chrome_updater.exe

Start Installer

This is the InstallMetrix bundle installer which bundles applications with offers for additional 3rd party software, mostly unwanted adware, and may be installed with minimal consent. The application chrome_updater.exe by Start Installer 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 InstallMetrix Software installer. The installer is marketed through download protals and search ads as Google's Chrome web browser but will also install additional software offers which include adware, PUPs and browser toolbars.
Publisher:
Start Installer  (signed and verified)

MD5:
6125d82174111b6e11cbd5ba300ec9f2

SHA-1:
d51f09608997e245d3e1f0b1aebf49cb69ca1a30

SHA-256:
cefa09bd66d24f3d7ed1893d060431e28e39991cb8eb5e0fd8534da2d7098816

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 '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:
11/16/2024 5:53:55 PM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

Reason Heuristics
PUP.InstallMetrix.StartIns (M)
16.7.28.21

File size:
1.1 MB (1,150,096 bytes)

File type:
Executable application (Win32 EXE)

Bundler/Installer:
InstallMetrix Software

Language:
English (United Kingdom)

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

Digital Signature
Signed by:

Authority:
COMODO CA Limited

Valid from:
7/29/2014 7:00:00 PM

Valid to:
7/30/2015 6:59:59 PM

Subject:
CN=Start Installer, OU=Start Installer, O=Start Installer, STREET="660 4th Street, Suite #427", L=San Francisco, S=California, PostalCode=94107, C=US

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

Serial number:
698FCE4EEDDA7C3853C0A7CDE049BA16

File PE Metadata
Compilation timestamp:
6/13/2015 11:39:45 PM

OS version:
5.1

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
11.0

CTPH (ssdeep):
24576:Ltb20pkaCqT5TBWgNQ7a9Q8P/Fq5gB8It6jo6Aw:IVg5tQ7a9pP/Fp+7s5w

Entry address:
0x25F74

Entry point:
E8, 6A, CE, 00, 00, E9, 7F, FE, FF, FF, CC, CC, 57, 56, 8B, 74, 24, 10, 8B, 4C, 24, 14, 8B, 7C, 24, 0C, 8B, C1, 8B, D1, 03, C6, 3B, FE, 76, 08, 3B, F8, 0F, 82, 68, 03, 00, 00, 0F, BA, 25, 58, 01, 4C, 00, 01, 73, 07, F3, A4, E9, 17, 03, 00, 00, 81, F9, 80, 00, 00, 00, 0F, 82, CE, 01, 00, 00, 8B, C7, 33, C6, A9, 0F, 00, 00, 00, 75, 0E, 0F, BA, 25, 70, A3, 4B, 00, 01, 0F, 82, DA, 04, 00, 00, 0F, BA, 25, 58, 01, 4C, 00, 00, 0F, 83, A7, 01, 00, 00, F7, C7, 03, 00, 00, 00, 0F, 85, B8, 01, 00, 00, F7, C6, 03, 00...
 
[+]

Entropy:
7.0592

Code size:
557.5 KB (570,880 bytes)

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

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