The following instructions have been created to help you to get rid of "Holistyc" 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:
  • dialer

Description:
Holistyc opens the Internet Explorer and leads to a porn page where you have to dial a number to get access. There is no information on costs. It installs an ActiveX component which downloads further bad programs. It creates links to porn URLs on your desktop.
Removal Instructions:

Autorun:

Please use Spybot-S&D, RunAlyzer or msconfig.exe to remove the following autorun entries.
  • Entries named "Apwheel" and pointing to "<$WINDIR>\????.exe".
  • Entries named "Apwheel" and pointing to "*\ixplore.exe".

Files:

Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these files.
  • The file at "<$WINDIR>\Icons\Hol326.ico".
  • The file at "<$WINDIR>\Icons\Hol557.ico".
  • The file at "<$DESKTOP>\Hardcore Sex.url".
  • The file at "<$DESKTOP>\Ring Tones & Logos.url".
  • The file at "<$SYSDIR>\config.txt".
  • The file at "c:\ixplore.exe".
  • The file at "<$SYSDIR>\vciewer.ocx".
  • The file at "<$WINDIR>\Downloaded Program Files\vciewer.inf".
  • A file with an unknown location named "viewer.exe".
  • A file with an unknown location named "ixplore.exe".
  • A file with an unknown location named "ceres.cab".
  • A file with an unknown location named "bg5.exe".
  • A file with an unknown location named "jqbfjaod.exe".
  • A file with an unknown location named "vciewer.ocx".
  • A file with an unknown location named "spike.exe".
  • The file at "<$DESKTOP>\XXX Porn.url".
  • The file at "<$WINDIR>\Icons\Hol557.ico".
  • A file with an unknown location named "abi.exe".
  • A file with an unknown location named "abiuninst.exe".
  • The file at "<$SYSDIR>\preload.ocx".
  • The file at "<$WINDIR>\Downloaded Program Files\preload.inf".
  • The file at "<$WINDIR>\Icons\HolMkt326.ico".
  • The file at "<$WINDIR>\Icons\HolMkt557.ico".
  • The file at "<$DESKTOP>\Playboy TV.url".
  • The file at "<$DESKTOP>\XXX Porn.url".
  • A file with an unknown location named "holi1739103.exe".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If Holistyc 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.
  • A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "HOL6_VXIEWER.FULL.1", plus associated values.
  • Delete the registry key "{0CB2BD5A-7A80-4ba9-B49A-02DC51144BDF}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\".
  • Delete the registry key "{0CB2BD5A-7A80-4BA9-B49A-02DC51144BDF}" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Code Store Database\Distribution Units\".
  • References to the file "/vciewer.ocx" at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ModuleUsage\.
  • References to the file "<$SYSDIR>\vciewer.ocx" at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SharedDlls\.
  • Delete the registry key "Holistyc" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\RemoteAccess\Profile\".
  • Delete the registry value "Holistyc" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\RemoteAccess\Addresses\".
  • Delete the registry key "Holistyc" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\".
  • Delete the registry key "HOLI1739103" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Local AppWizard-Generated Applications\".
  • Delete the registry key "{0733B8F9-8B52-4693-A9FA-829E12D27F78}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\".
  • A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "HOL2_PRELOAD.FULL.1", plus associated values.
  • Delete the registry key "{0733B8F9-8B52-4693-A9FA-829E12D27F78}" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Code Store Database\Distribution Units\".
  • References to the file "SYSTEM/preload2.ocx" at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ModuleUsage\.
  • References to the file "<$SYSDIR>preload2.ocx" at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SharedDlls\.
If Holistyc uses rootkit technologies, use our RegAlyzer, RootAlyzer or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins.

There are more registry entries that cannot be safely described in simple words. Please use Spybot-S&D to remove them.

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.