Manual Removal Guide for Ad-Protect

The following instructions have been created to help you to get rid of "Ad-Protect" manually.
Use this guide at your own risk; software should usually be better suited to remove malware, since it is able to look deeper.

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Threat Details:

Categories:

• malware

Description:

Ad-Protect pretends to be an antispyware solution but actually does not detect any kind of malware. The program's website contains horrifying stories about computers, espionnage etc. urging the user to install Ad-Protect.

Removal Instructions:

Autorun:

Important: There are more autorun entries that cannot be safely described in simple words. Please use Spybot-S&D 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 or RunAlyzer to locate and get rid of these entries.

• Products that have a key or property named "AdProtect".
• Products that have a key or property named "Ad-Protect".
• Products that have a key or property named "Ad Protect".

Files:

Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these files.

• The file at "<$APPDATA>\AdProtect NoSpam\Settings.xml".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\activex.db".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\adpiemonitor.dll".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\ADPNoSpam.dll".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\ad-protect.chm".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\ad-protect.exe".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\Ad-Protect.url".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\blacklist.db".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\config.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\cookies.db".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\DbgHelp.Dll".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\filesNames.db".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\hosts.db".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\knownLocations.db".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\md5.db".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\registry.db".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\sdebug.log".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\spywareinfo.db".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\tips.txt".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\Languages\English.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\Languages\Spanish.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\Logs\adp_activity-11282006-113837.log".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\Plugins\DesktopManager\DesktopManager.dll".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\Plugins\DesktopManager\Languages\English.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\Plugins\DesktopManager\Languages\Spanish.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\Plugins\MessengerControl\MessengerControl.dll".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\Plugins\MessengerControl\Languages\English.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\Plugins\MessengerControl\Languages\Spanish.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\Plugins\StartupEditor\StartupEditor.dll".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\Plugins\StartupEditor\Languages\English.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\Plugins\StartupEditor\Languages\Spanish.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\activex.db".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\adpiemonitor.dll".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\ADPNoSpam.dll".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\AdProtect.chm".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\AdProtect.exe".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\AdProtect.url".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\blacklist.db".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\config.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\cookies.db".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\DbgHelp.Dll".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\filesNames.db".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\hosts.db".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\knownLocations.db".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\md5.db".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\registry.db".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\sdebug.log".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\spywareinfo.db".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\tips.txt".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\Languages\English.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\Languages\Spanish.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\Logs\adp_activity-11282006-113837.log".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\Plugins\DesktopManager\DesktopManager.dll".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\Plugins\DesktopManager\Languages\English.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\Plugins\DesktopManager\Languages\Spanish.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\Plugins\MessengerControl\MessengerControl.dll".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\Plugins\MessengerControl\Languages\English.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\Plugins\MessengerControl\Languages\Spanish.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\Plugins\StartupEditor\StartupEditor.dll".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\Plugins\StartupEditor\Languages\English.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\Plugins\StartupEditor\Languages\Spanish.ini".
• The file at "<$APPDATA>\Ad Protect NoSpam\Settings.xml".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\activex.db".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\adpiemonitor.dll".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\ADPNoSpam.dll".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\Ad Protect.chm".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\Ad Protect.exe".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\Ad Protect.url".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\blacklist.db".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\config.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\cookies.db".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\DbgHelp.Dll".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\filesNames.db".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\hosts.db".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\knownLocations.db".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\md5.db".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\registry.db".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\sdebug.log".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\spywareinfo.db".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\tips.txt".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\Languages\English.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\Languages\Spanish.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\Logs\adp_activity-11282006-113837.log".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\Plugins\DesktopManager\DesktopManager.dll".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\Plugins\DesktopManager\Languages\English.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\Plugins\DesktopManager\Languages\Spanish.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\Plugins\MessengerControl\MessengerControl.dll".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\Plugins\MessengerControl\Languages\English.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\Plugins\MessengerControl\Languages\Spanish.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\Plugins\StartupEditor\StartupEditor.dll".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\Plugins\StartupEditor\Languages\English.ini".
• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\Plugins\StartupEditor\Languages\Spanish.ini".

Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If Ad-Protect uses rootkit technologies, use our RootAlyzer or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins.
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 to remove them.

Folders:

Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these folders.

• The directory at "<$APPDATA>\AdProtect NoSpam".
• The directory at "<$APPDATA>\Ad Protect NoSpam".
• The directory at "<$APPDATA>\Ad-Protect NoSpam".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMS>\AdProtect".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMS>\Ad Protect".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMS>\Ad-Protect".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\Logs".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\Logs".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\Logs".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\Languages".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\Languages".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\Languages".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\Plugins".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\Plugins".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\Plugins".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\Plugins\DesktopManager".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\Plugins\DesktopManager".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\Plugins\DesktopManager".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\Plugins\DesktopManager\Languages".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\Plugins\DesktopManager\Languages".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\Plugins\DesktopManager\Languages".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\Plugins\MessengerControl".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\Plugins\MessengerControl".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\Plugins\MessengerControl".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\Plugins\MessengerControl\Languages".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\Plugins\MessengerControl\Languages".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\Plugins\MessengerControl\Languages".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\Plugins\StartupEditor".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\Plugins\StartupEditor".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\Plugins\StartupEditor".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\Plugins\StartupEditor\Languages".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\Plugins\StartupEditor\Languages".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\Plugins\StartupEditor\Languages".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\AdProtect\Quarantine".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad Protect\Quarantine".
• The directory at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Ad-Protect\Quarantine".

Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If Ad-Protect uses rootkit technologies, use our RootAlyzer or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins.
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 "AdProtect" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\".
• Delete the registry key "Ad-Protect" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\".
• Delete the registry key "Ad Protect" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\".
• Delete the registry key "adprotect.exe" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\".
• Delete the registry key "ad-protect.exe" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\".
• Delete the registry key "ad protect.exe" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\".
• Delete the registry key "{1F6FE2C2-6040-4645-9053-7F689AFFE176}" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\".
• Delete the registry key "{1F6FE2C2-6040-4645-9053-7F689AFFE176}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\".
• Delete the registry key "{BBBD3E11-D201-46C9-8471-091D33159287}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\".
• Delete the registry key "{D2C1986A-FBEC-4472-AABF-6D42F08DBC8E}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\".
• Delete the registry key "{F3210E86-46A8-5973-963F-0EF4CF226A0C}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\".
• Delete the registry key "{D2C1986A-FBEC-4472-AABF-6D42F08DBC8E}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\".
• Delete the registry key "{E6B4AB50-F423-4EE6-9839-B35DCFCDFA49}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\".
• Delete the registry key "{F51BC478-D997-4C56-988D-79D9EEAAD1EC}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\".
• Delete the registry key "{FD4DCB8B-C33A-4E70-A351-6FAB7E1071A4}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\".
• Delete the registry key "{32BD20FD-41FD-47FB-9BC9-28DCBD7D55D7}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\".
• Delete the registry value "CommandLineSafe" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins\Ad-Protect.Addin.1\".
• Delete the registry value "Description" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins\Ad-Protect.Addin.1\".
• Delete the registry value "FriendlyName" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins\Ad-Protect.Addin.1\".
• Delete the registry value "LoadBehavior" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins\Ad-Protect.Addin.1\".
• Delete the registry value "CommandLineSafe" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins\AdProtect.Addin.1\".
• Delete the registry value "Description" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins\AdProtect.Addin.1\".
• Delete the registry value "FriendlyName" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins\AdProtect.Addin.1\".
• Delete the registry value "LoadBehavior" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins\AdProtect.Addin.1\".
• Delete the registry value "CommandLineSafe" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins\Ad Protect.Addin.1\".
• Delete the registry value "Description" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins\Ad Protect.Addin.1\".
• Delete the registry value "FriendlyName" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins\Ad Protect.Addin.1\".
• Delete the registry value "LoadBehavior" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins\Ad Protect.Addin.1\".
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Ad-Protect.Addin", plus associated values.
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "AdProtect.Addin", plus associated values.
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Ad Protect.Addin", plus associated values.
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Ad-Protect.Addin.1", plus associated values.
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "AdProtect.Addin.1", plus associated values.
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "Ad Protect.Addin.1", plus associated values.

If Ad-Protect uses rootkit technologies, use our RegAlyzer, RootAlyzer or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins.

Final Words:

If neither Spybot-S&D nor self help did resolve the issue or you would prefer one on one help,

1. Please read these instructions before requesting assistance,
2. Then start your own thread in the Malware Removal Forum where a volunteer analyst will advise you as soon as available.