installer_vlc_media_player_english.exe

Free Software LLC

The installer utilizes the installCore download manager which may bundle additional offers for various ad-supported toolbars, extensions and utilities. The application installer_vlc_media_player_english.exe by Free Software 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. With this installer, users are expecting to download the VideoLAN VLC media player but before that occurs they may be presented with additional offers, mostly potentially unwanted software or adware.
Publisher:
Free Software LLC  (signed and verified)

MD5:
719929522a9cedf3f2ea514477206e2c

SHA-1:
a55b699db1a078e21dd1817d28b5434d7022ee79

SHA-256:
fa9df7b1f7f3f5d32fca78ad1c733c54bffdb7cf82df5696c01c452ff630aa0c

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 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:
4/19/2025 5:50:09 AM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

Reason Heuristics
PUP.installCore.FreeSoftware (M)
16.2.13.14

File size:
793.5 KB (812,592 bytes)

Product version:
1.5

File type:
Executable application (Win32 EXE)

Bundler/Installer:
installCore (using Inno Setup)

Language:
Language Neutral

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

Digital Signature
Authority:
Starfield Technologies, Inc.

Valid from:
8/1/2014 11:08:01 AM

Valid to:
7/22/2015 12:23:49 PM

Subject:
CN=Free Software LLC, O=Free Software LLC, L=Wilmington, S=Delaware, C=US

Issuer:
SERIALNUMBER=10688435, CN=Starfield Secure Certification Authority, OU=http://certificates.starfieldtech.com/repository, O="Starfield Technologies, Inc.", L=Scottsdale, S=Arizona, C=US

Serial number:
27DD6AADCC34E6

File PE Metadata
Compilation timestamp:
6/19/1992 11:22:17 PM

OS version:
1.0

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
2.25

CTPH (ssdeep):
24576:wKFTIENy3+ZSijrkfj0NF3I1zG8gnqZuDUYp799Sp:wYUrijrkfjOF41hgq4UYD8

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, BF, A9, FF, FF, E8, 5E, 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...
 
[+]

Entropy:
7.8869

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

Code size:
37 KB (37,888 bytes)

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

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