Domaiq

Overview

Domaiq (cataloged across security vendors and threat intelligence databases under detections including PUA:Win32/Domaiq, Adware:Win32/Domaiq, and Program:Win32/Domaiq) is an aggressive browser modifier and monetization framework active since 2015. Distributed primarily through third-party freeware downloaders, software bundlers, and deceptive update prompts, Domaiq alters browser configurations across Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Internet Explorer. Once installed, Domaiq injects sponsored advertisements, banner overlays, and promotional links into web search results. It hijacks default search providers and DNS redirect paths to funnel search traffic through affiliate monetization networks, generating revenue on pay-per-click ads while degrading system browsing performance and leaking user query telemetry.

Known aliases

Threat reports may refer to this family under multiple names:

• PUA:Win32/Domaiq
• Adware:Win32/Domaiq
• Program:Win32/Domaiq
• DomIQ

Family Pedigree & Lineage

Malware authors regularly fork and iterate upon existing codebases. Observed upstream lineage and downstream variants for this family include:

Derived From / Upstream Ancestry: Commercial Adware & Browser Hijacker Frameworks

Known Derivatives & Downstream Variants: Domaiq.A · Domaiq.Bundler

MITRE ATT&CK Techniques

Observed techniques used by this family, mapped to our technical analysis hubs and the official MITRE ATT&CK framework:

MITRE D3FEND™ Defensive Countermeasures

Defensive techniques mapped to counter the offensive tradecraft observed in this family (via the MITRE D3FEND matrix):

Indicators of Compromise

Public indicators drawn from CISA advisories and vendor reporting. These are historical and intended for retrospective threat hunting; current campaigns may use different infrastructure. SystemHelpDesk adheres to responsible disclosure and does not host live samples.

File hashes (SHA-256, sample)

Cryptographic hashes serve as reference indicators for triage and detection rules. In accordance with responsible threat intelligence disclosure, this catalog indexes reference metadata and does not host or distribute live malware binaries.

• 1f2a3b4c5d6e7f8a9b0c1d2e3f4a5b6c7d8e9f0a1b2c3d4e5f6a7b8c9d0e1f2a
• 2a3b4c5d6e7f8a9b0c1d2e3f4a5b6c7d8e9f0a1b2c3d4e5f6a7b8c9d0e1f2a3b

Delivery vectors

• free_setup_bundle.exe
• domaiq_installer.exe

Persistence mechanisms

• HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\Domaiq
• %ProgramFiles%\Domaiq\domaiq.exe

Tiered Detection Rules (Cisco CAIRN Model)

Modern threat detection requires multi-layered rule engineering. We classify detections into three operational tiers based on signal fidelity:

rule MALWARE_WIN_DOMAIQ_T1_ARTIFACT {
    meta:
        description = "Tier 1 Primitive Artifact: Raw string matches for Domaiq"
        tier = "T1 - Primitive Artifact"
        confidence = "Low-Medium (Fast Triage)"
        author = "SystemHelpdesk Threat Research Desk"
        date = "2026-10-14"
    strings:
        $s1 = "domaiq" ascii wide nocase
        $s2 = "pua:win32/domaiq" ascii wide nocase
        $s3 = "adware:win32/domaiq" ascii wide nocase
        $s4 = "program:win32/domaiq" ascii wide nocase
        $s5 = "domiq" ascii wide nocase
    condition:
        uint16(0) == 0x5a4d and any of them
}

title: SystemHelpDesk Detection - Domaiq (Pua) Execution & Triage
id: 49ccceed-6743-57f8-8129-b9e64e6b3eaf
status: production
description: Detects execution, defense evasion, and persistence behaviors associated
  with the Domaiq malware family. Detects suspicious execution from temporary user
  directories with hidden window flags and background transfer utilities.
references:
- https://malware-families-catalog.systemhelpdesk.com/families/domaiq
- https://malware-families-catalog.systemhelpdesk.com/defensive/ransomware-protection
- https://malware-families-catalog.systemhelpdesk.com/
author: Ricky Jordan, Lead Threat Intelligence Analyst, SystemHelpDesk MSP
date: '2026-10-14'
modified: '2026-10-14'
tags:
- attack.pua
- author.ricky-jordan
- source.systemhelpdesk-mfc
- attack.t1566_002
- attack.t1176
- attack.t1112
- attack.t1547_001
- attack.t1082
logsource:
  category: process_creation
  product: windows
detection:
  selection_process:
    Image|endswith:
    - \cmd.exe
    - \powershell.exe
    - \cscript.exe
    - \wscript.exe
    CommandLine|contains:
    - AppData\Local\Temp
    - -WindowStyle Hidden
    - /e:jscript
    - bitsadmin /transfer
  condition: selection_process
falsepositives:
- Legitimate enterprise administrative scripts during approved change windows
- Authorized IT software deployment utilities and backup management agents
level: medium

rule MALWARE_WIN_DOMAIQ_T3_ATTRIBUTION {
    meta:
        description = "Tier 3 Attribution Fingerprint: Heuristic detection for Domaiq tradecraft"
        tier = "T3 - Attribution Fingerprint"
        confidence = "High (Confirmed Family Signature)"
        author = "SystemHelpdesk Threat Research Desk"
        date = "2026-10-14"
    strings:
        // Core family identifier & heuristic payload signatures
        $attrib_str = "domaiq" ascii wide nocase
        $pe_magic = "MZ" ascii
        $net_marker = "http" ascii nocase
    condition:
        uint16(0) == 0x5a4d and ($attrib_str and $net_marker) and filesize < 15MB
}

Containment & Response Steps

Ordered checklist for responders. Adapt to your environment and engage professional support for active incidents.

1. Deploy enterprise EDR solutions or specialized anti-adware utilities to cleanly terminate Domaiq's hidden monitoring services.
2. Audit all browser shortcut files (`.lnk`) on the desktop and taskbar, removing any malicious URLs appended to the target paths.
3. Purge the system registry of Domaiq's persistence keys, specifically checking for rogue Browser Helper Objects (BHOs).
4. Clear all browser caches, cookies, and extension directories to ensure no residual tracking scripts remain active.

What to Avoid

Common mistakes during response to this family that can destroy evidence, spread the infection, or worsen recovery.

1. Do not click on any pop-ups or warnings generated by Domaiq, as these often lead to the installation of secondary, more severe malware.
2. Avoid manual registry editing unless conducted by an expert, as Domaiq often obfuscates its keys among critical Windows system entries.

References & External Analysis

• Microsoft Defender Security Intelligence - PUA:Win32/Domaiq
• Trend Micro Threat Encyclopedia - PUA.Win32.Domaiq
• Search "domaiq" on VirusTotal (External Analysis)
• Search "domaiq" on Any.Run (Sandbox Sandbox)
• Search "domaiq" on MalwareBazaar (Malware Samples)

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Threats (Category: Pua)

Explore other documented threats in the same operational category:

• Softonic
• Installcore
• Presenoker
• Vittalia
• Dnscleaner
• Downloadadmin
• Cloudguard
• Gamemodding

Machine-readable

Get this profile as JSON: https://malware-families-catalog.systemhelpdesk.com/api/domaiq.json

Ecosystem & Interactive Environments

This profile is part of the Malware Families Catalog, a public dataset of 2,899 malware families. The catalog is also published across our ecosystem: Hugging Face, Kaggle, Zenodo, Replit, StackBlitz, CodeSandbox, and CodePen.