Zscaler Blog

Get the latest Zscaler blog updates in your inbox

Subscribe
Security Research

Beware Of Skype Adware

image
RUBIN AZAD
June 24, 2014 - 2 min read
During our daily log analysis, we recently encountered a sample purporting to power up Skype with different emoticons. The binary, when installed, integrated itself with Skype and sent the following message contacts without further intervention.
 
Image
The binary in question (SkypEmoticons.exe) can be downloaded from hxxp://skypemoticons.com/.
 
Image
Home page of hxxp://skypemoticons.com/ 
 
After installation it dropped following executable files:
 
Image
 
Most of the dropped files are Adware which may lead to some malicious activities.
Here is the VT report for SkypeEmotions.exe.
 
Image
 
VT reports of the various dropped samples:
 
MD5 VT Hits
aa9af86b02f4e497eb0284872b50af41 21/54
e96f6d6257bdcb54c297569d42219e97 22/54
1d283dd3ae2312eee624e8b8c46f6adb 45/51
666ab79b63833a2a2502c119f0843b4a 22/54
364207a743ff39207667a0c89ff38768 20/53
02861acc8be1b59be2db226947a384b2 5/54
23912df27a61ea0463c5509ba6a97579 38/52
cee68ad38668785cd39e37ca069f8b85 19/54
b4eb856acc30b0005a44b87566850fb3 3/54
2830932fca42074f17c46c56b4942ac2 23/54
 
Contacted sites from which dropped files were downloaded:
  • hxxp://homebestmy.info
  • hxxp://superstoragemy.com
  • hxxp://setepicnew.info
  • hxxp://198.7.61.118
  • hxxp://54.187.76.32
  • hxxp://54.213.103.160
We also observed User-Agent: TixDll being used for downloading the files, which provided a handy mechanism to do some data mining and identify other domains associated with the adware. The following malicious domains were observed to be contacted via this User-Agent:

hxxp://getapplicationmy.info         
hxxp://applicationgrabb.com             
hxxp://appmegga.info                              
hxxp://downlloaddatamy.info           
 
Other domains identified in our logs contacted by this User-Agent are not currently showing any malicious activity, but may deliver some malicious content in the future:
 
hxxp://appussajob.info
hxxp://dirgreatbestepicl.info
hxxp://embededstub.de.drive-files-b.com
hxxp://embededstub.download.dmccint.com
hxxp://fra-7m17-stor06.uploaded.net
hxxp://getdirfrfee.info
hxxp://getgoolld.info
hxxp://getinstaal.info
hxxp://getmeegan.info
hxxp://homebestmy.info
hxxp://setepicnew.info
hxxp://softservers.net
hxxp://superstoragemy.com
hxxp://xml.dljs.org
 
Use caution when installing any add-on program, especially one that is able to control a powerful communication tool such as Skype.  
 

Explore more Zscaler blogs

A cyber criminal shopping for malware
Agniane Stealer: Dark Web’s Crypto Threat
Read Post
Business people walking through a city
The Impact of the SEC’s New Cybersecurity Policies
Read Post
Digital cloud illuminated in blue
Security Advisory: Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (CVE-2023-3519)
Read Post
TOITOIN Trojan
The TOITOIN Trojan: Analyzing a New Multi-Stage Attack Targeting LATAM Region
Read Post
01 / 02
dots pattern

Get the latest Zscaler blog updates in your inbox

By submitting the form, you are agreeing to our privacy policy.