Manual Removal Guide for CoolWWWSearch.hjg

The following instructions have been created to help you to get rid of "CoolWWWSearch.hjg" 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:

• trojan

Description:

CoolWWWSearch.hjg copies an executable file disguised as a folder into root and System directories, disables Windows sytem restore, RegEdit and TaskManager without giving the user a possibility to cancel that process.
Also sets a faked Google-site as startpage in InternetExplorer.

Supposed Functionality:

supposed to be google search site

Removal Instructions:

Autorun:

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

• Entries named "Task Manager" and pointing to "<$WINDIR>\svhost32.exe".

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

Files:

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

• The file at "<$SYSDIR>\autorun.ini".
• The file at "<$WINDIR>\svhost32.exe".
• The file at "<$LOCALSETTINGS>\Temp\svhost32.exe".
• The file at "<$SYSDRIVE>\New Folder.exe".
• The file at "c:\New Folder.exe".
• The file at "<$WINDIR>\system\lsass.exe".

Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If CoolWWWSearch.hjg 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.

Registry:

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

• Remove "SCVHOST.exe" from registry value "Shell" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\".
• Remove "<$WINDIR>\system\lsass.exe" from registry value "Shell" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\".
• Remove "<$WINDIR>\system\lsass.exe" from registry value "Userinit" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\".
• Remove "http://unitedreporters.org/" from registry value "content url" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Yahoo\pager\View\YMSGR_buzz\".
• Remove "http://unitedreporters.org/" from registry value "content url" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Yahoo\pager\View\YMSGR_Launchcast\".

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

Browser:

The following browser plugins or items can either be removed directly in your browser, or through the help of e.g. Spybot-S&D or RunAlyzer.

• Please check your bookmarks for links to "uklotttery.us".
• Please check your bookmarks for links to "zinblog.com".
• Please check your bookmarks for links to "eyejuice.net".
• Please check your bookmarks for links to "unitedreporters.org".

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.