Home Malware Programs Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPs) Software Refresher Ads

Software Refresher Ads

Posted: January 9, 2015

Threat Metric

Ranking: 9,009
Threat Level: 1/10
Infected PCs: 24,079
First Seen: November 17, 2014
Last Seen: October 15, 2023
OS(es) Affected: Windows

At first glance, Software Refresher is pretending to be a useful application that enhances the overall performance of your computer. Software Refresher is classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Program). In fact, Software Refresher is delivered to users using questionable marketing methods such as bundling with other freeware and gets installed silently and without notice. Once this unwanted application enters your system, it starts making changes and taking up the machine's resources, causing it to decrease performance. Moreover, unwanted applications such as Software Refresher are known to deliver multiple unwanted commercial ads in the shape of pop-ups, banners, sponsored links and to attract more possibly harmful content.

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:\Program Files (x86)\Davenport\Updater\updater.exe File name: updater.exe
Size: 96.76 KB (96768 bytes)
MD5: a563b9f6d90ebddb76e33a81320b2b07
Detection count: 8,696
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Davenport\Updater\updater.exe
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: August 28, 2022
%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\SoftwareRefresher\SoftwareRefresher.exe File name: SoftwareRefresher.exe
Size: 554.49 KB (554496 bytes)
MD5: 874a021b7622291969b57ca5e6ac3ca4
Detection count: 8,113
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: %PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\SoftwareRefresher
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: November 3, 2020
%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\Davenport\Intercepter\x86\1.3\intercepter-x86.exe File name: intercepter-x86.exe
Size: 240.64 KB (240640 bytes)
MD5: b825f007e88a83431bc669f6ff91a8f3
Detection count: 942
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: %PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\Davenport\Intercepter\x86\1.3
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: November 18, 2014
%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\Davenport\Intercepter\x86\1.0\intercepter-x86.exe File name: intercepter-x86.exe
Size: 221.69 KB (221696 bytes)
MD5: 244e71a2cf41491b3d91ef4eb699247b
Detection count: 152
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: %PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\Davenport\Intercepter\x86\1.0
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: June 13, 2020
C:\Program Files (x86)\Davenport\Intercepter\x64\1.3\intercepter-x64.exe File name: intercepter-x64.exe
Size: 280.06 KB (280064 bytes)
MD5: 4bac97713c361ee6ebbf621a95f067b7
Detection count: 150
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Davenport\Intercepter\x64\1.3\intercepter-x64.exe
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: June 24, 2022
%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\Davenport\Intercepter\x64\1.3\intercepter-x64.exe File name: intercepter-x64.exe
Size: 278.52 KB (278528 bytes)
MD5: c19f2425b23f5632a1a43954315b58d1
Detection count: 148
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: %PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\Davenport\Intercepter\x64\1.3
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: July 6, 2020
%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\Davenport\Intercepter\x86\1.2\intercepter-x86.exe File name: intercepter-x86.exe
Size: 239.1 KB (239104 bytes)
MD5: bf37f1966e1b94e939af7d494277cdbf
Detection count: 75
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: %PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\Davenport\Intercepter\x86\1.2
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: March 31, 2020
%PROGRAMFILES%\Davenport\Intercepter\x86\1.0\intercepter-x86.exe File name: intercepter-x86.exe
Size: 221.69 KB (221696 bytes)
MD5: b6bd4e3b1bd6c60fe7afd52d14613730
Detection count: 42
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: %PROGRAMFILES%\Davenport\Intercepter\x86\1.0
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: November 18, 2014
%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\Davenport\Intercepter\x64\1.0\intercepter-x64.exe File name: intercepter-x64.exe
Size: 254.97 KB (254976 bytes)
MD5: 1b9463332df665fa458022efe21aec53
Detection count: 37
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: %PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\Davenport\Intercepter\x64\1.0
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: March 20, 2020
%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\Davenport\Intercepter\x86\1.0\intercepter-x86.exe File name: intercepter-x86.exe
Size: 239.1 KB (239104 bytes)
MD5: 44191a249e22c04a0043ba893cda8109
Detection count: 33
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: %PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\Davenport\Intercepter\x86\1.0
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: November 18, 2014
C:\Users\<username>\appdata\Local\Software Refresher File name: C:\Users\<username>\appdata\Local\Software Refresher
Group: Malware file
C:\Users\<username>\appdata\Local\Software Refresher\uninstall.exe File name: C:\Users\<username>\appdata\Local\Software Refresher\uninstall.exe
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Group: Malware file
client_zone_id.js File name: client_zone_id.js
File type: JavaScript file
Mime Type: unknown/js
Group: Malware file
common.js File name: common.js
File type: JavaScript file
Mime Type: unknown/js
Group: Malware file

Registry Modifications

The following newly produced Registry Values are:

Regexp file mask%WINDIR%\System32\Tasks\davenport[RANDOM CHARACTERS]%WINDIR%\Tasks\davenport[RANDOM CHARACTERS].jobHKEY..\..\..\..{RegistryKeys}SOFTWARE\DavenportSOFTWARE\Intercepter\OffersSOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\Software RefresherSOFTWARE\SoftwareRefresherSOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\DavenportSOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Intercepter\OffersSOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\Software RefresherSOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\SoftwareRefresherHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\[APPLICATION]\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall..{Uninstaller}fresher_Software Refresher

Additional Information

The following directories were created:
%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Software Refresher%LOCALAPPDATA%\DevenportUpdater%LOCALAPPDATA%\Software Refresher%PROGRAMFILES%\Davenport%PROGRAMFILES%\Software Refresher%PROGRAMFILES%\SoftwareRefresher%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\Davenport%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\Software Refresher%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\SoftwareRefresher
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