Friday
2008-11-30, 14:32
The following instructions have been created to help you to get rid of "WhenU.Search" 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
Description:
WhenU.Search installs a toolbar in the Internet Explorer. When it is installed it collects information about the user behaviour and tries to send it to a server. It displays a lot of advertisement and connects to a server every 63 seconds.
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 "WhenUSearch".
Entries named "VVSN" and pointing to "<$PROGRAMFILES>\VVSN\VVSN.exe".
Files:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these files.
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WhenUSearch\Search.exe".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WhenUSearch\whse.exe".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WhenUSearch\Uninst.exe".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WhenUSearch\search.cch".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WhenUSearch\search.db".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WhenUSearch\search.dll".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WhenUSearch\search.htm".
A file with an unknown location named "SearchdtInst.exe".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If WhenU.Search 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 "<$PROGRAMFILES>\VVSN".
The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\VVSN\URL1".
The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WhenUSearch".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If WhenU.Search 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.
A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "WUSE.1", plus associated values.
Delete the registry key "{763BD795-24AE-44d7-82D8-F9A1EE799729}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\".
Delete the registry key "WhenUSearch" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\".
If WhenU.Search 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
Description:
WhenU.Search installs a toolbar in the Internet Explorer. When it is installed it collects information about the user behaviour and tries to send it to a server. It displays a lot of advertisement and connects to a server every 63 seconds.
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 "WhenUSearch".
Entries named "VVSN" and pointing to "<$PROGRAMFILES>\VVSN\VVSN.exe".
Files:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these files.
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WhenUSearch\Search.exe".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WhenUSearch\whse.exe".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WhenUSearch\Uninst.exe".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WhenUSearch\search.cch".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WhenUSearch\search.db".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WhenUSearch\search.dll".
The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WhenUSearch\search.htm".
A file with an unknown location named "SearchdtInst.exe".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If WhenU.Search uses rootkit technologies, use our RootAlyzer (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=8) or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=3).
You will have to use a global search for files without a name specified. Be extra careful, because just the name might not be enough to identify files!
Folders:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these folders.
The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\VVSN".
The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\VVSN\URL1".
The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WhenUSearch".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If WhenU.Search 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.
A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "WUSE.1", plus associated values.
Delete the registry key "{763BD795-24AE-44d7-82D8-F9A1EE799729}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\".
Delete the registry key "WhenUSearch" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\".
If WhenU.Search 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.