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[Metallica]

Content is republished with permission from Malwarebytes.

What is AbsoluteConverter?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that AbsoluteConverter is a bundler. These bundlers install other PUPs or adware on the affected computer.
This particualr one installs the AppMaster PUP that behaves like adware.

How do I know if my computer is affected by AbsoluteConverter?

This is the main window of the program:



and this is the icon you may see on your desktop and in your start-menu:



and you may see this entry in your list of installed Programs and Features:



and these processes in the Task Manager:



How did AbsoluteConverter get on my computer?

Adware applications use different methods for distributing themselves. This particular one was downloaded from their website:



How do I remove AbsoluteConverter?

Our program Malwarebytes can detect and remove this potentially unwanted program.

• Please download Malwarebytes to your desktop.
• Double-click mb3-setup-consumer-{version}.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
• Then click Finish.
• Once the program has fully updated, select Scan Now on the Dashboard. Or select the Threat Scan from the Scan menu.
• If another update of the definitions is available, it will be implemented before the rest of the scanning procedure.
• When the scan is complete, make sure that all Threats are selected, and click Remove Selected.
• Restart your computer when prompted to do so.

Is there anything else I need to do to get rid of AbsoluteConverter?

• No, Malwarebytes removes AbsoluteConverter completely.

How would the full version of Malwarebytes help protect me?

We hope our application and this guide have helped you eradicate these PUPs.

As you can see below the full version of Malwarebytes would have protected you against the AbsoluteConverter bundler. It would have blocked their domain, stopping the download.

Technical details for experts

Possible signs in FRST logs:

() C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Temp\IXP000.TMP\AppMaster.exe
HKLM-x32\...\RunOnce: [wextract_cleanup0] => rundll32.exe C:\Windows\system32\advpack.dll,DelNodeRunDLL32 "C:\Users\{username}1\AppData\Local\Temp\IXP000.TMP\" <===== ATTENTION
C:\Users\{username}\Desktop\AbsoluteConverter.lnk
C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\AbsoluteConverter.lnk
C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\AppMaster
(Microsoft Corporation) C:\Users\{username}\Desktop\AbsoluteConverter.exe

AbsoluteConverter (HKCU\...\AbsoluteConverter) (Version: 10.0.0 - AbsoluteConverter)

Significant changes made by the installer:

File system details [View: All details] (Selection)
---------------------------------------------------
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\AppMaster
       Adds the file AbsoluteConverter.ico"="7/1/2018 3:22 PM, 34060 bytes, A
       Adds the file AppMaster.exe"="7/1/2018 3:30 PM, 2103760 bytes
       Adds the file AppMaster.exe.config"="12/8/2017 9:42 AM, 242 bytes
       Adds the file apps.txt"="10/16/2018 10:08 AM, 19 bytes, A
       Adds the file pref.txt"="10/16/2018 10:08 AM, 264 bytes, A
    In the existing folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
       Adds the file AbsoluteConverter.lnk"="10/16/2018 10:08 AM, 1991 bytes, A
    In the existing folder C:\Users\{username}\Desktop
       Adds the file AbsoluteConverter.lnk"="10/16/2018 10:08 AM, 2011 bytes, A

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce]
       "wextract_cleanup0"="REG_SZ", "rundll32.exe C:\Windows\system32\advpack.dll,DelNodeRunDLL32 "C:\Users\{username}1\AppData\Local\Temp\IXP000.TMP\""
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\AbsoluteConverter]
       "ApplicationVersion"="REG_SZ", "10.0.0"
       "DisplayIcon"="REG_SZ", "C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\AppMaster\AbsoluteConverter.ico"
       "DisplayName"="REG_SZ", "AbsoluteConverter"
       "DisplayVersion"="REG_SZ", "10.0.0"
       "EstimatedSize"="REG_DWORD", 2054
       "InstallDate"="REG_SZ", "20181016"
       "Publisher"="REG_SZ", "AbsoluteConverter"
       "UninstallString"="REG_SZ", "C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\AppMaster\AppMaster.exe uninstall force://uninstall?guid=AbsoluteConverter"

Malwarebytes log:

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 10/16/18
Scan Time: 10:22 AM
Log File: a043b048-d11c-11e8-9407-00ffdcc6fdfc.json

-Software Information-
Version: 3.6.1.2711
Components Version: 1.0.463
Update Package Version: 1.0.7377
License: Premium

-System Information-
OS: Windows 7 Service Pack 1
CPU: x64
File System: NTFS
User: {computername}\{username}

-Scan Summary-
Scan Type: Threat Scan
Scan Initiated By: Manual
Result: Completed
Objects Scanned: 238220
Threats Detected: 11
Threats Quarantined: 11
Time Elapsed: 3 min, 54 sec

-Scan Options-
Memory: Enabled
Startup: Enabled
Filesystem: Enabled
Archives: Enabled
Rootkits: Enabled
Heuristics: Enabled
PUP: Detect
PUM: Detect

-Scan Details-
Process: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Module: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Key: 1
PUP.Optional.AppMaster.TskLnk, HKCU\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\UNINSTALL\AbsoluteConverter, Quarantined, [769], [581511],1.0.7377

Registry Value: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Data Stream: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folder: 1
PUP.Optional.AppMaster.TskLnk, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\APPMASTER, Quarantined, [769], [581511],1.0.7377

File: 9
PUP.Optional.AppMaster.TskLnk, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\AppMaster\AbsoluteConverter.ico, Quarantined, [769], [581511],1.0.7377
PUP.Optional.AppMaster.TskLnk, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\AppMaster\AppMaster.exe, Quarantined, [769], [581511],1.0.7377
PUP.Optional.AppMaster.TskLnk, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\AppMaster\AppMaster.exe.config, Quarantined, [769], [581511],1.0.7377
PUP.Optional.AppMaster.TskLnk, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\AppMaster\apps.txt, Quarantined, [769], [581511],1.0.7377
PUP.Optional.AppMaster.TskLnk, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\AppMaster\pref.txt, Quarantined, [769], [581511],1.0.7377
PUP.Optional.AppMaster.TskLnk, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\AbsoluteConverter.lnk, Quarantined, [769], [581511],1.0.7377
PUP.Optional.AppMaster.TskLnk, C:\USERS\{username}\DESKTOP\AbsoluteConverter.lnk, Quarantined, [769], [581511],1.0.7377
PUP.Optional.AppMaster.TskLnk, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\apps.txt.lnk, Quarantined, [769], [581511],1.0.7377
PUP.Optional.AppMaster.TskLnk, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\Microsoft\Windows\Recent\pref.txt.lnk, Quarantined, [769], [581511],1.0.7377

Physical Sector: 0
(No malicious items detected)

WMI: 0
(No malicious items detected)


(end)

As mentioned before the full version of Malwarebytes could have protected your computer against this threat.
We use different ways of protecting your computer(s):

• Dynamically Blocks Malware Sites & Servers
• Malware Execution Prevention

Save yourself the hassle and get protected.