setup.exe

VLC Media Player

Air Software

Warning, this is not the legitimate setup program for VLC Media Player. The setup is bootstrapped by the Air Installer 'download manager' (a pay-per-install monetization download manager) that bundles unwanted software (adware, toolbars, extensions) during setup while deciving the user into thinking they are downloading the stadard installation setup from VLC Media Player. The application setup.exe, “VLC Media Player ” by Air 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 AirInstaller Download Manager installer.
Publisher:
AirInstaller   (signed by Air Software)

Product:
VLC Media Player

Description:
VLC Media Player

Version:
2.0.15.0

MD5:
4e3af84b67755b2ba1126a03adf72c80

SHA-1:
dcd58acdad1140eefb964d6216b4e731a9bf334b

SHA-256:
cf774e8d17f066b7aff8695e116ffbb8440f85254d1a4ae1755f4aad65329a21

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 'download manager' is also considered bundleware, a utility designed to download software (possibly legitimate or opensource) and bundle it with a number of optional offers including ad-supported utilities, toolbars, shopping comparison tools and browser extensions.

Analysis date:
11/5/2024 6:31:58 PM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

Reason Heuristics
PUP.Air Software.AirSoftw.Bundler (M)
16.5.1.1

File size:
755.9 KB (774,056 bytes)

Product version:
2.0.15.0

Copyright:
(c) AirInstaller

Original file name:
setup.exe

File type:
Executable application (Win32 EXE)

Bundler/Installer:
AirInstaller Download Manager

Language:
English (United States)

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

Digital Signature
Signed by:

Authority:
VeriSign, Inc.

Valid from:
1/25/2013 12:00:00 AM

Valid to:
3/26/2015 11:59:59 PM

Subject:
CN=Air Software, OU=Digital ID Class 3 - Microsoft Software Validation v2, O=Air Software, L=Victoria, S=British Columbia, C=CA

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:
3AC786E09219DF82DA830E461D4FC39F

File PE Metadata
Compilation timestamp:
6/18/2014 11:48:07 PM

OS version:
5.1

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
10.0

CTPH (ssdeep):
12288:JQN20eCofhgVDNuK40ufbN64b6slOJ5B/N2j+aFUnQn53CI2tjyufeKUe:G40eCoJgD8H3T04nARN2H6nQn53lQjyk

Entry address:
0x25C418

Entry point:
60, E8, 00, 00, 00, 00, 58, 05, 5A, 0B, 00, 00, 8B, 30, 03, F0, 2B, C0, 8B, FE, 66, AD, C1, E0, 0C, 8B, C8, 50, AD, 2B, C8, 03, F1, 8B, C8, 57, 51, 49, 8A, 44, 39, 06, 88, 04, 31, 75, F6, 2B, C0, AC, 8B, C8, 80, E1, F0, 24, 0F, C1, E1, 0C, 8A, E8, AC, 0B, C8, 51, 02, CD, BD, 00, FD, FF, FF, D3, E5, 59, 58, 8B, DC, 8D, A4, 6C, 90, F1, FF, FF, 51, 2B, C9, 51, 51, 8B, CC, 51, 66, 8B, 17, C1, E2, 0C, 52, 57, 83, C1, 04, 51, 50, 83, C1, 04, 56, 51, E8, 5E, 00, 00, 00, 8B, E3, 5E, 5A, 2B, C0, 89, 04, 32, B4, 10...
 
[+]

Entropy:
7.9356

Packer / compiler:
ASPack v1.08.04

Code size:
1.7 MB (1,733,632 bytes)

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

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