Friday
2008-11-28, 17:59
The following instructions have been created to help you to get rid of "SearchFast" 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:
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 "Search Fast".
Files:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these files.
The file at "<$WINDIR>\sites.dat".
The file at "<$WINDIR>\srchfst.dll".
The file at "<$WINDIR>\srchfstu.exe".
The file at "<$WINDIR>\srchupdt.exe".
A file with an unknown location named "searchfast.exe".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If SearchFast 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!
Folders:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these folders.
The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Search Fast".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If SearchFast 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 "searchfst" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\".
Delete the registry key "{000277A3-7D84-406a-9799-D12A81594693}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\".
A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Srchfst.Band", plus associated values.
A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Srchfst.Band.1", plus associated values.
Delete the registry key "{DC625A36-EF37-4F87-B8B3-C7F423D7763B}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\".
Delete the registry key "{000277A3-7D84-406a-9799-D12A81594693}" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\".
Delete the registry value "{000277A3-7D84-406a-9799-D12A81594693}" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar\".
References to the file "srchfstu.exe" at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SharedDlls\.
References to the file "srchupdt.exe" at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SharedDlls\.
If SearchFast 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:
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 "Search Fast".
Files:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these files.
The file at "<$WINDIR>\sites.dat".
The file at "<$WINDIR>\srchfst.dll".
The file at "<$WINDIR>\srchfstu.exe".
The file at "<$WINDIR>\srchupdt.exe".
A file with an unknown location named "searchfast.exe".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If SearchFast uses rootkit technologies, use our RootAlyzer (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=8) or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=3).
You will have to use a global search for files without a name specified. Be extra careful, because just the name might not be enough to identify files!
Folders:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these folders.
The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Search Fast".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If SearchFast 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 "searchfst" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\".
Delete the registry key "{000277A3-7D84-406a-9799-D12A81594693}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\".
A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Srchfst.Band", plus associated values.
A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Srchfst.Band.1", plus associated values.
Delete the registry key "{DC625A36-EF37-4F87-B8B3-C7F423D7763B}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\".
Delete the registry key "{000277A3-7D84-406a-9799-D12A81594693}" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\".
Delete the registry value "{000277A3-7D84-406a-9799-D12A81594693}" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar\".
References to the file "srchfstu.exe" at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SharedDlls\.
References to the file "srchupdt.exe" at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SharedDlls\.
If SearchFast 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.