Friday
2008-11-28, 18:19
The following instructions have been created to help you to get rid of "XPSecurityCenter" 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:
XPSecurityCenter finds threats where there are none. It is a typical rogue antispy program which forces the user to register and buy the full version/the fix for non existing threats.
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 "XPSecurityCenter.lnk" and pointing to "<$PROGRAMFILES>\XPSecurityCenter\*.exe".
Start Menu:
Please remove the following items from your start menu.
To check where they are pointing to, right-click them and choose "Properties" from the context menu appearing.
Items named "Uninstall.lnk" and pointing to ""<$PROGRAMFILES>\XPSecurityCenter\*.exe"*".
Items named "XPSecurityCenter.lnk" and pointing to "<$PROGRAMFILES>\XPSecurityCenter\*.exe".
Autorun:
Please use Spybot-S&D (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=spybotsd), RunAlyzer (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=runalyzer) or msconfig.exe to remove the following autorun entries.
Entries named "XP SecurityCenter" and pointing to "*\XPSecurityCenter.exe*".
Files:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these files.
The file at "<$SYSDIR>\_scui.cpl".
The file at "<$SYSDIR>\winstra1.exe".
The file at "<$SYSDIR>\winstra2.exe".
The file at "<$COMMONDESKTOP>\XPSecurityCenter.lnk".
The file at "<$SYSDIR>\XP_SecurityCenter.cfg".
The file at "<$WINDIR>\XP_SecurityCenter.cfg".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\XP_SecurityCenter.cfg".
The file at "<$PROFILE>\XP_SecurityCenter.cfg".
The file at "<$SYSDIR>\XPSecurityCenter.dll".
The file at "<$WINDIR>\XPSecurityCenter.dll".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\XPSecurityCenter.dll".
The file at "<$PROFILE>\XPSecurityCenter.dll".
The file at "<$SYSDIR>\XPSecurityCenter.exe".
The file at "<$WINDIR>\XPSecurityCenter.exe".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\XPSecurityCenter.exe".
The file at "<$PROFILE>\XPSecurityCenter.exe".
The file at "<$SYSDIR>\winivstr.exe".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\XPSecurityCenter\data\daily.cvd".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\XPSecurityCenter\htmlayout.dll".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\XPSecurityCenter\pthreadVC2.dll".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\XPSecurityCenter\un.ico".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\XPSecurityCenter\XP_SecurityCenter.cfg".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\XPSecurityCenter\XPSecurityCenter.dll".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If XPSecurityCenter 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 "<$PROGRAMS>\XPSecurityCenter".
The directory at "<$COMMONPROGRAMS>\XPSecurityCenter".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If XPSecurityCenter 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 "XP_SecurityCenter" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\".
If XPSecurityCenter 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:
XPSecurityCenter finds threats where there are none. It is a typical rogue antispy program which forces the user to register and buy the full version/the fix for non existing threats.
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 "XPSecurityCenter.lnk" and pointing to "<$PROGRAMFILES>\XPSecurityCenter\*.exe".
Start Menu:
Please remove the following items from your start menu.
To check where they are pointing to, right-click them and choose "Properties" from the context menu appearing.
Items named "Uninstall.lnk" and pointing to ""<$PROGRAMFILES>\XPSecurityCenter\*.exe"*".
Items named "XPSecurityCenter.lnk" and pointing to "<$PROGRAMFILES>\XPSecurityCenter\*.exe".
Autorun:
Please use Spybot-S&D (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=spybotsd), RunAlyzer (http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=runalyzer) or msconfig.exe to remove the following autorun entries.
Entries named "XP SecurityCenter" and pointing to "*\XPSecurityCenter.exe*".
Files:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these files.
The file at "<$SYSDIR>\_scui.cpl".
The file at "<$SYSDIR>\winstra1.exe".
The file at "<$SYSDIR>\winstra2.exe".
The file at "<$COMMONDESKTOP>\XPSecurityCenter.lnk".
The file at "<$SYSDIR>\XP_SecurityCenter.cfg".
The file at "<$WINDIR>\XP_SecurityCenter.cfg".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\XP_SecurityCenter.cfg".
The file at "<$PROFILE>\XP_SecurityCenter.cfg".
The file at "<$SYSDIR>\XPSecurityCenter.dll".
The file at "<$WINDIR>\XPSecurityCenter.dll".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\XPSecurityCenter.dll".
The file at "<$PROFILE>\XPSecurityCenter.dll".
The file at "<$SYSDIR>\XPSecurityCenter.exe".
The file at "<$WINDIR>\XPSecurityCenter.exe".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\XPSecurityCenter.exe".
The file at "<$PROFILE>\XPSecurityCenter.exe".
The file at "<$SYSDIR>\winivstr.exe".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\XPSecurityCenter\data\daily.cvd".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\XPSecurityCenter\htmlayout.dll".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\XPSecurityCenter\pthreadVC2.dll".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\XPSecurityCenter\un.ico".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\XPSecurityCenter\XP_SecurityCenter.cfg".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\XPSecurityCenter\XPSecurityCenter.dll".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If XPSecurityCenter 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 "<$PROGRAMS>\XPSecurityCenter".
The directory at "<$COMMONPROGRAMS>\XPSecurityCenter".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If XPSecurityCenter 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 "XP_SecurityCenter" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\".
If XPSecurityCenter 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.