The following instructions have been created to help you to get rid of "CoolWWWSearch.XPlugin" 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:
  • trojan

Description:
The execution of the help file drops an exe file to the user's harddisk.
When exectuted this file connects to the internet and downloads a dat file from searchtm.cc. Two more exe files and the xplugin.dll are placed to the sytem directory. The dll is registered and cannot be deleted unless the computer is rebooted.

The files appear to make changes to the IE settings referencing x-google.net and new-search.net.
Supposed Functionality:
This trojan appears to be a chm help file.
Removal Instructions:

Autorun:

Please use Spybot-S&D, RunAlyzer or msconfig.exe to remove the following autorun entries.
  • Entries named "tlc" and pointing to "*update13.js".

Files:

Please use Windows Explorer or another file manager of your choice to locate and delete these files.
  • The file at "<$WINDIR>\update13.js".
  • A file with an unknown location named "update13.js".
  • The file at "<$SYSDIR>\xplugin.dll".
  • The file at "<$SYSDIR>\xplugin.dll".
  • The file at "<$SYSDIR>\svchost32.exe".
  • The file at "<$SYSDIR>\tksrv99.exe".
  • The file at "<$SYSDIR>\tmksrvu.exe".
  • The file at "<$SYSDIR>\xplugin.dll".
  • A file with an unknown location named "x15.chm".
  • The file at "<$SYSDIR>\tmksrvl.exe".
  • The file at "<$SYSDIR>\tmksrvi.exe".
  • The file at "<$SYSDIR>\tmksrvu.exe".
  • The file at "<$SYSDIR>\xplugin.dll".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If CoolWWWSearch.XPlugin 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 "<$WINDIR>\nsdb".
Make sure you set your file manager to display hidden and system files. If CoolWWWSearch.XPlugin 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.
  • Remove "*hot-searches.com*;*lender-search.com*" from registry value "ProxyOverride" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\".
  • Delete the registry key "{14A3221B-1678-1982-A355-7263B1281987}" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Code Store Database\Distribution Units\".
  • Delete the registry key "text/html" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Protocols\Filters\".
  • Delete the registry key "TMKSoft" at "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\".
  • Remove "XFilter" from registry value "" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PROTOCOLS\Filter\text/html\".
  • Remove "{4F7681E5-6CAF-478D-9CB8-4CA593BEE7FB}" from registry value "CLSID" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PROTOCOLS\Filter\text/html\".
  • Remove "r9k687474703a2f2f6e65772d7365617263682e6e6574" from registry value "SetHP" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\".
  • Remove "*new-search.net*;*x-google.net*" from registry value "ProxyOverride" at "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\".
  • Delete the registry key "{AC3F36D4-F905-4FE9-A926-EB937E66F591}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AppID\".
  • Delete the registry key "XPlugin.DLL" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AppID\".
  • Delete the registry key "CLSID={4F7681E5-6CAF-478D-9CB8-4CA593BEE7FB}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\PROTOCOLS\Filter\text/html\".
  • A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "XPlugin.XFilter", plus associated values.
  • A key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ named "XPlugin.XFilter.1", plus associated values.
  • Delete the registry key "{4F7681E5-6CAF-478D-9CB8-4CA593BEE7FB}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\".
  • Delete the registry key "{EE79D398-AAAF-47B1-8C9E-11F7D4C9111B}" at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\".
If CoolWWWSearch.XPlugin uses rootkit technologies, use our RegAlyzer, RootAlyzer or our Total Commander anti-rootkit plugins.

Browser:

The following browser plugins or items can either be removed directly in your browser, or through the help of e.g. Spybot-S&D or RunAlyzer.
  • Please check your bookmarks for links to "coolwebsearch.com".

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.