Friday
2008-11-30, 14:37
The following instructions have been created to help you to get rid of "Winvestigator" 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:
keylogger
Supposed Functionality:
Monitors keystrokes, application, internet activity, makes screenshots.
Links (be careful!):
Website: http://www.tropsoft.com/
Product: http://www.tropsoft.com/winvestigator/
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 that include "\Wv.exe" in the target they point to.
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.
Groups named "Winvestigator".
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 pointing to "loaddll.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 "Winvestigator".
Files:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these files.
The file at "<$WINDIR>\GEREVNIW.DRU".
The file at "<$WINDIR>\sysninit.dll".
The file at "<$WINDIR>\syswvh.dll".
The file at "<$WINDIR>\syswvl".
The file at "<$WINDIR>\syswvll".
The file at "<$WINDIR>\syswvnt.dll".
The file at "<$WINDIR>\syswvwin.dll".
A file with an unknown location named "winvestigator.exe".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If Winvestigator uses rootkit technologies, use our RootAlyzer (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=8) or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=3).
You will have to use a global search for files without a name specified. Be extra careful, because just the name might not be enough to identify files!
Folders:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these folders.
The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WV".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If Winvestigator 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 "Winvestigator" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Local AppWizard-Generated Applications\".
Delete the registry key "wv" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\secsys\".
Delete the registry key "ra-wv" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\secsys\".
Delete the registry key "wv" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Tropsoft\".
If Winvestigator 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:
keylogger
Supposed Functionality:
Monitors keystrokes, application, internet activity, makes screenshots.
Links (be careful!):
Website: http://www.tropsoft.com/
Product: http://www.tropsoft.com/winvestigator/
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 that include "\Wv.exe" in the target they point to.
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.
Groups named "Winvestigator".
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 pointing to "loaddll.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 "Winvestigator".
Files:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these files.
The file at "<$WINDIR>\GEREVNIW.DRU".
The file at "<$WINDIR>\sysninit.dll".
The file at "<$WINDIR>\syswvh.dll".
The file at "<$WINDIR>\syswvl".
The file at "<$WINDIR>\syswvll".
The file at "<$WINDIR>\syswvnt.dll".
The file at "<$WINDIR>\syswvwin.dll".
A file with an unknown location named "winvestigator.exe".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If Winvestigator uses rootkit technologies, use our RootAlyzer (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=8) or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins (http://forums.spybot.info/downloads.php?id=3).
You will have to use a global search for files without a name specified. Be extra careful, because just the name might not be enough to identify files!
Folders:
Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these folders.
The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\WV".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If Winvestigator 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 "Winvestigator" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Local AppWizard-Generated Applications\".
Delete the registry key "wv" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\secsys\".
Delete the registry key "ra-wv" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\secsys\".
Delete the registry key "wv" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Tropsoft\".
If Winvestigator 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.