Friday
2008-11-28, 18:18
The following instructions have been created to help you to get rid of "WinDefender" 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:
WinDefender is a rogue antispyware solution. Once executed it finds more than 30 threats but it only shows 5 names thereof. It produces annoying popups that urges the user to buy and register the application. Furthermore it changes the Internet Explorer startpage to a misleading "page cannot displayed"-site. It is related to Fraud.XPAntivirus.
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 "Launch WinDefender 2008.lnk" and pointing to "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\WDefDemo.exe".
Autorun:
Please use Spybot-S&D (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=spybotsd), RunAlyzer (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=runalyzer) or msconfig.exe to remove the following autorun entries.
Entries named "WinDefender 2008" and pointing to "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\WDefDemo.exe".
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 "WinDefender 2008".
Files:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these files.
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\data.dat".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\FwHookDrv.sys".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\HOSTS.hst".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\Manual.url".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\options.xml".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\reserve.dat".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\rules".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\Rules.txt".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\Support.url".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\svo.scf".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\temp".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\Uninstall.exe".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\vfile".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\WDefDemo.exe".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\Web.url".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If WinDefender uses rootkit technologies, use our RootAlyzer (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=8) or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=3).
You will have to use a global search for files without a name specified. Be extra careful, because just the name might not be enough to identify files!
Important: There are more files that cannot be safely described in simple words. Please use Spybot-S&D (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=spybotsd) to remove them.
Folders:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these folders.
The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008".
The directory at "<$COMMONSTARTMENU>\WinDefender 2008 Unregistered".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If WinDefender uses rootkit technologies, use our RootAlyzer (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=8) or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=3).
You will have to use a global search for files without a name specified. Be extra careful, because just the name might not be enough to identify folders!
Registry:
You can use regedit.exe (included in Windows) to locate and delete these registry entries.
Delete the registry key "WinDefender 2008" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\".
Delete the registry key "FwHookDrv" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\".
Delete the registry key "FwHookDrv" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet002\Services\".
Delete the registry key "FwHookDrv" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet003\Services\".
Delete the registry value "<$LOCALSETTINGS>\Temp\delwdef2008.bat" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce\".
If WinDefender 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).
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 (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=spybotsd) or RunAlyzer (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=runalyzer).
Please check your bookmarks for links to "dns-problem.com".
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:
WinDefender is a rogue antispyware solution. Once executed it finds more than 30 threats but it only shows 5 names thereof. It produces annoying popups that urges the user to buy and register the application. Furthermore it changes the Internet Explorer startpage to a misleading "page cannot displayed"-site. It is related to Fraud.XPAntivirus.
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 "Launch WinDefender 2008.lnk" and pointing to "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\WDefDemo.exe".
Autorun:
Please use Spybot-S&D (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=spybotsd), RunAlyzer (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=runalyzer) or msconfig.exe to remove the following autorun entries.
Entries named "WinDefender 2008" and pointing to "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\WDefDemo.exe".
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 "WinDefender 2008".
Files:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these files.
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\data.dat".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\FwHookDrv.sys".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\HOSTS.hst".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\Manual.url".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\options.xml".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\reserve.dat".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\rules".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\Rules.txt".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\Support.url".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\svo.scf".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\temp".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\Uninstall.exe".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\vfile".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\WDefDemo.exe".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008\Web.url".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If WinDefender uses rootkit technologies, use our RootAlyzer (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=8) or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=3).
You will have to use a global search for files without a name specified. Be extra careful, because just the name might not be enough to identify files!
Important: There are more files that cannot be safely described in simple words. Please use Spybot-S&D (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=spybotsd) to remove them.
Folders:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these folders.
The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WinDefender 2008".
The directory at "<$COMMONSTARTMENU>\WinDefender 2008 Unregistered".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If WinDefender uses rootkit technologies, use our RootAlyzer (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=8) or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=3).
You will have to use a global search for files without a name specified. Be extra careful, because just the name might not be enough to identify folders!
Registry:
You can use regedit.exe (included in Windows) to locate and delete these registry entries.
Delete the registry key "WinDefender 2008" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\".
Delete the registry key "FwHookDrv" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\".
Delete the registry key "FwHookDrv" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet002\Services\".
Delete the registry key "FwHookDrv" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet003\Services\".
Delete the registry value "<$LOCALSETTINGS>\Temp\delwdef2008.bat" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce\".
If WinDefender 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).
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 (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=spybotsd) or RunAlyzer (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=runalyzer).
Please check your bookmarks for links to "dns-problem.com".
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.