf1moLkoa6hh+9WsAAuEJakb

Entry address:
0x113BC

Entry point:
55, 8B, EC, 83, C4, A4, 53, 56, 57, 33, C0, 89, 45, C4, 89, 45, C0, 89, 45, A4, 89, 45, D0, 89, 45, C8, 89, 45, CC, 89, 45, D4, 89, 45, D8, 89, 45, EC, B8, 2C, 00, 41, 00, E8, E8, 51, FF, FF, 33, C0, 55, 68, 9E, 1A, 41, 00, 64, FF, 30, 64, 89, 20, 33, D2, 55, 68, 5A, 1A, 41, 00, 64, FF, 32, 64, 89, 22, A1, 48, 5B, 41, 00, E8, 16, D8, FF, FF, E8, 65, D3, FF, FF, 80, 3D, DC, 2A, 41, 00, 00, 74, 0C, E8, 2B, D9, FF, FF, 33, C0, E8, 80, 32, FF, FF, 8D, 55, EC, 33, C0, E8, E2, A3, FF, FF, 8B, 55, EC, B8, 50, 86...
 
[+]

Entropy:
6.9575

Developed / compiled with:
Microsoft Visual C++

Code size:
65.5 KB (67,072 bytes)

The file chrome_install.exe has been seen being distributed by the following URL.

http://files.free-browser.net/.../IE1ILDtHc3V4cnBvc1RvclBSeDVPVFRXWldPaFMqV2FPVVMwNWRmY1JpUWgqV2FPVVMwVmhoZDNxPzNwfDNwfGtrayhUZlNTIVBmY2tnU2YoUWMzcHxVZk9kVldRZzNwfFFWZmNhUzNwfFFWZmNhUypkZmNSaVFoKldhT1VTKGRiVTViMF9jY1VaUzk7VmZjYVM1VFdaU2JPYVMwUVZmY2FTKldiZ2hPWlo=

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