Free Scratch and Win
Overview
Vendor Notes:
From the doc: 'Click on the Scratch Cards button to scratch cards and win cash! A new card will be available every 5 minutes that you're actively surfing.' Also happens to capture keystrokes, update itself in stealth mode, change your homepage, open pop-up ads, tracks your browsing habits.
Alias:
Adware/Freescratchandwin [Panda], Trj/Idly.A [Panda]
Category:
Key Logger: (Keystroke Logger). A program that runs in the background, recording all the keystrokes. Once keystrokes are logged, they are hidden in the machine for later retrieval, or shipped raw to the attacker. The attacker then peruses them carefully in the hopes of either finding passwords, or possibly other useful information that could be used to compromise the system or be used in a social engineering attack. For example, a key logger will reveal the contents of all e-mail composed by the user. Keylog programs are commonly included in rootkits and RATs (remote administration trojans). Trojan: Any program with a hidden intent. Trojans are one of the leading causes of breaking into machines. If you pull down a program from a chat room, new group, or even from unsolicited e-mail, then the program is likely trojaned with some subversive purpose. The word Trojan can be used as a verb: To trojan a program is to add subversive functionality to an existing program. For example, a trojaned login program might be programmed to accept a certain password for any user's account that the hacker can use to log back into the system at any time. Rootkits often contain a suite of such trojaned programs.
Variants:
Similar Pests:
Distribution
Distribution:
Installed by ActiveX drive-by download in affiliate pages which are redirected to by AdsCPM, the advertising network company who run FreeScratchAndWin.
Prevalence:
Clot Factor:
The 'Clot Factor' is a measure of how much a pest 'gums up' a machine by adding registry entries, files, and directories. As more objects are placed in a machine, manual removal becomes more difficult and more error-prone.
Growth:
Operation
Advertising:
Yes. Connects to its controlling servers and downloads and opens pop-up adverts every few minutes.
Storage Required:
Risks
Security Issues:
Yes. Downloads and installs arbitrary unsigned code as part of an update feature; it claims that it will prompt you before installing extra third-party software.
Detection Issues:
Difficult to detect by design. May hide from process list. May install with variable names in variable locations.
Research
File Analyses:
More Info:
Research By:
Last Revised:
April 03, 2005
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