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freeutilities.exe

Conduit Ltd.

The file belongs to the Conduit API platform, a utility that bundles and monetizes search toolbars and web browser extensions. The application freeutilities.exe by Conduit has been detected as a potentially unwanted program 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 Conduit Setup Manager installer. The file has been seen being downloaded from ad.z5x.net. While running, it connects to the Internet address cms.distributionengine.conduit-services.com on port 80 using the HTTP protocol.
Publisher:
Conduit Ltd.  (signed and verified)

MD5:
f51a10f418e35c4ba4681b4db32a813c

SHA-1:
28545e833b0890a774262137093c2ddd66b5ee29

SHA-256:
8041e5a602afea38d2869ce4e6fcffc0595f336e2e758d6b1c8141341aef4fe3

Scanner detections:
1 / 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:
11/5/2024 9:51:51 AM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

Reason Heuristics
PUP.Conduit.Bundler (M)
16.2.11.2

File size:
1.2 MB (1,297,584 bytes)

File type:
Executable application (Win32 EXE)

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

Language:
Language Neutral

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

Digital Signature
Signed by:
Conduit Ltd.

Authority:
VeriSign, Inc.

Valid from:
1/2/2013 6:00:00 PM

Valid to:
4/3/2016 6:59:59 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:
2/24/2012 1:19:54 PM

OS version:
5.0

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
10.0

CTPH (ssdeep):
24576:+6muooIjkFWpjzwkOSX9w+hv+2g0NJMtrrqhv/FaaL4TlG:gRRjkkOEWsm4CrO1aacG

Entry address:
0x3883

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, 68, 92, 40, 00, 89, 6C, 24, 14, FF, 15, 30, 80, 40, 00, 68, 01, 80, 00, 00, FF, 15, B4, 80, 40, 00, 55, FF, 15, C0, 82, 40, 00, 6A, 08, A3, B8, 2E, 47, 00, E8, 36, 2A, 00, 00, 55, 68, B4, 02, 00, 00, A3, D0, 2D, 47, 00, 8D, 44, 24, 38, 50, 55, 68, 64, 92, 40, 00, FF, 15, 84, 81, 40, 00, 68, 4C, 92, 40, 00, 68, C0, AD, 46, 00, E8, 18, 27, 00, 00, FF, 15, B0, 80, 40, 00, 50, BF, A0, 30, 4C, 00, 57, E8, 06, 27, 00, 00...
 
[+]

Entropy:
7.9866

Packer / compiler:
Nullsoft install system v2.x

Code size:
27.5 KB (28,160 bytes)

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

http://ad.z5x.net/clk?3,eJydkttuozAQhp-GuxD5BAahXkBI2t0G0kZIaXrnAEsIB1OgofD0HSdoD7c7Bv.fHBiPLDB1-CkRwrIR5qdfhFDbwTSlIo5pzOkCOY6DTeu2mL3w3sbn9WNXPmWrfIhiz1X2FByjzL2b0uc5.mKpfe3WTfLz9Z72qfE-U9pXc.C.bMU.Xn.MDDrA0b7lvvnXYHdh3u-yx30RRu60i.bl9rC5HA.rPog2ZZDjPLyE520Us.coKYLDER-nstr9OeBhce77RqOuRjbwjCLpllOayGUsK.DBJSCxRjdCo77NDYyQRr0vcAhDnANnwJgToFgR4gjMYFwjq78c6uWQVd.WcxVgp9DGQPD6FihREdD-1pWaJrdMZDKIXNs5Vd0zQAPQrfUnQGZKMzLKS7LlVcH2gwinKtwXvcbXiGCG1YBCzQA6qVGWBjMph1-C2hbFhKuOBST-vZFhGJbd-Splnc13cpKy6EAbmfbtCEAQtqlh6d1nVYl21LO0FW2iV6Iu01E.y6bI607vmjavMyj.BkeCtFM=,

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):
Connects to offering.service.distributionengine.conduit-services.com  (199.101.114.147:80)

 
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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