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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 www.updatestar.com.
Publisher:
SecuredDownload  (signed by Advertiso GmbH)

Product:
Program Setup

Version:
1.0.5.a0.1_55696

MD5:
31cfc67a6fc5c05a5e685eac577d0a19

SHA-1:
58f89de3f048e522b5e407dd862c1763b7cc2ab6

SHA-256:
567e6b5adbc35f3acfc534b86ef44331ad5ca83ad734387d949b4144ae96cc4a

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:
12/23/2024 4:40:25 PM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

Reason Heuristics
PUP.installCore (M)
16.8.11.0

File size:
944.8 KB (967,480 bytes)

Product version:
1.0.5.a0.1_55696

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 10:18:13 AM

Valid to:
2/28/2017 10:18:13 AM

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 12:22:17 AM

OS version:
1.0

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
2.25

CTPH (ssdeep):
24576:7zA6mUANH71WME+ymF+Varaqz2hS66EFDCH+:7EBUANH7gzm80aqzaBDCe

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

http://www.updatestar.com/.../2063213

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