spsetup.exe

Search Protect

Conduit Ltd.

The file belongs to the Conduit API platform, a utility that bundles and monetizes search toolbars and web browser extensions. The application spsetup.exe, “Search Protect by Conduit” by Conduit has been detected as a potentially unwanted program by 20 anti-malware scanners. The program is a setup application that uses the Conduit Setup Manager installer. It is also typically executed from an Internet Explorer cache folder. The file has been seen being downloaded from sp-storage.conduit-services.com. While running, it connects to the Internet address cms.distributionengine.conduit-services.com on port 80 using the HTTP protocol.
Publisher:
Conduit  (signed by Conduit Ltd.)

Product:
Search Protect

Description:
Search Protect by Conduit

Version:
2.8.3.2

MD5:
52d54d8144bbbe0479500ed11c2d3249

SHA-1:
dbfc1b8e30e6317d070ff49d98245e54ba23ef16

SHA-256:
99dc7dd0d23b2d067be483e3b5556b893e36765d3438d1af0c65d326b224f3fb

Scanner detections:
20 / 68

Status:
Potentially unwanted

Explanation:
Bundles the Conduit Toolbar and/or Conduit Search Protect.

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:
5/7/2024 6:23:15 PM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

Lavasoft Ad-Aware
Application.Generic.859069
388

avast!
Win32:SearchProtect-C [Adw]
2014.9-160112

Bkav FE
W32.Clod710.Trojan
1.3.0.4613

Dr.Web
Adware.Conduit.82
9.0.1.012

ESET NOD32
Win32/Conduit.SearchProtect.Q potentially unwanted application
10.7.0.302.0

Fortinet FortiGate
Riskware/Conduit_SearchProtect
1/12/2016

F-Secure
Application.Generic.859069
11.2016-12-01_3

G Data
Win32.Trojan.Agent.8O9SV1
16.1.22

K7 AntiVirus
Unwanted-Program
13.185.13943

Kaspersky
not-a-virus:WebToolbar.NSIS.Agent
14.0.0.825

Malwarebytes
PUP.Optional.Conduit.A
v2016.01.12.10

McAfee
Artemis!BBDB342CCDEA
5600.6522

NANO AntiVirus
Riskware.Win32.Conduit.deiobx
0.28.6.62995

Panda Antivirus
Adware/Conduit
16.01.12.10

Reason Heuristics
PUP.Conduit.Bundler (M)
16.1.12.22

Sophos
Conduit Search Protect
4.98

SUPERAntiSpyware
Trojan.Agent/Gen-Nullo[Short]
9389

Trend Micro House Call
TROJ_GEN.F47V1128
7.2.12

VIPRE Antivirus
Conduit
24282

Zillya! Antivirus
Adware.Agent.Win32.11121
2.0.0.1977

File size:
5.3 MB (5,593,288 bytes)

Product version:
2.8.3.2

Copyright:
2012 (c) Conduit. All rights reserved.

Original file name:
SearchProtect (R)

File type:
Executable application (Win32 EXE)

Bundler/Installer:
Conduit Setup Manager (using Nullsoft Install System)

Language:
Language Neutral

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

Digital Signature
Signed by:

Authority:
VeriSign, Inc.

Valid from:
1/2/2013 7:00:00 PM

Valid to:
4/3/2016 7:59:59 PM

Subject:
CN=Conduit Ltd., OU=Digital ID Class 3 - Microsoft Software Validation v2, O=Conduit Ltd., L=Ness Ziona, S=Israel, C=IL

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:
3A82654719D8F75B59134F7B66465210

File PE Metadata
Compilation timestamp:
7/6/2011 10:31:20 AM

OS version:
5.0

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
9.0

CTPH (ssdeep):
98304:k/VOpKFtO7wxLV1XdRiAJH3DIlEokE2nRPXxdCCMzEfFufD0N1FkvUuLtWS3:kKKvFx3dUWHTIlEO2nP8CMze4yiLh3

Entry address:
0x354B

Entry point:
81, EC, D4, 02, 00, 00, 53, 55, 56, 57, 6A, 20, 33, ED, 5E, 89, 6C, 24, 18, C7, 44, 24, 10, D8, 84, 40, 00, 89, 6C, 24, 14, FF, 15, 30, 80, 40, 00, 68, 01, 80, 00, 00, FF, 15, B8, 80, 40, 00, 55, FF, 15, B0, 82, 40, 00, 6A, 08, A3, 98, 06, 47, 00, E8, 67, 27, 00, 00, 55, 68, B4, 02, 00, 00, A3, B0, 05, 47, 00, 8D, 44, 24, 38, 50, 55, 68, 1C, 86, 40, 00, FF, 15, 80, 81, 40, 00, 68, 04, 86, 40, 00, 68, A0, 85, 46, 00, E8, 35, 26, 00, 00, FF, 15, B4, 80, 40, 00, 50, BF, A0, 10, 4C, 00, 57, E8, 23, 26, 00, 00...
 
[+]

Entropy:
7.9898

Packer / compiler:
Nullsoft install system v2.x

Code size:
25 KB (25,600 bytes)

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

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

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to ude.conduit-data.com  (195.78.120.173:80)

TCP (HTTP):

 
http://offering.service.distributionengine.conduit-services.com/DecisionEngine.ashx

TCP (HTTP):
Connects to cms.distributionengine.conduit-services.com  (54.243.251.51:80)

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