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hotspot_shield_en.exe

Max Setup

The installer utilizes the installCore download manager which may bundle additional offers for various ad-supported toolbars, extensions and utilities. The application hotspot_shield_en.exe by Max Setup has been detected as adware by 11 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 api.downloadastro.com.
Publisher:
Max Setup  (signed and verified)

MD5:
2c210eec020eedccf766f393700de958

SHA-1:
489ca24344854450c810cc7e9b240cb5ef88b7ef

SHA-256:
003243cbf974e1d1c810facbb3e1a486d5c2fd0eaa30c4ad97cb2ffbdb80d34c

Scanner detections:
11 / 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 'download manager' is also considered bundleware, a utility designed to download software (possibly legitimate or opensource) and bundle it with a number of optional offers including ad-supported utilities, toolbars, shopping comparison tools and browser extensions.

Analysis date:
4/19/2024 9:36:24 PM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

Avira AntiVirus
ADWARE/InstallCore.Gen
7.11.156.146

AVG
InstallCore
2015.0.3434

Baidu Antivirus
Adware.Win32.InstallCore
4.0.3.14624

Dr.Web
Trojan.MulDrop5.10078
9.0.1.05190

ESET NOD32
Win32/InstallCore.MJ potentially unwanted application
7.0.302.0

G Data
Win32.Application.InstallCore
14.6.24

K7 AntiVirus
Unwanted-Program
13.180.12498

Malwarebytes
PUP.Optional.InstallCore
v2014.06.24.04

Reason Heuristics
PUP.MaxSetup.R
14.6.24.3

Sophos
Install Core Click run software
4.98

VIPRE Antivirus
Threat.4837543
29708

File size:
685.1 KB (701,584 bytes)

File type:
Executable application (Win32 EXE)

Bundler/Installer:
installCore (using Inno Setup)

Common path:
C:\users\{user}\downloads\hotspot_shield_en.exe

Digital Signature
Signed by:
Max Setup

Authority:
COMODO CA Limited

Valid from:
3/10/2014 5:00:00 PM

Valid to:
3/11/2015 4:59:59 PM

Subject:
CN=Max Setup, O=Max Setup, STREET=Lillienblam 28, L=Tel Aviv, S=Tel Aviv, PostalCode=651307, C=IL

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

Serial number:
008F6F1294DBB38F9F80A7A06DE489DF45

File PE Metadata
Compilation timestamp:
6/19/1992 3:22:17 PM

OS version:
1.0

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
2.25

CTPH (ssdeep):
12288:t9vpJfkqSKQpgaUoXTbnKB4zrw+ThqBEFSTrCR6liOBLHXzD4TErcNBp1:t9vjlYp3UoPKB4PvToB6S3CRciy3X4AE

Entry address:
0x9C40

Entry point:
55, 8B, EC, 83, C4, C4, 53, 56, 57, 33, C0, 89, 45, F0, 89, 45, DC, E8, 86, 94, FF, FF, E8, 8D, A6, FF, FF, E8, 1C, A9, FF, FF, E8, 53, C9, FF, FF, E8, 9A, C9, FF, FF, E8, C9, F2, FF, FF, E8, 30, F4, FF, FF, 33, C0, 55, 68, FC, A2, 40, 00, 64, FF, 30, 64, 89, 20, 33, D2, 55, 68, C5, A2, 40, 00, 64, FF, 32, 64, 89, 22, A1, 14, C0, 40, 00, E8, 96, FE, FF, FF, E8, C9, FA, FF, FF, 8D, 55, F0, 33, C0, E8, 83, CF, FF, FF, 8B, 55, F0, B8, 24, CE, 40, 00, E8, 32, 95, FF, FF, 6A, 02, 6A, 00, 6A, 01, 8B, 0D, 24, CE...
 
[+]

Entropy:
7.7949

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

Code size:
37 KB (37,888 bytes)

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

http://api.downloadastro.com/api/downloader/.../en?callback=jsonpCallbackDownload&_=1400156185

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