Content

Adware-2ndThought

Type
Program
SubType
Adware
Discovery Date
01/19/2005
Minimum DAT
4420 (01/19/2005)
Updated DAT
4582 (09/15/2005)
Minimum Engine
5.1.00
Description Added
01/19/2005
Description Modified
05/19/2005 3:16 PM (PT)

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Characteristics

McAfee(R) AVERT™ recognizes that this program may have legitimate uses in contexts where an authorized administrator has knowingly installed this application. If you agreed to a license agreement for this, or another bundled application, you may have legal obligations with regard to removing this software, or using the host application without this software. Please contact the software vendor for further information.

See http://vil.nai.com/vil/DATReadme.asp for a list of Program detections added to the DATs.

See http://vil.nai.com/vil/pups/configuration.htm for information about how to enable, disable, and exclude detection of legitimately installed programs.

Summary

This is not a virus or a Trojan.  It is an adware application that generates pop-up advertisements while browsing the web.
No visible indication (except some pop-ups), is given that any software is being installed upon execution of the installation program.

Privacy

No license agreement is displayed during installation, although one could be displayed by another installer if bundled with another application. No EULA or privacy policy related to the software could be found.

System Changes

File Name: stcloader.exe
MD5: a1aba249db07efa700814b68384dd129

When this application is executed, the following files are added:

  • ace.dll
  • CxtPls.dll
  • IdleUI.dll
  • libexpat.dll
  • ProxyStub.dll
  • WinGenerics.dll
  • 2ndsrch.dll
  • STC.exe
  • stcupdt.exe
  • CxtPls.exe
  • cxtpls_loader.exe
  • auf0.exe

The following registry entries are added:

  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\STC
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\
    {B5AB638F-D76C-415B-A8F2-F3CEAC502212}
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\
    {B5AB638F-D76C-415B-A8F2-F3CEAC502212}\ProgID
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\
    {B5AB638F-D76C-415B-A8F2-F3CEAC502212}
    \VersionIndependentProgID

Display Impact:

Few pop up windows are displayed. Screen shots of some are as below:

Network Impact

Additional overhead in bandwidth due to transmission of selected URLs and download of advertising content and software updates.

Aliases

Aliases

  • Trojan.Win32.SecondThought.b - Kaspersky
  • Trojan:Win32/SecondThought.B - GeCAD
  • W32/2ndThought.BH - Norman