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hotspot-shield.exe

Program Setup

Advertiso GmbH

The installer utilizes the installCore download manager which may bundle additional offers for various ad-supported toolbars, extensions and utilities. The application hotspot-shield.exe by Advertiso GmbH 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 file has been seen being downloaded from tmpfile6003.s3.amazonaws.com.
Publisher:
SecuredDownload  (signed by Advertiso GmbH)

Product:
Program Setup

Version:
1.0.5.a0.1_57340

MD5:
d036fb5aff8dd5b8cce87f80b73ab13b

SHA-1:
33fd8c7e62f2002e2bf93e7e4cc035c31e144f05

SHA-256:
73089023808601d6928a3e6a5670ad3195935ff7e342ad80e41bafe8e849a571

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 is an installer which may bundle legitimate applications with offers for additional 3rd-party applications that may be unwanted by the user. While the installer contains an 'opt-out' feature this is not set be defult and is usually overlooked.

Analysis date:
12/26/2024 4:21:00 PM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

Reason Heuristics
PUP.installCore.Advertis.Installer (M)
16.5.21.15

File size:
925.5 KB (947,704 bytes)

Product version:
1.0.5.a0.1_57340

Copyright:
SecuredDownload

File type:
Executable application (Win32 EXE)

Bundler/Installer:
installCore (using Inno Setup)

Common path:
C:\users\{user}\downloads\hotspot-shield.exe

Digital Signature
Signed by:
Advertiso GmbH

Authority:
GlobalSign nv-sa

Valid from:
1/29/2016 12:18:13 PM

Valid to:
2/28/2017 12:18:13 PM

Subject:
CN=Advertiso GmbH, O=Advertiso GmbH, L=Hamburg, S=Hamburg, C=DE

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

Serial number:
1121DC03319C2856FEEAC8C45933D49AAE7A

File PE Metadata
Compilation timestamp:
6/20/1992 1:22:17 AM

OS version:
1.0

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
2.25

CTPH (ssdeep):
24576:tckDmsY+rzipnUBacJ+NYGFWEqLiStb0exT3ukA/1HDd:tj6+rzkDxaMGLiStb0c3uk

Entry address:
0xA5F8

Entry point:
55, 8B, EC, 83, C4, C4, 53, 56, 57, 33, C0, 89, 45, F0, 89, 45, DC, E8, CE, 8A, FF, FF, E8, D5, 9C, FF, FF, E8, 64, 9F, FF, FF, E8, 07, A0, FF, FF, E8, A6, BF, FF, FF, E8, 11, E9, FF, FF, E8, 78, EA, FF, FF, 33, C0, 55, 68, C9, AC, 40, 00, 64, FF, 30, 64, 89, 20, 33, D2, 55, 68, 92, AC, 40, 00, 64, FF, 32, 64, 89, 22, A1, 14, C0, 40, 00, E8, 26, F5, FF, FF, E8, 11, F1, FF, FF, 80, 3D, 34, B2, 40, 00, 00, 74, 0C, E8, 23, F6, FF, FF, 33, C0, E8, C4, 97, FF, FF, 8D, 55, F0, 33, C0, E8, B6, C5, FF, FF, 8B, 55...
 
[+]

Entropy:
7.9378

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

Code size:
39.5 KB (40,448 bytes)

The file hotspot-shield.exe has been seen being distributed by the following URL.

https://tmpfile6003.s3.amazonaws.com/download77/ic_trackings/2217/.../hotspot-shield.exe

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