OpenCandy

OpenCandy is an adware module classified as malware by many anti-virus vendors.[1][2][3][4] They flag OpenCandy due to its undesirable side-effects.[5][6] It is designed to be installed on a personal computer during installation of other desired software. Produced by SweetLabs, it consists of a Microsoft Windows library incorporated in a Windows Installer. When a user installs an application that has bundled the OpenCandy library, an option appears to install software it recommends based on a scan of the user's system and geolocation. Both the option and offers it generates are selected by default and will be installed unless the user unchecks them before continuing with the installation.[7][8]

OpenCandy's various undesirable side-effects include changing the user's homepage, desktop background or search provider, and inserting unwanted toolbars, plug-ins and extension add-ons in the browser. It also collects and transmits various information about the user and their Web usage without notification or consent.

Development

The software was originally developed for the DivX installation, by CEO Darrius Thompson. When installing DivX, the user was prompted to optionally install the Yahoo! Toolbar. DivX received $15.7 million during the first nine months of 2008 from Yahoo and other software developers, after 250 million downloads.[8]

Chester Ng, the former DivX business development director, is chief business officer and Mark Chweh, former DivX engineering director, is chief technology officer.[8]

Windows components

Components of the program may have differing but similar names based on version.

Files dropped

Note that files dropped by this program usually have the 'hidden' and 'system' attributes set. In order to see or search for them, folder settings for "hide operating system files" will need to be unchecked, and "show hidden files and folders" will need to be checked.

  • OCComSDK.dll
  • OCSetupHlp.dll

Processes

Note: additional processes associated with any accepted offers may also run.

Registry keys

Registry keys have varying names, so that a search of the registry for "*opencandy*" will need to be done to find and delete them.

DNS and HTTP queries

  • tracking.opencandy.com.s3.amazonaws.com
  • media.opencandy.com
  • cdn.opencandy.com
  • cdn.putono5.com
  • tracking.opencandy.com
  • api.opencandy.com
  • www.arcadefrontier.com

Software known to have included OpenCandy

References

  1. ↑ PUP.Optional.OpenCandy, Malwarebytes, retrieved 3 February 2018
  2. ↑ OpenCandy, Sophos, retrieved 3 February 2018
  3. ↑ ADW_OPENCANDY, Trend Micro, retrieved 3 February 2018
  4. ↑ Virustotal analyses of OpenCandy, Virus Total, retrieved 3 February 2018
  5. ↑ Richards, Gizmo (16 April 2017), Controversial Advertising Program Now Being Embedded in More Software, Tech Support Alert, retrieved 2 February 2018
  6. ↑ ADW_OPENCANDY: Trend Micro page, 30 April 2016
  7. ↑ Needleman, Rafe (11 November 2008), OpenCandy brings ad market to software installs. What?, CNET news, retrieved 2009-08-18
  8. 1 2 3 Marshall, Matt (10 November 2008), OpenCandy inserts recommendations when you install software, retrieved 2009-08-18
  9. ↑ "Inquiry about detection of Auslogics Defrag Free Edition - ESET NOD32 Antivirus".
  10. ↑ "Complete Version history / Release notes / Changelog".
  11. ↑
  12. ↑ "FileZilla OpenCandy". Retrieved 2013-07-24.
  13. ↑ "Format Factory - Free media file format converter".
  14. ↑ "Does Foxit Reader free 6.1.4.0217 have malware?". Foxit Corporation Forums.
  15. ↑ Zenju. "FreeFileSync".
  16. ↑ "FrostWire: Downloader, BitTorrent Client and Media Player".
  17. ↑ "GOMlab.com include technical information and download link of GOM Player, GOM Audio, GOM Video Converter and GOM Remote".
  18. ↑ LIGHTNING UK! (2013-06-16). "The Official ImgBurn Website: Change log". www.imgburn.com. Retrieved 2017-10-03. Changed: No longer bundling/offering the Ask.com toolbar in the setup program, OpenCandy now handles product offerings during installation.
  19. ↑ LIGHTNING UK! (2013-06-16). "The Official ImgBurn Website: Download". www.imgburn.com. Retrieved 2017-10-03.
  20. ↑ "MD5 doesn't match any downloadable installers - ImgBurn General". forum.imgburn.com. 2016-10-29. Retrieved 2017-10-03.
  21. ↑ "Wrong hash? - ImgBurn Support". forum.imgburn.com. 2016-06-23. Retrieved 2017-10-03.
  22. ↑ "Wrong Hash 2 - ImgBurn Support". forum.imgburn.com. 2017-01-31. Retrieved 2017-10-03.
  23. ↑ "ImgBurn". fileforum.betanews.com. 2013-06-17. Retrieved 2017-10-03. CLEAN INSTALL! No OpenCandy bundled.
  24. ↑ "ImgBurn Download: Changelog". Softpedia. 2017-03-31. Retrieved 2017-10-03. no more 'opencandy' adware!
  25. ↑ "Codecs.com | Downloads for ImgBurn 2.5.8". www.free-codecs.com. 2016-06-20. Retrieved 2017-10-03. Download ImgBurn 2.5.8 - without OpenCandy!
  26. ↑ "ImgBurn". www.majorgeeks.com. 2016-06-23. Retrieved 2017-10-03. This is a clean, no OpenCandy version.
  27. 1 2 3 gizmo, richards (2014-02-08). "Controversial Advertising Program Now Being Embedded in More Software". Gizmo's Freeware. Archived from the original on 2014-08-07. Retrieved 2014-08-30. OpenCandy (OC) is a relatively new advertising product that more and more software developers are bundling with their programs. It can now be found in the installers of dozens of popular programs including IZArc, mirC, PrimoPDF, Trillian Astra and more.
  28. ↑ "MP3 Support Analysis - herdProtect".
  29. ↑ SEMU-Design. "FJ Software Development".
  30. ↑ On the Help/Facts page
  31. ↑ Discussions on pdfforge Forums Archived 4 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine.
  32. ↑ "PhotoScape".
  33. ↑ Schember, John (21 January 2012). "Sigil 0.5.0 Released". Retrieved 2012-03-17.
  34. ↑ "Malware on Install".
  35. ↑ "WinSCP - OpenCandy". Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014.

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