Friday
2008-11-30, 00:01
The following instructions have been created to help you to get rid of "Message Mates" 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:
adware
spywaresuspicion
Description:
This product saves an identifier and keeps track of you like stated in the Privavy statement quoted above. A named feature on AdTools' website is: 'Comprehensive tracking'.
Supposed Functionality:
Desktop avatar
Privacy Statement:
We collect aggregate information about the number of AdTools' products downloaded and run, whether they are passed on, how the product is used, and which sites are visited as a result of interaction with the product.
Links (be careful!):
Website: http://www.adtoolsinc.com/
Product: http://www.adtoolsinc.com/product_suite/screenmates.htm
Privacy: http://www.adtoolsinc.com/documents/privacy/privacy.htm
Removal Instructions:
Files:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these files.
A file with an unknown location named "coolio.exe".
A file with an unknown location named "verizon.exe".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If Message Mates 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!
Registry:
You can use regedit.exe (included in Windows) to locate and delete these registry entries.
Delete the registry key "AdTools, Inc." at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\".
If Message Mates 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:
adware
spywaresuspicion
Description:
This product saves an identifier and keeps track of you like stated in the Privavy statement quoted above. A named feature on AdTools' website is: 'Comprehensive tracking'.
Supposed Functionality:
Desktop avatar
Privacy Statement:
We collect aggregate information about the number of AdTools' products downloaded and run, whether they are passed on, how the product is used, and which sites are visited as a result of interaction with the product.
Links (be careful!):
Website: http://www.adtoolsinc.com/
Product: http://www.adtoolsinc.com/product_suite/screenmates.htm
Privacy: http://www.adtoolsinc.com/documents/privacy/privacy.htm
Removal Instructions:
Files:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these files.
A file with an unknown location named "coolio.exe".
A file with an unknown location named "verizon.exe".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If Message Mates 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!
Registry:
You can use regedit.exe (included in Windows) to locate and delete these registry entries.
Delete the registry key "AdTools, Inc." at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\".
If Message Mates 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.