GSafe

Posted: October 29, 2014

Threat Metric

The Threat Meter is a malware assessment that SpywareRemove.com's research team is able to give every identifiable malware threat. Our Threat Meter includes several criteria based off of specific malware threats to value their severity, reach and volume. The Threat Meter is able to give you a numerical breakdown of each threat's initial Threat Level, Detection Count, Volume Count, Trend Path and Percentage Impact. The overall ranking of each threat in the Threat Meter is a basic breakdown of how all threats are ranked within our own extensive malware database. The scoring for each specific malware threat can be easily compared to other emerging threats to draw a contrast in its particular severity. The Threat Meter is a useful tool in the endeavor of seeking a solution to remove a threat or pursue additional analytical research for all types of computer users.

The following fields listed on the Threat Meter containing a specific value, are explained in detail below:

Threat Level: The threat level scale goes from 1 to 10 where 10 is the highest level of severity and 1 is the lowest level of severity. Each specific level is relative to the threat's consistent assessed behaviors collected from SpyHunter's risk assessment model.

Detection Count: The collective number of confirmed and suspected cases of a particular malware threat. The detection count is calculated from infected PCs retrieved from diagnostic and scan log reports generated by SpyHunter.

Volume Count: Similar to the detection count, the Volume Count is specifically based on the number of confirmed and suspected threats infecting systems on a daily basis. High volume counts usually represent a popular threat but may or may not have infected a large number of systems. High detection count threats could lay dormant and have a low volume count. Criteria for Volume Count is relative to a daily detection count.

Trend Path: The Trend Path, utilizing an up arrow, down arrow or equal symbol, represents the level of recent movement of a particular threat. Up arrows represent an increase, down arrows represent a decline and the equal symbol represent no change to a threat's recent movement.

% Impact (Last 7 Days): This demonstrates a 7-day period change in the frequency of a malware threat infecting PCs. The percentage impact correlates directly to the current Trend Path to determine a rise or decline in the percentage.

Threat Level:	2/10
Infected PCs:	22,819

First Seen:	October 29, 2014
Last Seen:	September 25, 2024
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

GSafe is an adware program that modifies your Web-browsing settings to facilitate displays of additional advertisements. Since this feature provides few or no benefits to your browser and may endanger it with exposure to third-party content, malware experts normally recommend uninstalling GSafe, like all adware. This line of conduct is especially recommended for unwanted software without reputable company backing, as is the case with GSafe and its illusive publisher, Genco Labs LLC.

All that's Unsafe about GSafe Advertisements

GSafe is adware distributed without a company website or standard marketing campaign, and further information on its development team has remained scant. GSafe, as a likely variant or spinoff of AdPeak (also identified as ScorpionSaver), is most likely to be installed through bundles with other downloaded programs. Free software sites and software piracy networks are some of the most common distribution methods used by such Potentially Unwanted Programs.

GSafe displays pop-ups, injected banners and other advertisements automatically, and may not always identify its advertisements as distinct from original website content. These advertisements may distribute disguised attacks, phishing tactics and other hoaxes, which makes even non-interactive contact with them inadvisable. However, not all GSafe advertisements may be equally threatening, and many may format themselves as online coupons and other forms of shopping-based discounts.

Opting Your Browser out of the GSafe Lab Experiment

GSafe is categorized as a Potentially Unwanted Program, although many PC security programs misclassify GSafe as a threat, as a result of its suspicious functionality and poor company history. Aliases of GSafe that malware experts have verified include Trojan.Win32.Triosir.dgibtv, Win32.Adware.Adpeak, PUA.Trioris, Trojan.Win32.Triosir.dgibtv and W32/A-07794f8f!Eldorado. GSafe's known versions have been confirmed for their compatibility with Internet Explorer, although the possibility of GSafe modifying other browsers still is open to investigation.

Improper deletion of GSafe may cause your browser to continue to load advertisements, even when the offending software is gone, which typically is the result of invasive changes in the system Registry. Since modifying the Registry carelessly may cause further harm to Windows, malware experts recommend nothing other than specialized anti-adware products whenever you need to remove GSafe from your browser.

Despite their naming similarities, GSafe's publisher and developer, Genco Labs LLC, is unrelated to the GSafe LGBT rights organization. All research by malware experts to date has led to the conclusion that Genco Labs LLC most likely is a dummied organization. This company merely may be a 'safe' name for GSafe's certificate authentication, without offering any of the real safety that software certification is meant to provide.

As usual for adware of any type, anti-adware tools can scan downloaded files that could install GSafe, and identify the bundle-installer platforms often used for such PUPs. However, PC users who are canny enough to avoid unsafe torrents, risky freeware domains and other, common PUP sources should be unlikely to experience an unasked-for installation of GSafe, in any case.

Aliases

Generic.C86 [AVG]W32/GSafe.A [Fortinet]Artemis!PUP [McAfee-GW-Edition]Trojan.Fraudster.1714 [DrWeb]GSafe (PUA) [Sophos]Win32:Adware-CLR [PUP] [Avast]Trojan.Gen.2 [Symantec]Artemis!ADA6FBB74C8A [McAfee]

Technical Details

File System Modifications

Tutorials: If you wish to learn how to remove malware components manually, you can read the tutorials on how to find malware, kill unwanted processes, remove malicious DLLs and delete other harmful files. Always be sure to back up your PC before making any changes.

The following files were created in the system:

C:\System Volume Information\_restore{85AC6C6F-7AB6-472E-9701-AA30EEAB9F9E}\RP62\A0110041.sys

File name: A0110041.sys
Size: 55.6 KB (55608 bytes)
MD5: 31e5c262526b7a163e19509ef5890f2a
Detection count: 864
File type: System file
Mime Type: unknown/sys
Path: C:\System Volume Information\_restore{85AC6C6F-7AB6-472E-9701-AA30EEAB9F9E}\RP62\A0110041.sys
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: March 27, 2022

%WINDIR%\system32\drivers\asfilterdrv.sys

File name: asfilterdrv.sys
Size: 58.68 KB (58680 bytes)
MD5: 85f6dc778cb0eb0bc3ce203a0210e177
Detection count: 408
File type: System file
Mime Type: unknown/sys
Path: %WINDIR%\system32\drivers\asfilterdrv.sys
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: March 18, 2023

%WINDIR%\System32\drivers\mosfilterdrv.sys

File name: mosfilterdrv.sys
Size: 55.09 KB (55096 bytes)
MD5: 53599da828bc894e1ad6c9a7f1c829dd
Detection count: 54
File type: System file
Mime Type: unknown/sys
Path: %WINDIR%\System32\drivers
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: July 19, 2016

More files

Registry Modifications

The following newly produced Registry Values are:

HKEY..\..\..\..{RegistryKeys}SOFTWARE\GSafeSYSTEM\ControlSet001\services\GSafeSYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\GSafeHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\[APPLICATION]\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall..{Uninstaller}GSafe

Additional Information

The following directories were created:

%PROGRAMFILES%\GSafe%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\GSafe%WINDIR%\Temp\GSafe%temp%\GSafe