Friday
2008-11-28, 18:34
The following instructions have been created to help you to get rid of "FakeBill.CourtCologne" 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:
FakeBill.CourtCologne gets distributed via spam emails, stating that a huge bill has to be paid to the local court of cologne. If the user tries to take a closer look at the attached zip file he executes a link file which will install a disguised .exe file which creates an entry in the registry leading to an error during startup. The explorer.exe will no longer be executed during the startup process leaving the infected Windows not functional. In order to fix this you may use a BartPE CD or visit us at our forums http://forums.spybot.info for more detailed step by step instructions.
Removal Instructions:
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 "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Microsoft Common".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If FakeBill.CourtCologne 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 "explorer.exe" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\".
If FakeBill.CourtCologne 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:
FakeBill.CourtCologne gets distributed via spam emails, stating that a huge bill has to be paid to the local court of cologne. If the user tries to take a closer look at the attached zip file he executes a link file which will install a disguised .exe file which creates an entry in the registry leading to an error during startup. The explorer.exe will no longer be executed during the startup process leaving the infected Windows not functional. In order to fix this you may use a BartPE CD or visit us at our forums http://forums.spybot.info for more detailed step by step instructions.
Removal Instructions:
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 "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Microsoft Common".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If FakeBill.CourtCologne 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 "explorer.exe" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\".
If FakeBill.CourtCologne 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.