Manual Removal Guide for PSW.WOW

The following instructions have been created to help you to get rid of "PSW.WOW" 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:

It creates many files in the system folder with names similar to valid windows files. It makes changes in the registry so that the bad files will be loaded every time you open an executive, a screensaver and many other file types.

Removal Instructions:

Autorun:

Please use Spybot-S&D, RunAlyzer or msconfig.exe to remove the following autorun entries.

• Entries named "Torjan Program" and pointing to "<$WINDIR>\WINLOGON.EXE".
• Entries named "explorer.exe" and pointing to "*\Program Files\explorer.exe".
• Entries named "exploreb.exe" and pointing to "*\Program Files\exploreb.exe".
• Entries named "Torjan Program" and pointing to "<$WINDIR>\*.COM".
• Entries named "Torjan Program" and pointing to "<$WINDIR>\*.EXE".
• Entries named "Torjan Program" and pointing to "<$WINDIR>\*.PIF".
• Entries named "Torjan Program" and pointing to "<$SYSDIR>\*.COM".
• Entries named "Torjan Program" and pointing to "<$SYSDIR>\*.EXE".
• Entries named "Torjan Program" and pointing to "<$SYSDIR>\*.PIF".
• Entries named "shoket" and pointing to "*\SHELLEXT\*.exe".
• Entries named "Intenet" and pointing to "<$SYSDIR>\intenet.exe".

Files:

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

• The file at "<$PROGRAMFILES>\Internet Explorer\iexplore.com".
• The file at "<$WINDIR>\1.com".
• The file at "<$WINDIR>\Debug\DebugProgram.exe".
• The file at "<$WINDIR>\ExERoute.exe".
• The file at "<$WINDIR>\explorer.com".
• The file at "<$WINDIR>\finder.com".
• The file at "<$SYSDIR>\dxdiag.com".
• The file at "<$SYSDIR>\finder.com".
• The file at "<$SYSDIR>\MSCONFIG.COM".
• The file at "<$SYSDIR>\regedit.com".
• The file at "<$SYSDIR>\rundll32.com".
• The file at "<$WINDIR>\WINLOGON.EXE".
• A file with an unknown location named "DebugProgram.exe".
• The file at "<$SYSDIR>\intenet.exe".
• The file at "<$SYSDIR>\myztr.dll".
• A file with an unknown location named "myztr.dll".
• The file at "<$SYSDIR>\mywow.dll".
• A file with an unknown location named "mywow.dll".

Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If PSW.WOW 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.

Registry:

You can use regedit.exe (included in Windows) to locate and delete these registry entries.

• Delete the registry key "winfiles" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\".
• Remove " 1" from registry value "Shell" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\".
• A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "winfiles", plus associated values.
• Remove ",<$SYSDIR>\internst.exe" from registry value "Userinit" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\".
• Remove ",<$SYSDIR>\explore.exe" from registry value "Userinit" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\".
• Delete the registry value "wow" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\Run\".

If PSW.WOW 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.