PCAntiSpyware

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Updated: March 27, 2008 9:11:02 PM

Type: Misleading Application

Name: PC-Antispyware

Version: 1.4.125.0

Publisher: PC-Antispyware.com

Risk Impact: Medium

Systems Affected: Windows 2000, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows XP

Behavior
The program must be manually installed.

The program reports false or exaggerated system security threats on the computer.

The user is then prompted to pay for a full license of the application in order to remove the errors.

Installation
When the program is executed, it creates the following files:

%UserProfile%\Application Data\PC-Antispyware\config.xml
%UserProfile%\Application Data\PC-Antispyware\logs\1205156013.log
%UserProfile%\Application Data\PC-Antispyware\Sites.bl
%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Temp\[RANDOM CHARACTERS].tmp
%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\.protected
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\.protected
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\PC-Antispyware\PC-Antispyware Uninstall.lnk
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\PC-Antispyware\PC-Antispyware.lnk
%ProgramFiles%\PC-Antispyware\IeExtension.dll
%ProgramFiles%\PC-Antispyware\PC-Antispyware.db
%ProgramFiles%\PC-Antispyware\PC-Antispyware.exe
%ProgramFiles%\PC-Antispyware\pcantispyware.pkg
%ProgramFiles%\PC-Antispyware\PopupBlocker.dll
%ProgramFiles%\PC-Antispyware\program.info
%ProgramFiles%\PC-Antispyware\Uninstall.exe
%System%\drivers\etc\.protected
%Windìr%\.protected
%SystemDrive%\.protected

Next, the program creates the following registry entry so that it executes whenever Windows starts:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\"PC-Antispyware" = ""C:\Program Files\PC-Antispyware\PC-Antispyware.exe" hide"

It also creates the following registry subkeys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\PC-Antispyware
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\PC-Antispyware
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{10F0C2A9-8E38-43e3-204D-45524C494E20}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{10F0C2A9-8E38-43e3-204D-45524C494E20}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\{10F0C2A9-8E38-43e3-204D-45524C494E20}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\PC-Antispyware

Removal

Summary

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