SMS
Aliases of SMS (AKA):
| [Kaspersky] | Flooder.Win32.Fuxx, V.359, Valentines |
| [McAfee] | SMSFlood |
| [F-Prot] | security risk or a "backdoor" program |
| [Panda] | Flooder.Fuxx, SMS.480 |
| [CA] | Win32.SMSFlood.A, Win32/SMS!Flooder!Trojan, SMS.480 |
How to Remove SMS from Your Computer^
To completely purge SMS from your computer, you need to delete the Windows registry keys and registry values associated with SMS. These registry keys and values are respectively listed in the Registry Keys and Registry Values sections on this page.
For instructions on deleting the SMS registry keys and registry values, see the following section How to Remove SMS from the Windows Registry.
How to Remove SMS 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 SMS from your Windows registry, you must delete all the registry keys and values associated with SMS, which are listed in the Registry Keys and Registry Values sections on this page.
To remove the SMS 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\KeyName1sequentially 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.
- 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
- 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.
- 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
Registry KeysSMS 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.
Be Aware of the Following Trojan Threats:
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.
Be Aware of the Following Adware Threats:
IEDriver, WhileUSurf, Adware.BDSearch.dr, TrojanClicker.Win32.VB.ad, AFA Internet Enhancement.
Backdoor
Of all trojans, backdoor trojans pose the greatest danger to users’ PCs because they give their authors remote control over infected computers. They are downloaded, installed, and run silently, without the user’s consent or knowledge. Upon installation, backdoor trojans can be instructed to send, receive, execute and delete files, gather and transfer confidential data from the computer, log all activity on the computer, and perform other harmful activities.
Be Aware of the Following Backdoor Threats:
No.Party, Backdoor.Fxsvc.Server, TV.Alpha, Ptakks.R1, Jinmozhe.
Downloader
A type of trojan. The primary purpose of downloaders is to install malicious code on a user’s computer. However, they can enable other malicious uses. For example, they can be used to continually download new versions of malicious code, adware, or “pornware.” They are also used frequently used to exploit the vulnerabilities of Internet Explorer.
Downloaders are typically written in script languages such as VBS or JavaScript.
Be Aware of the Following Downloader Threats:
DoS
A DoS (Denial of Service) attack is designed to disrupt or stop the normal running of a Web site, server, or other network resource. Hackers or malware writers resort to various ways to achieve this. A DoS attack can commonly result in a server being flooded with more network traffic than it is capable of processing. This hinders or prevents the server’s normal operation and sometimes causes its complete failure.
Unlike a DoS attack, a DDoS attack employs multiple PCs. The hacker or malware writer normally uses one infected computer - “master” - to centrally coordinate the attack across other, so-called “zombie”, computers. Typically, the malware writer gains control of both master and zombie computers by exploiting a weakness in an application or the operating system on those computers, in order to install a trojan or other malicious code.
Be Aware of the Following DoS Threats:
How Did My PC Get Infected with SMS?^
The following are the most likely reasons why your computer got infected with SMS:
- 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 SMS. 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 SMS.
Visiting Questionable Web Sites
When you visit sites with dubious or objectionable content, trojans-including SMS, spyware and adware, may well be automatically downloaded and installed onto your computer.
Detecting SMS^
The following symptoms signal that your computer is very likely to be infected with SMS:
PC is working very slowly
SMS 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 SMS.
New desktop shortcuts have appeared or the home page has changed
SMS can tamper with your Internet settings or redirect your default home page to unwanted web sites. SMS may even add new shortcuts to your PC desktop.
Annoying popups keep appearing on your PC
SMS 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
SMS 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.
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