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mwsSetup.exe

My Web Search Bar Installer

Mindspark Interactive Network

This is the installer stub for the Mindspark (MyWebSearch.com/Ask) browser toolbar which provides the offer to the end user to install the toolbar and set the browser's search, home page and new tab to an Ask.com search destination. The application mwsSetup.exe by Mindspark Interactive Network has been detected as a potentially unwanted program by 27 anti-malware scanners. The program is a setup application that uses the Mindspark Custom Setup installer. This version of the installer will bundle a Mindspark/MyWebSearch Toolbar, a potentially unwanted web browser extension.
Publisher:
MyWebSearch.com  (signed by Mindspark Interactive Network)

Product:
My Web Search Bar Installer

Version:
2, 0, 0, 11

MD5:
e45df383ed72b7ca19d0cc38f722cb2f

SHA-1:
5c04ee3b2cd9e506e7d32648fb0386899e6799d2

SHA-256:
2816ad044da196d362467bc3b1f8df28b2c792988d3f76b77c2f585dc49b3752

Scanner detections:
27 / 68

Status:
Potentially unwanted

Explanation:
Bundles the Mindspark (MyWebSearch/Ask) toolbar, a web browser extension that will modify a user's search and home pages.

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:
4/24/2024 8:34:12 PM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

AegisLab AV Signature
AdWare.W32.FunWeb
2.1.4+

Agnitum Outpost
Adware.Agent
7.1.1

AhnLab V3 Security
PUP/Win32.MyWebSearch
2013.09.23

avast!
Win32:Mindspark-B [PUP]
2014.9-140412

AVG
AdInstaller.FunWeb
2015.0.3507

Bkav FE
W32.Clodf1c.Trojan
1.3.0.4959

Clam AntiVirus
Suspect.Adware.MWS
0.98/18155

Comodo Security
Application.Win32.WebToolbar.MyWebSearch
16986

Dr.Web
Adware.MyWebSearch.47
9.0.1.0102

Emsisoft Anti-Malware
Riskware.Garbage!IK
8.14.04.12.01

ESET NOD32
Win32/Toolbar.MyWebSearch (variant)
8.8831

Fortinet FortiGate
W32/Toolbar_fam.NB
4/12/2014

F-Prot
W32/Mywebsearch.A.gen
v6.4.7.1.166

IKARUS anti.virus
not-a-virus:Garbage
t3scan.1.1.104.0

K7 AntiVirus
Unwanted-Program
13.106.4822

Kaspersky
not-a-virus:WebToolbar.Win32.FunWeb
14.0.0.4030

NANO AntiVirus
Riskware.Win32.Mywebsearch.dilzk
0.28.0.58491

Norman
W32/WebSearch.UU
11.20140412

nProtect
Joke/W32.Screensaver.3700152
14.03.21.01

Qihoo 360 Security
Win32/Trojan.Hoax.b17
1.0.0.1015

Reason Heuristics
PUP.Installer.MindsparkInteractiveNetwork.I
14.8.8.2

Rising Antivirus
Trojan.Win32.Generic.12DFC85E
23.00.65.14410

SUPERAntiSpyware
Adware.MyWebSearch
10671

Trend Micro House Call
TROJ_GEN.RCBB1LA
7.2.102

Vba32 AntiVirus
AdWare.FunWeb
3.12.24.2

VIPRE Antivirus
MyWebSearch.J
21742

ViRobot
Adware.Screensaver.3700152.A
2011.4.7.4223

File size:
4 MB (4,142,520 bytes)

Product version:
2, 0, 0, 11

Copyright:
Copyright © 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

Original file name:
mwsSetup.exe

File type:
Executable application (Win32 EXE)

Bundler/Installer:
Mindspark Custom Setup

Language:
English (United States)

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

Digital Signature
Signed by:
Mindspark Interactive Network

Authority:
VeriSign, Inc.

Valid from:
5/30/2010 8:00:00 PM

Valid to:
5/6/2012 7:59:59 PM

Subject:
CN=Mindspark Interactive Network, OU=Digital ID Class 3 - Microsoft Software Validation v2, O=Mindspark Interactive Network, L=White Plains, S=NewYork, C=US

Issuer:
CN=VeriSign Class 3 Code Signing 2009-2 CA, OU=Terms of use at https://www.verisign.com/rpa (c)09, OU=VeriSign Trust Network, O="VeriSign, Inc.", C=US

Serial number:
41730EB0E6D92A476E16628A0DBEFB36

File PE Metadata
Compilation timestamp:
1/21/2012 12:15:02 AM

OS version:
4.0

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
6.0

CTPH (ssdeep):
98304:OFo4arQh1XKR+odf+qrCfcGsgmqH9yhe3cWSK:0o4arQh1acodf+qpGssH9y4PSK

Entry address:
0x34AF

Entry point:
55, 8B, EC, 83, EC, 44, 53, 56, 6A, 00, FF, 15, 28, 51, 40, 00, A3, 04, 6A, 40, 00, FF, 15, 8C, 50, 40, 00, 8B, 1D, 88, 50, 40, 00, 8B, F0, 85, F6, 75, 04, 6A, FF, FF, D3, 8A, 06, 57, 8B, 3D, 60, 51, 40, 00, 3C, 22, 75, 1B, 56, FF, D7, 8B, F0, 8A, 06, 3C, 22, 74, 04, 84, C0, 75, F1, 80, 3E, 22, 75, 15, 56, FF, D7, 8B, F0, EB, 0E, 3C, 20, 7E, 0A, 56, FF, D7, 8B, F0, 80, 3E, 20, 7F, F6, 8A, 06, 84, C0, 74, 04, 3C, 20, 7E, E1, 83, 65, E8, 00, 8D, 45, BC, 50, FF, 15, 84, 50, 40, 00, E8, 2D, 00, 00, 00, F6, 45...
 
[+]

Entropy:
7.9677

Developed / compiled with:
Microsoft Visual C++

Code size:
16 KB (16,384 bytes)

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

http://ak.exe.imgfarm.com/images/nocache/mindspark/.../SmileyCentralPFSetup2.3.98.9.ZNchr999.exe

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

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to www187.mindspark.com  (74.113.233.187:80)

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to anx.mindspark.com  (74.113.233.187:80)

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