PUP.Optional.Catalina

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Short bio

PUP.Optional.Catalina is Malwarebytes’ detection name for a family of adware related potentially unwanted programs published by Catalina Group Ltd. for Windows and MacOS.

Symptoms

Users my notice this type of screen during install:

installing Citrio

they may notice this type of entry in their list of installed Programs and Features:

and they may notice these Scheduled Tasks:

Malicious behavior

PUP.Optional.Catalina gains persistence by installing Scheduled Tasks and a Run registry key. These processes are designed to “update” the application without user consent. Some of these updates were connected to privacy issues.

Type and source of infection

PUP.Optional.Catalina downloads and installs extensions on the affected system that have no benefit for the user. PUP.Optional.Catalina comes bundled with the applications published by the Catalina Group like the Citrio browser (a Chromium project).

Citrio browser

Protection

Malwarebytes blocks PUP.Optional.Catalina

Remediation

Malwarebytes can detect and remove PUP.Optional.Catalina without further user interaction.

  1. Please download Malwarebytes to your desktop.
  2. Double-click MBSetup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
  3. When your Malwarebytes for Windows installation completes, the program opens to the Welcome to Malwarebytes screen.
  4. Click on the Get started button.
  5. Click Scan to start a Threat Scan.
  6. Click Quarantine to remove the found threats.
  7. Reboot the system if prompted to complete the removal process.

Malwarebytes removal log

A Malwarebytes log of removal will look similar to this: 

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com
-Log Details-
Scan Date: 2/13/19
Scan Time: 10:34 AM
Log File: 99374b67-2f72-11e9-8ffc-00ffdcc6fdfc.json

-Software Information-
Version: 3.6.1.2711
Components Version: 1.0.527
Update Package Version: 1.0.9238
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: 236076
Threats Detected: 26
Threats Quarantined: 26
Time Elapsed: 4 min, 27 sec

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

-Scan Details-
Process: 1
PUP.Optional.Catalina, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\CATALINAGROUP\UPDATE\1.3.25.225\CATALINACRASHHANDLER.EXE, Quarantined, [500], [635491],1.0.9238

Module: 2
PUP.Optional.Catalina, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\CATALINAGROUP\UPDATE\1.3.25.225\GOOPDATE.DLL, Quarantined, [500], [635491],1.0.9238
PUP.Optional.Catalina, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\CATALINAGROUP\UPDATE\1.3.25.225\CATALINACRASHHANDLER.EXE, Quarantined, [500], [635491],1.0.9238

Registry Key: 6
PUP.Optional.Catalina, HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS NT\CURRENTVERSION\SCHEDULE\TASKCACHE\TREE\CatalinaGroupUpdateTaskUserS-1-5-21-{userCLSID}Core, Quarantined, [500], [635491],1.0.9238
PUP.Optional.Catalina, HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS NT\CURRENTVERSION\SCHEDULE\TASKCACHE\TASKS\{467A2CF4-D247-447D-9C6F-0F2E9E5F9BB6}, Quarantined, [500], [635491],1.0.9238
PUP.Optional.Catalina, HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS NT\CURRENTVERSION\SCHEDULE\TASKCACHE\PLAIN\{467A2CF4-D247-447D-9C6F-0F2E9E5F9BB6}, Quarantined, [500], [635491],1.0.9238
PUP.Optional.Catalina, HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS NT\CURRENTVERSION\SCHEDULE\TASKCACHE\TREE\CatalinaGroupUpdateTaskUserS-1-5-21-{userCLSID}UA, Quarantined, [500], [635491],1.0.9238
PUP.Optional.Catalina, HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS NT\CURRENTVERSION\SCHEDULE\TASKCACHE\TASKS\{18948E4E-B2F0-4193-BCD3-984AB9734C95}, Quarantined, [500], [635491],1.0.9238
PUP.Optional.Catalina, HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS NT\CURRENTVERSION\SCHEDULE\TASKCACHE\PLAIN\{18948E4E-B2F0-4193-BCD3-984AB9734C95}, Quarantined, [500], [635491],1.0.9238

Registry Value: 1
PUP.Optional.Catalina, HKCU\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\RUN|CatalinaGroup Update, Quarantined, [500], [635491],1.0.9238

Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Data Stream: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folder: 0
(No malicious items detected)

File: 16
PUP.Optional.Catalina, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\CATALINAGROUP\UPDATE\1.3.25.225\GOOPDATE.DLL, Quarantined, [500], [635491],1.0.9238
PUP.Optional.Catalina, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\CATALINAGROUP\UPDATE\1.3.25.225\CATALINACRASHHANDLER.EXE, Quarantined, [500], [635491],1.0.9238
PUP.Optional.Catalina, C:\WINDOWS\TASKS\CatalinaGroupUpdateTaskUserS-1-5-21-{userCLSID}Core.job, Quarantined, [500], [635491],1.0.9238
PUP.Optional.Catalina, C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\TASKS\CatalinaGroupUpdateTaskUserS-1-5-21-{userCLSID}Core, Quarantined, [500], [635491],1.0.9238
PUP.Optional.Catalina, C:\WINDOWS\TASKS\CatalinaGroupUpdateTaskUserS-1-5-21-{userCLSID}UA.job, Quarantined, [500], [635491],1.0.9238
PUP.Optional.Catalina, C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\TASKS\CatalinaGroupUpdateTaskUserS-1-5-21-{userCLSID}UA, Quarantined, [500], [635491],1.0.9238
PUP.Optional.Catalina, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\CATALINAGROUP\UPDATE\CATALINAUPDATE.EXE, Quarantined, [500], [635491],1.0.9238
PUP.Optional.Catalina, C:\USERS\{username}\DESKTOP\CATALINAUPDATESETUP.EXE, Quarantined, [500], [635491],1.0.9238
PUP.Optional.Catalina, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\Citrio.lnk, Quarantined, [500], [635491],1.0.9238
PUP.Optional.Catalina, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MICROSOFT\INTERNET EXPLORER\QUICK LAUNCH\User Pinned\TaskBar\Citrio.lnk, Quarantined, [500], [635491],1.0.9238
PUP.Optional.Catalina, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Citrio.lnk, Quarantined, [500], [635491],1.0.9238
PUP.Optional.Catalina, C:\USERS\{username}\DESKTOP\Chrome Web Store.lnk, Quarantined, [500], [635491],1.0.9238
PUP.Optional.Catalina, C:\USERS\{username}\DESKTOP\Citrio.lnk, Quarantined, [500], [635491],1.0.9238
PUP.Optional.Catalina, C:\USERS\{username}\DESKTOP\Facebook.lnk, Quarantined, [500], [635491],1.0.9238
PUP.Optional.Catalina, C:\USERS\{username}\DESKTOP\YouTube.lnk, Quarantined, [500], [635491],1.0.9238
PUP.Optional.Catalina, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\LOCAL\CATALINAGROUP\CITRIO\APPLICATION\CITRIO.EXE, Quarantined, [500], [635491],1.0.9238

Physical Sector: 0
(No malicious items detected)

WMI: 0
(No malicious items detected)


(end)

Add an exclusion

Should users wish to keep this program and exclude it from being detected in future scans, they can add the program to the exclusions list. Here’s how to do it.

  • Open Malwarebytes for Windows.
  • Click the Detection History
  • Click the Allow List
  • To add an item to the Allow List, click Add.
  • Select the exclusion type Allow a file or folder and use the Select a folder button to select the main folder for the software that you wish to keep.
  • Repeat this for any secondary files or folder(s) that belong to the software.

If you want to allow the program to connect to the Internet, for example to fetch updates, also add an exclusion of the type Allow an application to connect to the internet and use the Browse button to select the file you wish to grant access.

Traces/IOCs

You may see these entries in FRST logs: 

HKCU\...\Run: [CatalinaGroup Update] => C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\CatalinaGroup\Update\CatalinaUpdate.exe [132104 2019-02-13] (Catalina Group Limited -> Catalina Group Ltd.) <==== ATTENTION
C:\Windows\Tasks\CatalinaGroupUpdateTaskUserS-1-5-21-{userCLSID}UA.job
C:\Windows\Tasks\CatalinaGroupUpdateTaskUserS-1-5-21-{userCLSID}Core.job
C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\CatalinaGroup
C:\Windows\System32\Tasks\CatalinaGroupUpdateTaskUserS-1-5-21-{userCLSID}UA
C:\Windows\System32\Tasks\CatalinaGroupUpdateTaskUserS-1-5-21-{userCLSID}Core
C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\CatalinaGroup\Update\CatalinaUpdate.exe
Task: {18948E4E-B2F0-4193-BCD3-984AB9734C95} - System32\Tasks\CatalinaGroupUpdateTaskUserS-1-5-21-{userCLSID}UA => C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\CatalinaGroup\Update\CatalinaUpdate.exe (Catalina Group Limited -> Catalina Group Ltd.) [File not signed] <==== ATTENTION
Task: {467A2CF4-D247-447D-9C6F-0F2E9E5F9BB6} - System32\Tasks\CatalinaGroupUpdateTaskUserS-1-5-21-{userCLSID}Core => C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\CatalinaGroup\Update\CatalinaUpdate.exe (Catalina Group Limited -> Catalina Group Ltd.) [File not signed] <==== ATTENTION
Task: C:\Windows\Tasks\CatalinaGroupUpdateTaskUserS-1-5-21-{userCLSID}Core.job => C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\CatalinaGroup\Update\CatalinaUpdate.exe <==== ATTENTION
Task: C:\Windows\Tasks\CatalinaGroupUpdateTaskUserS-1-5-21-{userCLSID}UA.job => C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\CatalinaGroup\Update\CatalinaUpdate.exe <==== ATTENTION
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