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vlc_setup.exe

VLC Media Player

Download Assistant

This is part of the Air Installer, a download manager which bundles applications with offers for additional 3rd party software, mostly unwanted adware, and may be installed with minimal consent. The application vlc_setup.exe by Download Assistant 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. The installer is marketed through download protals and search ads as the VideoLAN VLC media player but will also install additional software offers which include adware, PUPs and browser toolbars.
Publisher:
Download Assistant  (signed and verified)

Product:
VLC Media Player

Version:
3.0.0.153

MD5:
c4b9c1753b1ed2b76e0fbbfadb19bf78

SHA-1:
96c42bd8b4864e47a15e3629b0bdb3e6fe8158bb

SHA-256:
b9cf1b62a04bb07373b62fe99afdcaefd1cba65b88cfa93ed47e0c1669dc749a

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:
11/24/2024 7:45:34 AM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

Reason Heuristics
PUP.Air Software (M)
16.7.27.16

File size:
1.1 MB (1,136,872 bytes)

Product version:
3.0.0.153

Copyright:
(c) Download Assistant

File type:
Executable application (Win32 EXE)

Bundler/Installer:
AirInstaller Download Manager

Language:
Language Neutral

Common path:
C:\users\{user}\appdata\local\microsoft\windows\temporary internet files\content.ie5\{random}\vlc_setup.exe

Digital Signature
Signed by:
Download Assistant

Authority:
Symantec Corporation

Valid from:
1/26/2016 12:00:00 AM

Valid to:
3/27/2017 12:59:59 AM

Subject:
CN=Download Assistant, O=Download Assistant, L=Victoria, S=British Columbia, C=CA

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

Serial number:
1278A8BBE7E82E656B1FD4779E9BC2F0

File PE Metadata
Compilation timestamp:
1/30/2013 2:21:56 PM

OS version:
5.0

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
2.25

CTPH (ssdeep):
24576:IxGX0y29nCN4Xny+TcvoSjn10n2LI9MEJakx:tU9CglGn10OI9MEJakx

Entry address:
0x113BC

Entry point:
55, 8B, EC, 83, C4, A4, 53, 56, 57, 33, C0, 89, 45, C4, 89, 45, C0, 89, 45, A4, 89, 45, D0, 89, 45, C8, 89, 45, CC, 89, 45, D4, 89, 45, D8, 89, 45, EC, B8, 2C, 00, 41, 00, E8, E8, 51, FF, FF, 33, C0, 55, 68, 9E, 1A, 41, 00, 64, FF, 30, 64, 89, 20, 33, D2, 55, 68, 5A, 1A, 41, 00, 64, FF, 32, 64, 89, 22, A1, 48, 5B, 41, 00, E8, 16, D8, FF, FF, E8, 65, D3, FF, FF, 80, 3D, DC, 2A, 41, 00, 00, 74, 0C, E8, 2B, D9, FF, FF, 33, C0, E8, 80, 32, FF, FF, 8D, 55, EC, 33, C0, E8, E2, A3, FF, FF, 8B, 55, EC, B8, 50, 86...
 
[+]

Entropy:
6.9619

Developed / compiled with:
Microsoft Visual C++

Code size:
65.5 KB (67,072 bytes)

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

http://files.uk-downloads.net/v2/click/piyjs3im/?d=http://dl.uk-download.com/files/vlc_en.exe&key=ecfb3e0fd93b422548b2871328241c905a73075c43bb4c4d13e33dca55ca5109&sid=PPC&uid=UKDLCID56e3b56e77124&affiliate_image=&product_image=http://www.net-download.com/graphics/product_image_vlc.png&n=VLC Media Player&filename=vlc_setup&done_url=http://uk-download.com/?p=dc&grw=1&cancel_url=http://uk-download.com/.../?error=1

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