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whales.exe

InstallIQ Installation Utility

W3i, LLC

The InstallIQ (InstallX) installation program is a co-bundle stub that devlivers software monetization offers during installation. These offers include web browser toolbars and extensions. The application whales.exe by W3i has been detected as adware by 1 anti-malware scanner with very strong indications that the file is a potential threat. The file has been seen being downloaded from dl2.iq4download.com.
Publisher:
W3i, LLC  (signed and verified)

Product:
InstallIQ Installation Utility

Version:
2.100.0.0

MD5:
8f9bae6a9b0fb621f5412b9f2c4129d5

SHA-1:
2b1e838a6e02cf8d8fbd6d7cdef31b930ba53393

SHA-256:
b36a45d9f57b267d8cac04a3c563231c0714b910a72cbb969bd0ff8ff0dfca2b

Scanner detections:
1 / 68

Status:
Adware

Explanation:
InstallIQ is a bundled offer download and install manager that is designed to show sponsored offers during installation that typically includes adware type toolbars, browser extensions and plugin or other potentially unwanted software along with the promised application.

Analysis date:
11/15/2024 2:24:08 PM UTC  (today)

Scan engine
Detection
Engine version

Reason Heuristics
PUP.InstallX.W3i.Installer (M)
16.4.9.7

File size:
1.5 MB (1,606,336 bytes)

Product version:
2.100.0.0

Copyright:
Copyright ©2011 W3i Holdings, LLC. All rights reserved.

Original file name:
InstallIQ.exe

File type:
Executable application (Win32 EXE)

Language:
English (United States)

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

Digital Signature
Signed by:
W3i, LLC

Authority:
VeriSign, Inc.

Valid from:
6/19/2011 5:30:00 AM

Valid to:
7/2/2013 5:29:59 AM

Subject:
CN="W3i, LLC", OU=Digital ID Class 3 - Microsoft Software Validation v2, O="W3i, LLC", L=Sartell, S=Minnesota, C=US

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:
6A5D73F262C38BBD4578AB6AD713318D

File PE Metadata
Compilation timestamp:
8/30/2011 11:12:01 PM

OS version:
5.0

OS bitness:
Win32

Subsystem:
Windows GUI

Linker version:
9.0

CTPH (ssdeep):
24576:B5ZEM7feemG6ED69zbEgeEnI59pTgQbek4dSpFgkpGFtG9TWLrPdE2SHRpZ3+w:y+fezEkz4geEnI59psQbe5YN4F2Tcyr5

Entry address:
0x41B54

Entry point:
E8, 9A, 9E, 00, 00, E9, 78, FE, FF, FF, CC, CC, 8B, 4C, 24, 04, F7, C1, 03, 00, 00, 00, 74, 24, 8A, 01, 83, C1, 01, 84, C0, 74, 4E, F7, C1, 03, 00, 00, 00, 75, EF, 05, 00, 00, 00, 00, 8D, A4, 24, 00, 00, 00, 00, 8D, A4, 24, 00, 00, 00, 00, 8B, 01, BA, FF, FE, FE, 7E, 03, D0, 83, F0, FF, 33, C2, 83, C1, 04, A9, 00, 01, 01, 81, 74, E8, 8B, 41, FC, 84, C0, 74, 32, 84, E4, 74, 24, A9, 00, 00, FF, 00, 74, 13, A9, 00, 00, 00, FF, 74, 02, EB, CD, 8D, 41, FF, 8B, 4C, 24, 04, 2B, C1, C3, 8D, 41, FE, 8B, 4C, 24, 04...
 
[+]

Entropy:
6.9924

Code size:
932.5 KB (954,880 bytes)

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

http://dl2.iq4download.com/lm/.../whales.exe

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