Friday
2008-11-28, 18:18
The following instructions have been created to help you to get rid of "AdsAlert" manually.
Use this guide at your own risk; software should usually be better suited to remove malware, since it is able to look deeper.
If this guide was helpful to you, please consider donating towards this site (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=donate).
Threat Details:
Categories:
malware
Description:
AdsAlert claims to be a antispyware solution and if it is installed on the computer, it finds some entrys as malware which are totally harmless. When the user tries to fix these problems he has to buy a licence and so the programs tries to frighten users by showing false positives.
Removal Instructions:
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 (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=spybotsd) or RunAlyzer (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=runalyzer) to locate and get rid of these entries.
Products that have a key or property named "PcPrivacySoftware.com - AdsAlert_is1".
Files:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these files.
The file at "<$COMMONPROGRAMS>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\AdsAlert.lnk".
The file at "<$COMMONPROGRAMS>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\Help - AdsAlert.lnk".
The file at "<$COMMONPROGRAMS>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\Order AdsAlert.lnk".
The file at "<$COMMONPROGRAMS>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\ReadMe - AdsAlert.lnk".
The file at "<$LOCALAPPDATA>\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\AdsAlert.lnk".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\adsalert.chm".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\adsalert.exe".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\license.txt".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\readme.txt".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\Include\Activity.log".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\Include\block.adf".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\Include\cookies.adf".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\Include\datafile.adf".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\Include\deep.adf".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\Include\desc.nfo".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\Include\internet.adf".
The file at "<$DESKTOP>\AdsAlert.lnk".
The file at "<$STARTMENU>\AdsAlert.lnk".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If AdsAlert uses rootkit technologies, use our RootAlyzer (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=8) or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=3).
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 (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=spybotsd) to remove them.
Folders:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these folders.
The directory at "<$COMMONPROGRAMS>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert".
The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\PcPrivacySoftware.com".
The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert".
The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\Include".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If AdsAlert uses rootkit technologies, use our RootAlyzer (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=8) or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=3).
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!
Registry:
You can use regedit.exe (included in Windows) to locate and delete these registry entries.
Delete the registry key "RunDis" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\".
Delete the registry key "AdsAlert" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\PCPrivacySoftware\".
Delete the registry key "Settings" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\PCPrivacySoftware\AdsAlert\".
Delete the registry key "RunDis" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\".
If AdsAlert uses rootkit technologies, use our RegAlyzer (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=regalyzer), RootAlyzer (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=8) or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=3).
Final Words:
If neither Spybot-S&D nor self help did resolve the issue or you would prefer one on one help,
Please read these instructions (http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=288) before requesting assistance,
Then start your own thread in the Malware Removal Forum (http://forums.spybot.info/forumdisplay.php?f=22) where a volunteer analyst will advise you as soon as available.
Use this guide at your own risk; software should usually be better suited to remove malware, since it is able to look deeper.
If this guide was helpful to you, please consider donating towards this site (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=donate).
Threat Details:
Categories:
malware
Description:
AdsAlert claims to be a antispyware solution and if it is installed on the computer, it finds some entrys as malware which are totally harmless. When the user tries to fix these problems he has to buy a licence and so the programs tries to frighten users by showing false positives.
Removal Instructions:
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 (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=spybotsd) or RunAlyzer (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=runalyzer) to locate and get rid of these entries.
Products that have a key or property named "PcPrivacySoftware.com - AdsAlert_is1".
Files:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these files.
The file at "<$COMMONPROGRAMS>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\AdsAlert.lnk".
The file at "<$COMMONPROGRAMS>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\Help - AdsAlert.lnk".
The file at "<$COMMONPROGRAMS>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\Order AdsAlert.lnk".
The file at "<$COMMONPROGRAMS>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\ReadMe - AdsAlert.lnk".
The file at "<$LOCALAPPDATA>\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\AdsAlert.lnk".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\adsalert.chm".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\adsalert.exe".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\license.txt".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\readme.txt".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\Include\Activity.log".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\Include\block.adf".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\Include\cookies.adf".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\Include\datafile.adf".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\Include\deep.adf".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\Include\desc.nfo".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\Include\internet.adf".
The file at "<$DESKTOP>\AdsAlert.lnk".
The file at "<$STARTMENU>\AdsAlert.lnk".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If AdsAlert uses rootkit technologies, use our RootAlyzer (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=8) or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=3).
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 (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=spybotsd) to remove them.
Folders:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these folders.
The directory at "<$COMMONPROGRAMS>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert".
The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\PcPrivacySoftware.com".
The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert".
The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\PcPrivacySoftware.com\AdsAlert\Include".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If AdsAlert uses rootkit technologies, use our RootAlyzer (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=8) or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=3).
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!
Registry:
You can use regedit.exe (included in Windows) to locate and delete these registry entries.
Delete the registry key "RunDis" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\".
Delete the registry key "AdsAlert" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\PCPrivacySoftware\".
Delete the registry key "Settings" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\PCPrivacySoftware\AdsAlert\".
Delete the registry key "RunDis" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\".
If AdsAlert uses rootkit technologies, use our RegAlyzer (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=regalyzer), RootAlyzer (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=8) or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=3).
Final Words:
If neither Spybot-S&D nor self help did resolve the issue or you would prefer one on one help,
Please read these instructions (http://forums.spybot.info/showthread.php?t=288) before requesting assistance,
Then start your own thread in the Malware Removal Forum (http://forums.spybot.info/forumdisplay.php?f=22) where a volunteer analyst will advise you as soon as available.