Top 10 Alerts
Latest 10 Malware Files
Testimonials
A Big thanks to you people, who have developed this product. My Windows XP Media Center OS was infected with Win32.Renos, Backdoor, XPAntivirus, Xta.kill trojans, spyware as I use rapidshare links a lot. I have licensed McAfee, which is good for nothing and was unable to protect my laptop from these malwares. I tried trial version of Bit Defender, Sunbelt Spyware, Claim Win, A-Squared, but they were unable to do a complete detection and removal of malwares. Exterminate listed all the malwares and registry changes done by them, like task manager, registry edit was disabled. I bought a single PC license, activated, scanned my system thrice and my system is now free from all malwares and viruses and running absolutely fine. I still have to use Mcafee as I have a licensed version but buying Exterminate IT is a worth of £20 spent on it. I will recommend this to everyone who use P2P sites or rapidshare or torrents. Now, I dont have to worry about any malware as I have Exterminate in my system.
Rajkumar P.
Searched as:
WinAd
Aliases of WinAd (AKA):
[Kaspersky] Trojan.Win32.Dialer.ai, AdWare.Win32.CaptainCode.a, AdWare.Win32.WinAd, AdWare.Win32.WinAD.be, AdWare.Win32.WinAD.abb, AdWare.Win32.WinAD.b, AdWare.Win32.WinAD.aw
[McAfee] Adware.WinAd, Adware-WinAd
[F-Prot] W32/Agent.BN, W32/Windu.G
[Panda] Dialer.EE, Adware/WUpd
[Computer Associates] Win32/DelAutoexec!Trojan
[Other] Win32/WinAd.AV, TrojanDownloader:Win32/Agent.BF, Win32/WinAd.AS, Adware.Windupdates, Win32/WinAd.AT, Adware.MediaPass, Win32/WinAd.AQ, Adware.WinTaskAd, W32/Agent.ATD.dropper, Adware.WinAd, Win32/WinAd.BG
How to Remove WinAd from Your Computer
To completely purge WinAd from your computer, you need to delete the files, folders, and Windows registry keys, and registry values associated with WinAd. These files, folders, and registry keys are respectively listed in the Files, Folders, Registry Keys, and Registry Values sections on this page.
For instructions on deleting the WinAd registry keys and registry values, see How to Remove WinAd from the Windows Registry.
For instructions on deleting the WinAd files and folders,
see How to Delete WinAd Files (.exe, .dll, etc.)
How to Delete WinAd Files (.exe, .dll, etc.)
The files and folders associated with WinAd are listed in the Files and Folders sections on this page.
To delete the WinAd files and folders:
- Using your file explorer, browse to each file and folder listed in the Folders and Files sections.Note: The paths use certain conventions such as [%PROGRAM_FILES%]. These conventions are explained here.
- Select the file or folder and press SHIFT+Delete on the keyboard.
- Click Yes in the confirm deletion dialog box.
Files:
[%PROGRAM_FILES%]\adstatus service
[%PROGRAM_FILES%]\info.txt
[%DESKTOP%]\cartooninstall.exe
[%DESKTOP%]\free laptop.url
[%PROFILE%]\recent\cartooninstall.lnk
[%PROFILE_TEMP%]\2.39 mb.exe
[%PROFILE_TEMP%]\578 kb.exe
[%PROFILE_TEMP%]\gd255.exe
[%WINDOWS%]\system\winad2.dll
Folders:
Scan your File System for WinAd
How to Remove WinAd from the Windows Registry
The Windows registry stores important system information such as system preferences, user settings, and installed programs details as well as the information about the applications that are automatically run at start-up. Because of this, spyware, malware, and adware often store references to their own files in your Windows registry so that they can automatically launch every time you start up your computer.
To effectively remove WinAd from your Windows registry, you must delete all the registry keys and values associated with WinAd, which are listed in the Registry Keys and Registry Values sections on this page.
To remove the WinAd registry keys and values:
- On the Windows Start menu, click Run.
- In the Open box, type regedit and click OK.
The Registry Editor window opens. This window consists of two panes. The left pane displays folders that represent the registry keys arranged in hierarchical order. The right one lists the registry values of the currently selected registry key. - To delete each registry key listed in the Registry Keys section, do the following:
- Locate the key in the left pane of the Registry Editor window by sequentially expanding the folders according to the path indicated in the Registry Keys section. For example, if the path of a registry key is HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\FolderA\FolderB\KeyName1, sequentially expand the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, software, FolderA, and FolderB folders.
- Select the key name indicated at the end of the path (KeyName1 in the example above).
- Right-click the key name and select Delete on the menu.
- Click Yes in the Confirm Key Delete dialog box.
- To delete each registry value listed in the Registry Values section, do the following:
- Display the value in the right pane of the Registry Editor window by sequentially expanding the folders in the left pane according to the path indicated in the Registry Values section and selecting the specified key name. For example, if the path of a registry value is HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\FolderA\FolderB\KeyName2\,valueC=, sequentially expand the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, software, FolderA, and FolderB folders and select the KeyName2 key to display the valueC value in the right pane.
- In the right pane, select the value name indicated after a comma at the end of the path (valueC in the example above).
- Right-click the value name and select Delete on the menu.
- Click Yes in the Confirm Value Delete dialog box.
Registry Keys:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\windows adstatus
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\clsid\{15ad4789-cdb4-47e1-a9da-992ee8e6bad6}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\preview adservice
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\uninstall\windows adstatus
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\clsid\{53d3c442-8fee-4784-9a21-6297d39613f0}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\classes\clsid\{53d3c442-8fee-4784-9a21-6297d39613f0}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\explorer\browser helper objects\{53d3c442-8fee-4784-9a21-6297d39613f0}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Video Access ActiveX Object
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AdManCtlx.Installer
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\winadx.installer
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{15AD4789-CDB4-47E1-A9DA-992EE8E6BAD6}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\WinadX.Installer
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\WinStatX.Installer
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\AdStatus Service
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\AdTools Service
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Windows TaskAd
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\uninstall\preview adservice
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\winpopup
Registry Values:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run, AdTools Service=[%PROGRAM_FILES%]\AdTools Service\AdTools.exe
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run, Windows TaskAd=[%PROGRAM_FILES%]\Windows TaskAd\WinTaskAd.exe
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\run, preview adservice=
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\run, windows adcontrol=
Scan your Windows Registry for WinAd
WinAd Categorized as:
Trojan
A trojan is a program that is disguised as legitimate software but is designed to carry out some harmful actions on the infected computer.
Unlike viruses and worms, trojans don’t replicate but they can be just as destructive.
These days trojans are very common. Trojans are divided into a number different categories based on their function or type of damage.
Adware
Software that is designed to launch advertisements, frequently pop-up ads, on a user’s computer and/or to redirect search results to promotional Web sites. Adware programs are often built into freeware or shareware programs, where the adware creates an indirect ‘charge’ for using the free program. Sometimes a trojan can silently download an adware program from a Web site and install it onto a user’s machine.
Hacker tools, or Browser Hijackers, can also download an adware program by exploiting a web browser’s vulnerability. Browser Hijackers may tamper with the browser settings, redirect incorrect or incomplete URLs to unwanted Web sites, or change the default home page. They can also re-direct a user’s searches to “pay-to-view” (often pornographic) Web sites.
Typically, many adware programs do not leave any marks of their presence in the system: they are not listed on Start | Programs; they add no icons to the system tray; and they don’t show up on the task list. In addition, adware programs seldom provide an uninstallation procedure, and attempts at manually removing them frequently result in failure of the original carrier program.
BHO
Browser Helper Object, or BHO, is a dynamic link library (DLL) that runs whenever Internet Explorer is started. Generally, BHOs are included in installation of third-party programs where they are offered as enhancements of the browser functionality. For example, many Internet Explorer plug-ins are in essence BHOs.
BHOs can be installed silently or “legitimately” when a user fails to read the fine print included in the freeware program’s EULA (End User License Agreement).
Because BHOs are small programs, they can do anything that other programs can do. It’s not easy to detect the BHOs installed on the computer. This enables hackers and other malevolent users to employ the BHO functionality in their interests, for example, secretly install adware programs or gather various statistics on the user’s browsing trends.
How Did My PC Get Infected with WinAd?
The following are the most likely reasons why your computer got infected with WinAd:
- Your operating system and Web browser's security settings are too lax.
- You are not following safe Internet surfing and PC practices.
Downloading and Installing Freeware or Shareware
Small-charge or free software applications may come bundled with spyware, adware, or programs like WinAd. Sometimes adware is attached to free software to enable the developers to cover the overhead involved in created the software. Spyware frequently piggybacks on free software into your computer to damage it and steal valuable private information.
Using Peer-to-Peer Software
The use of peer-to-peer (P2P) programs or other applications using a shared network exposes your system to the risk of unwittingly downloading infected files, including malicious programs like WinAd.
Visiting Questionable Web Sites
When you visit sites with dubious or objectionable content, trojans-including WinAd-, spyware, and adware, may well be automatically downloaded and installed onto your computer.
Detecting WinAd
The following symptoms signal that your computer is very likely to be infected with WinAd.
PC is working very slowly
WinAd can seriously slow down your computer. If your PC takes a lot longer than normal to restart or your Internet connection is extremely slow, your computer may well be infected with WinAd.
New desktop shortcuts have appeared or the home page has changed
WinAd can tamper with your Internet settings or redirect your default home page to unwanted web sites. WinAd may even add new shortcuts to your PC desktop.
Annoying popups keep appearing on your PC
WinAd may swamp your computer with pestering popup ads, even when you're not connected to the Internet, while secretly tracking your browsing habits and gathering your personal information.
E-mails that you didn't write are being sent from your mailbox
WinAd may gain complete control of your mailbox to generate and send e-mail with virus attachments, e-mail hoaxes, spam, and other types of unsolicited e-mail to other people.
Check now if your PC is infected with WinAd
Also Be Aware of the Following Threats:
Download ExterminateIt!
to instantly get rid of WinAd!
CURIOLAB S.M.B.A., Amagertorv 15, 2, 1160 Copenhagen K, Denmark, +45.36965533