{
  "family": "installmonster",
  "sample_count": 16691,
  "category": "pua",
  "description": "Adware:Win32/InstallMonster is a massive Russian pay-per-install (PPI) adware framework designed to forcefully bundle Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPs) and browser hijackers onto user machines.<br><br><b>Understanding InstallMonster</b><br>To the end-user, InstallMonster is the root cause of a sudden flood of desktop shortcuts, changed homepages, and aggressive pop-up advertisements. For threat intelligence, InstallMonster represents a highly organized affiliate network. Software developers pay the InstallMonster network to bundle their toolbars or adware into legitimate freeware installers. The affiliate who facilitates the download gets a cut of the revenue, driving massive, deceptive distribution campaigns.<br><br><b>Execution and Evasion Strategies</b><br>InstallMonster relies on social engineering during the software installation process. Users are presented with confusing opt-out screens or pre-checked boxes while installing media players or PDF converters. Once executed, the framework reaches out to its C2 servers to determine which adware payloads will generate the most revenue for that specific geographic region. It then silently downloads and installs a myriad of toolbars, crypto-miners, or search hijackers, modifying the Windows Registry to establish persistence.<br><br><b>Indicators of Compromise (IoCs)</b><br>Threat hunters will notice a massive spike in outbound HTTP/HTTPS connections to known PPI tracking domains (e.g., installmonster.ru or affiliate links). The <code>%ProgramFiles%</code> and <code>%AppData%</code> directories will suddenly fill with randomly named folders containing unwanted software. The Windows Certificate Store may also be modified to trust self-signed certificates used by the adware to intercept SSL traffic.",
  "cta": "Published by the SystemHelpdesk team.",
  "aliases": [
    "amonetize",
    "installcube"
  ],
  "enrichment_level": "expert-seo",
  "faq": [],
  "faq_count": 0,
  "mitre_attack": [
    "T1112",
    "T1105",
    "T1189",
    "T1562.001",
    "T1176"
  ],
  "cisa_advisory": null,
  "last_updated": "2026-06-09",
  "mitre_attack_detail": [
    {
      "id": "T1189",
      "name": "Drive-by Compromise",
      "tactic": "Initial Access"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1105",
      "name": "Ingress Tool Transfer",
      "tactic": "Command and Control"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1112",
      "name": "Modify Registry",
      "tactic": "Defense Evasion"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1176",
      "name": "Browser Extensions",
      "tactic": "Persistence"
    },
    {
      "id": "T1562.001",
      "name": "Impair Defenses: Disable or Modify Tools",
      "tactic": "Defense Evasion"
    }
  ],
  "containment_steps": [
    "Quarantine the endpoint to halt the continuous downloading of secondary adware and PUA payloads.",
    "Deploy specialized adware removal tools (like Malwarebytes or AdwCleaner) to automatically identify and strip the bundled software.",
    "Manually audit the 'Add/Remove Programs' list to uninstall any lingering toolbars or 'PC Optimizers'.",
    "Reset all web browsers to their factory defaults to purge rogue extensions and restore legitimate search engine configurations."
  ],
  "what_to_avoid": [
    "Do not trust the uninstallers provided by the adware; they frequently execute secondary scripts to reinstall the software later.",
    "Avoid ignoring the infection as a 'low severity' threat; PPI networks frequently pivot to dropping banking trojans or ransomware if it is more profitable."
  ],
  "target_industries": [
    "Global / Opportunistic"
  ],
  "motivation": "Opportunistic",
  "threat_actors": [
    "Unknown / Cybercriminal"
  ],
  "target_geographies": [
    "Global"
  ]
}