vlc-media-player.exe

Program Setup

Quality Criteria (Alpha Criteria Ltd.)

The application vlc-media-player.exe by Quality Criteria (Alpha Criteria) 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 installCore installer. The setup program uses the InstallCore engine which may bundle additional software offers including toolbars and browser extensions. The installer is marketed through download protals and search ads as the VideoLAN VLC media player but will also install additional software offers which include adware, PUPs and browser toolbars.
Publisher:
SecuredDownload  (signed by Quality Criteria (Alpha Criteria Ltd.))

Product:
Program Setup

Version:
1.0.5.a0.1_59214

MD5:
4090883fc7394a1a4fcdcaf1b0876a06

SHA-1:
58d5d109fc2477cd8e482df96ed082b0625d9496

SHA-256:
7536880dd882dc2b4fd149c0b9bba9be6f6ea4b54bf95eae15245fefdd19df01

Scanner detections:
1 / 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:
4/25/2024 9:32:20 AM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

Reason Heuristics
PUP.InstallCore.AC.Installer (M)
16.6.29.21

File size:
915.9 KB (937,880 bytes)

Product version:
1.0.5.a0.1_59214

Copyright:
SecuredDownload

File type:
Executable application (Win32 EXE)

Bundler/Installer:
installCore (using Inno Setup)

Language:
Language Neutral

Common path:
C:\users\{user}\downloads\vlc-media-player.exe

Digital Signature
Authority:
GlobalSign nv-sa

Valid from:
1/6/2016 2:41:47 PM

Valid to:
8/4/2016 5:23:54 PM

Subject:
CN=Quality Criteria (Alpha Criteria Ltd.), O=Quality Criteria (Alpha Criteria Ltd.), L=Tel Aviv, C=IL

Issuer:
CN=GlobalSign CodeSigning CA - SHA256 - G2, O=GlobalSign nv-sa, C=BE

Serial number:
1121DC9E5F7E1CC5DF0CA4ED082CF7EB9D86

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:ovKv1P8DGFiu57x5SEFzeFigd58SwkYIbtu3:0MeIfqCw46s

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...
 
[+]

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

Code size:
37 KB (37,888 bytes)

The file vlc-media-player.exe has been seen being distributed by the following URL.

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