Manual Removal Guide for AV-Gold

The following instructions have been created to help you to get rid of "AV-Gold" manually.
Use this guide at your own risk; software should usually be better suited to remove malware, since it is able to look deeper.

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Threat Details:

Categories:

• malware

Description:

As soon as the system is infected with AV-Gold, a red symbol and a balloon come up next to the system clock asking the user to scan his computer for viruses. Clicking on this symbol leads to a dubious web site offering a "free scan". After downloading the program it finds alleged viruses (hookdump) which get installed by AV-Gold and asks the user to remove those. Of course, this is only possible after purchasing the program for $20.

Supposed Functionality:

AV Gold claims to be a virus scanner.

Removal Instructions:

Desktop:

Please remove the following files from your desktop.
To check where they are pointing to, right-click them and choose "Properties" from the context menu appearing.

• Shortcuts named "AntivirusGold.lnk" and pointing to "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGold\AntivirusGold.exe".
• Shortcuts named "AntivirusGold.lnk" and pointing to "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGold\AntivirusGold.exe".
• Shortcuts named "AntivirusGold.lnk" and pointing to "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGold\AntivirusGold.exe".

Start Menu:

Please remove the following items from your start menu.
To check where they are pointing to, right-click them and choose "Properties" from the context menu appearing.

• Items named "AntivirusGold 2.0.lnk" and pointing to "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGold\AntivirusGold.exe".
• Items named "AntivirusGold 2.0.lnk" and pointing to "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGold\AntivirusGold.exe".
• Items named "AntivirusGold 2.0.lnk" and pointing to "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGold\AntivirusGold.exe".

Quicklaunch area:

Please remove the following items from your start quick launch area text to the "Start" button in the taskbar at the bottom.
To check where they are pointing to, right-click them and choose "Properties" from the context menu appearing.

• Quicklaunch symbols named "AntivirusGold.lnk" and pointing to "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGold\AntivirusGold.exe".
• Quicklaunch symbols named "AntivirusGold 2.0.lnk" and pointing to "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGold\AntivirusGold.exe".

Important: There are more quicklaunch items that cannot be safely described in simple words. Please use Spybot-S&D to remove them.

Autorun:

Please use Spybot-S&D, RunAlyzer or msconfig.exe to remove the following autorun entries.

• Entries named "Intel system tool" and pointing to "<$SYSDIR>\hookdump.exe".
• Entries named "AntivirusGold".
• Entries named "Intel system tool" and pointing to "<$SYSDIR>\hookdump.exe".
• Entries named "Intel system tool" and pointing to "<$SYSDIR>\hookdump.exe".
• Entries named "AntivirusGold" and pointing to "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGold\AntivirusGold.exe /h".
• Entries named "Intel system tool" and pointing to "<$SYSDIR>\hookdump.exe".
• Entries named "AntivirusGold" and pointing to "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGold\AntivirusGold.exe /h".
• Entries named "Intel system tool" and pointing to "<$SYSDIR>\winnook.exe".

Important: There are more autorun entries that cannot be safely described in simple words. Please use Spybot-S&D to remove them.

Installed Software List:

You can try to uninstall products with the names listed below; for items identified by other properties or to avoid malware getting active again on uninstallation, use Spybot-S&D or RunAlyzer to locate and get rid of these entries.

• Products that have a key or property named "Antivirus-Golden".
• Products that have a key or property named "AntivirusGolden".
• Products that have a key or property named "Antivirus Golden".
• Products that have a key or property named "Antivirus-Gold".
• Products that have a key or property named "Antivirus Gold".
• Products that have a key or property named "AntivirusGold".

Files:

Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these files.

• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus-Golden\Antivirus-Golden.exe".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus-Golden\Antivirus-Golden.url".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus-Golden\db.dat".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus-Golden\DbgHelp.Dll".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus-Golden\generalConfig.xml".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus-Golden\monitorConfig.xml".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus-Golden\scannerConfig.xml".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus-Golden\usageStats.xml".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGolden\AntivirusGolden.exe".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGolden\AntivirusGolden.url".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGolden\db.dat".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGolden\DbgHelp.Dll".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGolden\generalConfig.xml".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGolden\monitorConfig.xml".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGolden\scannerConfig.xml".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGolden\usageStats.xml".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus Golden\Antivirus Golden.exe".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus Golden\Antivirus Golden.url".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus Golden\db.dat".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus Golden\DbgHelp.Dll".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus Golden\generalConfig.xml".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus Golden\monitorConfig.xml".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus Golden\scannerConfig.xml".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus Golden\usageStats.xml".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus-Gold\Antivirus-Gold.exe".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus-Gold\Antivirus-Gold.url".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus-Gold\db.dat".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus-Gold\DbgHelp.Dll".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus-Gold\generalConfig.xml".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus-Gold\monitorConfig.xml".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus-Gold\scannerConfig.xml".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus-Gold\usageStats.xml".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGold\AntivirusGold.exe".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGold\AntivirusGold.url".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGold\db.dat".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGold\DbgHelp.Dll".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGold\generalConfig.xml".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGold\monitorConfig.xml".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGold\scannerConfig.xml".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGold\usageStats.xml".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus Gold\Antivirus Gold.exe".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus Gold\Antivirus Gold.url".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus Gold\db.dat".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus Gold\DbgHelp.Dll".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus Gold\generalConfig.xml".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus Gold\monitorConfig.xml".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus Gold\scannerConfig.xml".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus Gold\usageStats.xml".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus-Golden\Lang\English.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGolden\Lang\English.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus Golden\Lang\English.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus-Gold\Lang\English.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGold\Lang\English.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus Gold\Lang\English.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus-Golden\Logs\scan_log_11282006-093511.html".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGolden\Logs\scan_log_11282006-093511.html".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus Golden\Logs\scan_log_11282006-093511.html".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus-Gold\Logs\scan_log_11282006-093511.html".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGold\Logs\scan_log_11282006-093511.html".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Antivirus Gold\Logs\scan_log_11282006-093511.html".
• The file at "<$DESKTOP>\Antivirus-Golden.lnk".
• The file at "<$DESKTOP>\AntivirusGolden.lnk".
• The file at "<$DESKTOP>\Antivirus Golden.lnk".
• The file at "<$DESKTOP>\Antivirus-Gold.lnk".
• The file at "<$DESKTOP>\AntivirusGold.lnk".
• The file at "<$DESKTOP>\Antivirus Gold.lnk".
• The file at "<$SYSDIR>\hookdump.exe".
• The file at "<$WINDIR>\screen.html".
• The file at "<$LOCALSETTINGS>\Temp\AGLanguage.ini".
• The file at "<$SYSDIR>\hookdump.exe".
• The file at "<$SYSDIR>\hookdump.exe".
• A file with an unknown location named "hookdump.exe".
• The file at "<$LOCALSETTINGS>\Temp\AGLanguage.ini".
• The file at "<$LOCALSETTINGS>\Temp\AntivirusGold 2.0 Installer.exe".
• The file at "<$WINDIR>\screen.html".
• The file at "<$SYSDIR>\hookdump.exe".
• The file at "<$SYSDIR>\winnook.exe".
• A file with an unknown location named "avg_setup.exe".
• A file with an unknown location named "dd3.exe".
• A file with an unknown location named "winnook.exe".

Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If AV-Gold uses rootkit technologies, use our RootAlyzer or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins.
You will have to use a global search for files without a name specified. Be extra careful, because just the name might not be enough to identify files!

Important: There are more files that cannot be safely described in simple words. Please use Spybot-S&D to remove them.

Folders:

Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these folders.

• The directory at "<$PROGRAMS>\AntivirusGold".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AntivirusGold".

Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If AV-Gold uses rootkit technologies, use our RootAlyzer or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins.
You will have to use a global search for files without a name specified. Be extra careful, because just the name might not be enough to identify folders!

Important: There are more files that cannot be safely described in simple words. Please use Spybot-S&D to remove them.

Registry:

You can use regedit.exe (included in Windows) to locate and delete these registry entries.

• Delete the registry key "{17152BD5-4212-FEB6-BA05-A53571CF99F2}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\".
• Delete the registry key "{60F94D7D-563E-4942-B5EC-2DE9C135C139}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\".
• Delete the registry key "{715D709B-2B10-42FA-A069-297D25D93601}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\".
• Delete the registry key "{3F6D6C35-FB73-45E6-9473-BB4CC25CE019}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\".
• Delete the registry key "{886B1D08-B404-40F0-AA18-4E416682A2E9}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\".
• Delete the registry key "{8B5F65CF-0B0A-4291-8DA2-86D7F7B0A6DB}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\".
• Delete the registry key "{925B0211-A1C1-4712-8FCA-5F5B8101736D}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\".
• Delete the registry key "{B01E37C4-5497-4D58-9FFD-D5653B8DC866}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\".
• Delete the registry key "{CCAA201C-C48D-48A8-A1E8-846562CBF1C1}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\".
• Delete the registry key "{D483521B-D5CC-43FF-A45A-9BE4A8E6606E}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\".
• Delete the registry key "{ED2AFF47-B7BE-4273-A203-C796E87F72D2}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\".
• Delete the registry key "{F0FA7ED9-5A0A-4374-B63E-BEBAFD52192E}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\".
• Delete the registry key "{F5DEE77C-87EB-4E00-BBF9-8CBF3BDEA7AF}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\".
• Delete the registry key "{FB5DDAB7-6AA5-4E97-9541-5A75ADDF4ABA}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\".
• Delete the registry key "{FDDF521B-0EBE-4D15-838C-73E2D851161B}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\".
• Delete the registry key "{FF609434-EB47-481B-BA0E-1D2B467629A5}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\".
• Delete the registry key "Cerberus.EXE" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AppID\".
• Delete the registry key "AntivirusGold" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\".
• Delete the registry key "AntivirusGold.exe" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\".
• Delete the registry key "{020B1227-417D-4682-9AC3-61F43CB5B6B1}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\".
• Delete the registry key "{125494B2-ACAD-414c-98B9-452F3EF7703A}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\".
• Delete the registry key "{20A3D913-30EF-4e69-B3F7-93B3F1FB9D5C}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\".
• Delete the registry key "{3D00A39C-655B-428b-AEB2-2FBA03DCC49C}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\".
• Delete the registry key "{408F660A-9465-44a3-B557-8709DFD992BC}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\".
• Delete the registry key "{5F6BBD8A-18CF-4d55-8B4C-C9B4C9328DFE}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\".
• Delete the registry key "{8C56B6CE-C53F-44c4-9BDC-A9BC1711D05A}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\".
• Delete the registry key "{8EE6BF73-B370-4d13-9126-EB0071178F2E}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\".
• Delete the registry key "{97F56E12-C706-4aeb-9FFB-133C05EE5D38}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\".
• Delete the registry key "{9BB7E700-4E48-476d-B75C-6F47606BE988}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\".
• Delete the registry key "{9CB478A2-CA39-0CFD-EFAC-DB80710601D3}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\".
• Delete the registry key "{CBCACA58-1AEE-4600-8CF0-E8B30BFF1535}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\".
• Delete the registry key "{D6D64CDF-0363-4261-B723-29A3AF365E1D}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\".
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Cerberus.EngineListener", plus associated values.
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Cerberus.EngineListener.1", plus associated values.
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Cerberus.Scanner", plus associated values.
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Cerberus.Scanner.1", plus associated values.
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Cerberus.ThreatCollection", plus associated values.
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Cerberus.ThreatCollection.1", plus associated values.
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Engine.Backup", plus associated values.
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Engine.Backup.1", plus associated values.
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Engine.IgnoreList", plus associated values.
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Engine.IgnoreList.1", plus associated values.
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Engine.Log", plus associated values.
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Engine.Log.1", plus associated values.
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Engine.LogRecord", plus associated values.
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Engine.LogRecord.1", plus associated values.
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Engine.Paths", plus associated values.
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Engine.Paths.1", plus associated values.
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Engine.Quarantine", plus associated values.
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Engine.Quarantine.1", plus associated values.
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Engine.RunAs", plus associated values.
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Engine.RunAs.1", plus associated values.
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Engine.SearchItem", plus associated values.
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Engine.SearchItem.1", plus associated values.
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Engine.Threat", plus associated values.
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Engine.Threat.1", plus associated values.

If AV-Gold uses rootkit technologies, use our RegAlyzer, RootAlyzer or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins.

There are more registry entries that cannot be safely described in simple words. Please use Spybot-S&D to remove them.

Final Words:

If neither Spybot-S&D nor self help did resolve the issue or you would prefer one on one help,

1. Please read these instructions before requesting assistance,
2. Then start your own thread in the Malware Removal Forum where a volunteer analyst will advise you as soon as available.