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[Metallica]

Content is republished with permission from Malwarebytes.

What is SmileCheck?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that SmileCheck comes bundled with adware. You are strongly advised to follow our removal instructions below.

How do I know if I am infected with SmileCheck?

This is how the main screen of SmileCheck looks:



You will find these icons in your taskbar and on your desktop:



And see these warnings:







How did SmileCheck get on my computer?

Adware programs use different methods for spreading themselves. This particular one was downloaded from their site.

How do I remove SmileCheck?

Our program Malwarebytes Anti-Malware can detect and remove this adware.

• Please download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to your desktop.
• Double-click mbam-setup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
• At the end, be sure a check-mark is placed next to the following:
  
  
  • Update Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
  • Launch Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
• Then click Finish.
• If an update is found, it will download and install the latest version.
• Once the program has loaded, select Perform quick scan, then click Scan.
• When the scan is complete, click OK, then Show Results to view the results.
• Be sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected. Reboot your computer if prompted.
• When completed, a log will open in Notepad. The rogue application should now be gone.

Is there anything else I need to do to get rid of SmileCheck?

• Malwarebytes Anti-Malware only removes the adware component (schup.exe). You may want to uninstall the scanner it came bundled with. This can be done using the built-inunistaller.
  

How would the full version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware help protect me?

We hope our application has helped you eradicate this malicious software. If your current security solution let this infection through, you might please consider purchasing the FULL version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for additional protection.

As you can see below the full version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware would have protected you against the SmileCheck installer. It would have warned you before the adware could install itself, giving you a chance to stop it before it became too late.

Technical details for experts

Signs in a HijackThis log:

C:\Program Files\smilecheck\smilecheck.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\schup.exe

O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [smilecheck] "C:\Program Files\smilecheck\smilecheckrun.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [schup] C:\WINDOWS\system32\schup.exe

Alterations made by the installer:

  File System
  ===============
    In the existing folder C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Desktop
      Adds the file ������üũ.lnk"="13:42 01/06/13 1625 bytes
    Adds the folder C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Start Menu\Programs\smilecheck
      Adds the file ������üũ.lnk"="13:42 01/06/13 1637 bytes
      Adds the file ������üũ uninstall.lnk"="13:42 01/06/13 757 bytes
    Adds the folder C:\Program Files\smilecheck
      Adds the file uninstall.exe"="14:43 28/11/12 1944064 bytes
      Adds the file smilecheckrun.exe"="14:43 28/11/12 1047040 bytes
      Adds the file smilecheck.exe"="17:59 15/11/12 782336 bytes
      Adds the file del.dat"="11:47 18/03/10 16658 bytes
    In the existing folder C:\WINDOWS\system32
      Adds the file schup.exe"="16:36 15/11/12 471552 bytes


  Registry
  ===============
    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Management\ARPCache\smilecheck]
      "SlowInfoCache"=".I@."
      "Changed"=".I@."
    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\smilecheck]
      "UninstallString"="'C:\Program Files\smilecheck\uninstall.exe'"
      "DisplayName"="'smilecheck uninstall'"
      "DisplayIcon"="'C:\Program Files\smilecheck\uninstall.exe'"
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\smilecheck]
      "pat"="'60000'"
      "ver"="'1.0'"
      "pid"="'homepage'"
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ysmilecheck]
      "ppl"="'1'"
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
      "schup"="'C:\WINDOWS\system32\schup.exe'"
      "smilecheck"="'"C:\Program Files\smilecheck\smilecheckrun.exe"'"

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware log:

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.75.0.1300
www.malwarebytes.org

Database version: v2013.06.01.02

Windows XP Service Pack 3 x86 NTFS
Internet Explorer 8.0.6001.18702
{username} :: MBAM-D3E8C91ACC [administrator]

6/1/2013 1:48:49 PM
mbam-log-2013-06-01 (13-48-49).txt

Scan type: Quick scan
Scan options enabled: Memory | Startup | Registry | File System | Heuristics/Extra | Heuristics/Shuriken | PUP | PUM
Scan options disabled: P2P
Objects scanned: 188741
Time elapsed: 51 second(s)

Memory Processes Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Memory Modules Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Keys Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Values Detected: 1
HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run|schup (Adware.Agent) -> Data: C:\WINDOWS\system32\schup.exe -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

Registry Data Items Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folders Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Files Detected: 2
C:\WINDOWS\system32\schup.exe (Adware.Agent) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Desktop\setup_smilecheck.exe (Adware.Agent) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

(end)

As mentioned before the full version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware could have protected your computer against this threat.
We use different ways of protecting your computer(s):

• Dynamically Blocks Malware Sites & Servers
• Malware Execution Prevention

Save yourself the hassle and get protected.