installCore

installCore is an installation and content distribution platform, including a software development kit (SDK) for Windows and Mac OS X.[1] The program allows those using it for distribution to include monetization by advertisements, charging for installation, etc.. The platform and programs using it have been rated potentially unwanted program (PUP) or potentially unwanted application (PUA) by anti-malware product vendors [2] and Windows Defender Antivirus [3] in 2014-2015. The platform was primarily designed for efficient web based deployment of various type of application software. As of August 2012 installCore was managing 100 million installations every month,[4] offering services for paid, unpaid and free software (using the SDK version).[5] installCore is a product of ironSource which is headquartered in Tel Aviv with offices in San Francisco, CA in the United States and Beijing, China,[6]

InstallCore
Founded2010
Websitewww.installcore.com

History

The installCore team introduced the first version of the SDK at the beginning of 2011 [7] the SDK was a fork of the FoxTab installer and had only basic Installation features. The first version only include 3 files - system.js, application.js and packages.js which support over the web software packages delivery and basic system modifications. The second version introduced debug capabilities, support for the different windows versions and web forms support; it also enabled integration of JQuery and CSS 2.1 for better UI design

Features

installCore development platform provides a software development kit (SDK) based on JavaScript and HTML/HTML 5.0. Installation project can be compiled into a windows executable file and used for the software installation and distribution. The platform supports the following features:[8]

  • Small stub (347 KB)
  • JavaScript based
  • Multilingual (Chinese and RTL languages are supported from version 3.1)
  • LZMA compression
  • Integrated download accelerator for remote files
  • Content delivery network (CDN), hosting files for download
  • Reporting and business intelligence module

Criticism and Malware Classification

installCore and software packages relying on it have been classified as potentially unwanted program (PUP) or potentially unwanted application (PUA), by anti-malware product vendors [9] and Windows Defender Antivirus [10] in 2014-2015. It has been described as crossing "the line into full-blown malware" and a "nasty Trojan" [11].

JavaScript and HTML based user interface

Version 2.1 introduced a fully customizable design interface based on HTML, CSS and a JavaScript SDK.

<head>
	<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=utf-8" />
	<!-- sdk - include here the minimum required scripts -->
	<script type="text/javascript" src="sdk/debug.js"></script>
	<script type="text/javascript" src="sdk/form.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
	<div id="irsoForm" irsoTransition="fade" irsoWidth="620" irsoHeight="380" 
	irsoBorderStyle="bsNone" irsoStayOnTop="true">
	
	<div id="main">
		<div id="topPanel" class="irsoDragHandle">
			<div id="closeIcon" onclick="closeWindow()"></div>
			<div id="TOP_TITLE" class="irsoDragHandle" style="display:none"></div>
			<div id="logo" class="irsoDragHandle">Hello World!</div>
		</div>
	</div>
</body>

Since installCore version 4.10 the SDK integrated 12 fully pre-designed templates and a customization tool to create a WYSIWYG design.

Monetization features

The program has features supporting generation of revenue for users by advertising, charging for program installation, etc.

  • Full Windows API support, including full file system and registry access, loading and execution of dynamic link libraries and executing files.
  • Ad server technology, named FlowAutomator, to support optional 3rd party products during installations
  • Client side profiling algorithms, including data of previous downloads.
  • Full Html UI support including JQuery, Zepto.js and CSS 4.0
  • Optional Pay-per-install (PPI) monetization component

Compiler make script

The installCore compiler program HtmlUiMaker uses a make script , such as the following example, in order to compile a JavaScript and HTML skin into executable installation programs.

; Example Make script - Set Parameters
[APP_MAKER]
; App_Maker parameters used to create output EXE file
SKIN="\skin"
; Set installer icon
APP_ICON="\resources\installer.ico"  
RAW_EXE=Setup32.exe
COMPRESS=1
OUT_EXE=\release\%EXE_CODE%Setup_v%VI_FILE_VER%.exe

Generated installer

The generated installer is a Portable Executable which contains the installation script. The installer can be configured to function as full installer or a bootstrap installer. As the installation script is compiled, it cannot be obtained from the delivered executable without reverse-engineering the binary.

Multilingual support

As of version 3.1 of the official release installCore fully support both Unicode and RTL but depended on Windows 2000 with SP 4 as minimum requirement to accurately present the UI.[12]

gollark: Did you know? osmarkscalculator™ now simplifies `x+y+4+5` to `x+y+9`.
gollark: Cool people run the "edge" version of Alpine with "testing" repositories.
gollark: No idea, then.
gollark: Oh, okay.
gollark: `apk add [bee apioids]`

See also

References
  1. "ironSource's installCore launches Mac OS installer to offer comprehensive, cross-platform solution for developers". Software Developer Times. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  2. Detailed Threat Analysis - Sophos, 8 Dec 2014
  3. PUA:Win32/InstallCore - Windows, Mar 11 2015
  4. installCore hits new high with 100 million monthly installs
  5. "installCore Introduces Super Targeting for Freemium-Model Desktop Applications". PRWeb. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  6. Xiang, Tracey (Jun 6, 2014). "Israeli Application Distribution Service ironSource Set up Office in China to Help the Chinese Go Global". technode.
  7. InstallCore SDK documentation
  8. installCore Features
  9. Detailed Threat Analysis - Sophos, 8 Dec 2014
  10. PUA:Win32/InstallCore - Windows, Mar 11 2015
  11. Mac Adware Trojan Can Install Anything on OS X
  12. List of languages supported in Windows 2000
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