Friday
2008-11-29, 22:39
The following instructions have been created to help you to get rid of "Windows AdTools" 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:
trojan
Description:
Tries to spy on the user while pretending to be a legit windows tool. Installs a browser helper object (BHO), creates many registry entries and runs without user consent.
Removal Instructions:
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 "Windows AdTools" and pointing to "*\WinAdTools.exe".
Important: There are more autorun entries 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.
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 "Windows AdControl".
Products that have a key or property named "Windows AdService".
Products that have a key or property named "Windows AdTools".
Files:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these files.
The file at "<$SYSDIR>\ClientCom.dll".
The file at "<$SYSDIR>\ide21201.vxd".
A file with an unknown location named "WinRatchet.exe".
A file with an unknown location named "WinAdTools.exe".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If Windows AdTools 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.
Registry:
You can use regedit.exe (included in Windows) to locate and delete these registry entries.
Delete the registry key "Windows AdControl" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\".
Delete the registry key "{F007E221-018D-4BAF-924A-B0E9092F3853}" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats\".
Delete the registry key "{"2B92C153-5181-4b84-9424-BF5DDDE30749"}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AppID\".
Delete the registry key "WinStat11.DLL" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AppID\".
A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "BHO.BHOSO", plus associated values.
A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "BHO.BHOSO.1", plus associated values.
Delete the registry key "{F007E221-018D-4baf-924A-B0E9092F3853}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\".
Delete the registry key "{2B92C153-5181-4B84-9424-BF5DDDE30749}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\".
Delete the registry key "{CAD7F531-AC5B-461F-8148-BC202152F243}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\".
A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "WinAdCtlX.Installer", plus associated values.
A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "WinadX.Installer", plus associated values.
Delete the registry key "{F007E221-018D-4baf-924A-B0E9092F3853}" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\".
Delete the registry key "Windows AdStatus" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\".
Delete the registry key "Windows AdTools" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\".
Delete the registry key "WinStat" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\".
If Windows AdTools 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:
trojan
Description:
Tries to spy on the user while pretending to be a legit windows tool. Installs a browser helper object (BHO), creates many registry entries and runs without user consent.
Removal Instructions:
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 "Windows AdTools" and pointing to "*\WinAdTools.exe".
Important: There are more autorun entries 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.
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 "Windows AdControl".
Products that have a key or property named "Windows AdService".
Products that have a key or property named "Windows AdTools".
Files:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these files.
The file at "<$SYSDIR>\ClientCom.dll".
The file at "<$SYSDIR>\ide21201.vxd".
A file with an unknown location named "WinRatchet.exe".
A file with an unknown location named "WinAdTools.exe".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If Windows AdTools 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.
Registry:
You can use regedit.exe (included in Windows) to locate and delete these registry entries.
Delete the registry key "Windows AdControl" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\".
Delete the registry key "{F007E221-018D-4BAF-924A-B0E9092F3853}" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats\".
Delete the registry key "{"2B92C153-5181-4b84-9424-BF5DDDE30749"}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AppID\".
Delete the registry key "WinStat11.DLL" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AppID\".
A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "BHO.BHOSO", plus associated values.
A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "BHO.BHOSO.1", plus associated values.
Delete the registry key "{F007E221-018D-4baf-924A-B0E9092F3853}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\".
Delete the registry key "{2B92C153-5181-4B84-9424-BF5DDDE30749}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\".
Delete the registry key "{CAD7F531-AC5B-461F-8148-BC202152F243}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\".
A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "WinAdCtlX.Installer", plus associated values.
A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "WinadX.Installer", plus associated values.
Delete the registry key "{F007E221-018D-4baf-924A-B0E9092F3853}" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\".
Delete the registry key "Windows AdStatus" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\".
Delete the registry key "Windows AdTools" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\".
Delete the registry key "WinStat" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\".
If Windows AdTools 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.