setup.exe

SOFTFORCE LLC

This is the Softpulse installer which bundles applications with offers for additional 3rd party software, mostly unwanted adware, and may be installed with minimal consent. The application setup.exe by SOFTFORCE 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 Softpulse SoftwareBundler installer. The file has been seen being downloaded from az852137.vo.msecnd.net.
Publisher:
SOFTFORCE LLC  (signed and verified)

MD5:
ce8bed0eb45c8432f8d8cbc98e78f9ce

SHA-1:
4f71e0ce753d1896620837fb8e6f5c78788b454f

SHA-256:
af035c617295e9357cd70972a2c794facd5abc5245cafb30caeb5244ab3a2335

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:
1/14/2025 11:16:16 AM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

Reason Heuristics
PUP.Softpulse (M)
16.7.27.1

File size:
633.4 KB (648,632 bytes)

File type:
Executable application (Win32 EXE)

Bundler/Installer:
Softpulse SoftwareBundler

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

Digital Signature
Signed by:

Authority:
Symantec Corporation

Valid from:
3/10/2015 6:00:00 PM

Valid to:
3/10/2016 5:59:59 PM

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

Issuer:
CN=Symantec Class 3 SHA256 Code Signing CA, OU=Symantec Trust Network, O=Symantec Corporation, C=US

Serial number:
33BB3B97566AF3E76EB1CA5F67A62CAB

File PE Metadata
Compilation timestamp:
1/18/2016 3:02:20 PM

OS version:
5.0

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
9.0

CTPH (ssdeep):
12288:QWHcZ3XIM8NFjtX9dJ+7gJSfrOQ9pCnz6THFcQqSYpz09jwCfN1BDBZx3IT6jJao:Q+cZIMyNtX9d87USSAcnz67eQq3F09Uk

Entry address:
0x1A4770

Entry point:
60, BE, 00, 10, 51, 00, 8D, BE, 00, 00, EF, FF, 57, EB, 0B, 90, 8A, 06, 46, 88, 07, 47, 01, DB, 75, 07, 8B, 1E, 83, EE, FC, 11, DB, 72, ED, B8, 01, 00, 00, 00, 01, DB, 75, 07, 8B, 1E, 83, EE, FC, 11, DB, 11, C0, 01, DB, 73, 0B, 75, 28, 8B, 1E, 83, EE, FC, 11, DB, 72, 1F, 48, 01, DB, 75, 07, 8B, 1E, 83, EE, FC, 11, DB, 11, C0, EB, D4, 01, DB, 75, 07, 8B, 1E, 83, EE, FC, 11, DB, 11, C9, EB, 52, 31, C9, 83, E8, 03, 72, 11, C1, E0, 08, 8A, 06, 46, 83, F0, FF, 74, 75, D1, F8, 89, C5, EB, 0B, 01, DB, 75, 07, 8B...
 
[+]

Packer / compiler:
UPX v0.89.6 - v1.02 / v1.05 -v1.24

Code size:
592 KB (606,208 bytes)

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

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