What is LiveSupport?
The Malwarebytes research team has determined that LiveSupport is adware. These adware applications display advertisements not originating from the sites you are browsing. This particular one tries to sell you additional software.
How do I know if my computer is affected by LiveSupport?
This is how the main window of the application looks:

You may see these icons in your taskbar and on your desktop:

and this entry in your list of installed programs:

and this warning:

How did LiveSupport get on my computer?
Adware applications use different methods for distributing themselves. This particular one was bundled with other software.
How do I remove LiveSupport?
Our program Malwarebytes Anti-Malware can detect and remove this potentially unwanted program.
- Please download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to your desktop.
- Double-click mbam-setup-version.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
- At the end, be sure a check-mark is placed next to the following:
- Enable free trial of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Premium
- Launch Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
- Then click Finish.
- If an update is found, you will be prompted to download and install the latest version.
- Once the program has loaded, select Scan now. Or select the Threat Scan from the Scan menu.
- When the scan is complete , make sure that everything is set to "Quarantine", and click Apply Actions.
- Reboot your computer if prompted.
- The shortcut called LiveSupport on the desktop can be deleted if it belonged to the PUP.
We hope our application and this guide have helped you eradicate this hijacker.
As you can see below the full version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware would have protected you against the LiveSupport adware. It would have warned you before the rogue could install itself, giving you a chance to stop it before it became too late.
Technical details for experts
You will see these signs in a HijackThis log:
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [LiveSupport] "C:\Program Files\LiveSupport\LiveSupport.exe" /noshow /logYou may see these signs in a FRST log:
(PC Utilities Software Limited) C:\Program Files\LiveSupport\LiveSupport.exe HKCU\...\Run: [LiveSupport] => C:\Program Files\LiveSupport\LiveSupport.exe [1005056 2014-03-18] (PC Utilities Software Limited) () C:\Users\{username}\Desktop\LiveSupport.lnk () C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\LiveSupport () C:\Program Files\LiveSupportAlterations made by the installer:
File system details --------------------------------------------- Adds the folder C:\Program Files\LiveSupport Adds the file LiveSupport.exe"="3/18/2014 12:06 PM, 1005056 bytes, A Adds the file LiveSupport_deskband_x32.dll"="3/18/2014 12:06 PM, 190464 bytes, A Adds the file LiveSupport_deskband_x64.dll"="3/18/2014 12:06 PM, 220672 bytes, A Adds the file unins000.dat"="1/8/2015 1:30 PM, 18159 bytes, A Adds the file unins000.exe"="1/8/2015 1:29 PM, 1312728 bytes, A Adds the file unins000.msg"="1/8/2015 1:30 PM, 22701 bytes, A Adds the folder C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\LiveSupport Adds the file LiveSupport.lnk"="1/8/2015 1:30 PM, 1929 bytes, A Adds the file Uninstall LiveSupport.lnk"="1/8/2015 1:30 PM, 1026 bytes, A In the existing folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming Adds the file Explorer.EXE_log.txt"="1/8/2015 1:30 PM, 0 bytes, A Adds the file LiveSupport.exe_log.txt"="1/8/2015 1:30 PM, 0 bytes, A Adds the file regsvr32.exe_log.txt"="1/8/2015 1:30 PM, 86 bytes, A In the existing folder C:\Users\{username}\Desktop Adds the file LiveSupport.lnk"="1/8/2015 1:30 PM, 1883 bytes, A Registry details ------------------------------------------ [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{EBFCF40E-A87B-463F-A782-55BDD4160B5E}] "(Default)"="REG_SZ", "LiveSupport" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{EBFCF40E-A87B-463F-A782-55BDD4160B5E}\Implemented Categories\{00021492-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}] [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{EBFCF40E-A87B-463F-A782-55BDD4160B5E}\InprocServer32] "(Default)"="REG_SZ", "C:\Program Files\LiveSupport\LiveSupport_deskband_x32.dll" "ThreadingModel"="REG_SZ", "Apartment" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\LiveSupport_is1] "DisplayIcon"="REG_SZ", "C:\Program Files\LiveSupport\LiveSupport.exe,0" "DisplayName"="REG_SZ", "LiveSupport" "DisplayVersion"="REG_SZ", "1.2.8.0" "EstimatedSize"="REG_DWORD", 2664 "Inno Setup: App Path"="REG_SZ", "C:\Program Files\LiveSupport" "Inno Setup: Deselected Tasks"="REG_SZ", "" "Inno Setup: Icon Group"="REG_SZ", "LiveSupport" "Inno Setup: Language"="REG_SZ", "en" "Inno Setup: Selected Tasks"="REG_SZ", "desktopicon" "Inno Setup: Setup Version"="REG_SZ", "5.5.3 (u)" "Inno Setup: User"="REG_SZ", "Malwarebytes" "InstallDate"="REG_SZ", "20150108" "InstallLocation"="REG_SZ", "C:\Program Files\LiveSupport\" "MajorVersion"="REG_DWORD", 1 "MinorVersion"="REG_DWORD", 2 "NoModify"="REG_DWORD", 1 "NoRepair"="REG_DWORD", 1 "Publisher"="REG_SZ", "PC Utilities Software Limited" "QuietUninstallString"="REG_SZ", ""C:\Program Files\LiveSupport\unins000.exe" /SILENT" "UninstallString"="REG_SZ", ""C:\Program Files\LiveSupport\unins000.exe"" [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\LiveSupport] "AppStart"="REG_DWORD", 1 "Assistant"="REG_DWORD", 0 "FixHoverIconToTray"="REG_DWORD", 1 "InstallDate"="REG_DWORD", 1420720208 "Language"="REG_DWORD", 1 "MachineGuid"="REG_SZ", "d3367d63-4fc6-413e-90ca-76d6e727ed5c" "Os"="REG_DWORD", 106 "PhoneNumber"="REG_SZ", "" "QueryDate"="REG_DWORD", 0 "RunOnOSRun"="REG_DWORD", 1 "ShowTitleBarBtn"="REG_DWORD", 1 "ShowTray"="REG_DWORD", 1 "SoftUpdateDate"="REG_DWORD", 1420720238 "SoftUpdateUrl"="REG_SZ", "http://updates.livesupport.pcutilitiespro.com" [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run] "LiveSupport"="REG_SZ", ""C:\Program Files\LiveSupport\LiveSupport.exe" /noshow /log"Malwarebytes Anti-Malware log:
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware www.malwarebytes.org Scan Date: 1/8/2015 Scan Time: 2:47:57 PM Logfile: mbamLiveSupport.txt Administrator: Yes Version: 2.00.4.1028 Malware Database: v2015.01.08.09 Rootkit Database: v2015.01.07.01 License: Free Malware Protection: Disabled Malicious Website Protection: Disabled Self-protection: Disabled OS: Windows 7 Service Pack 1 CPU: x86 File System: NTFS User: Malwarebytes Scan Type: Threat Scan Result: Completed Objects Scanned: 287391 Time Elapsed: 3 min, 21 sec Memory: Enabled Startup: Enabled Filesystem: Enabled Archives: Enabled Rootkits: Disabled Heuristics: Enabled PUP: Enabled PUM: Enabled Processes: 1 PUP.Optional.LiveSupport.A, C:\Program Files\LiveSupport\LiveSupport.exe, 4012, Delete-on-Reboot, [b346ec08c9c06dc9afb5c3dd11f25ba5] Modules: 1 PUP.Optional.LiveSupport.A, C:\Program Files\LiveSupport\LiveSupport_deskband_x32.dll, Delete-on-Reboot, [b346ec08c9c06dc9afb5c3dd11f25ba5], Registry Keys: 2 PUP.Optional.LiveSupport.A, HKLM\SOFTWARE\CLASSES\CLSID\{EBFCF40E-A87B-463F-A782-55BDD4160B5E}, Quarantined, [b346ec08c9c06dc9afb5c3dd11f25ba5], PUP.Optional.LiveSupport.A, HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\UNINSTALL\LiveSupport_is1, Quarantined, [b346ec08c9c06dc9afb5c3dd11f25ba5], Registry Values: 1 PUP.Optional.LiveSupport.A, HKCU\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\RUN|LiveSupport, "C:\Program Files\LiveSupport\LiveSupport.exe" /noshow /log, Quarantined, [b346ec08c9c06dc9afb5c3dd11f25ba5] Registry Data: 0 (No malicious items detected) Folders: 1 PUP.Optional.LiveSupport.A, C:\Program Files\LiveSupport, Delete-on-Reboot, [b346ec08c9c06dc9afb5c3dd11f25ba5], Files: 8 PUP.Optional.LiveSupport, C:\Users\{username}\Desktop\LiveSupport_setup.exe, Quarantined, [1cddf8fc355456e0a5190ac43cc5b848], PUP.Optional.LiveSupport.A, C:\Program Files\LiveSupport\LiveSupport_deskband_x32.dll, Delete-on-Reboot, [b346ec08c9c06dc9afb5c3dd11f25ba5], PUP.Optional.LiveSupport.A, C:\Program Files\LiveSupport\LiveSupport.exe, Delete-on-Reboot, [b346ec08c9c06dc9afb5c3dd11f25ba5], PUP.Optional.LiveSupport.A, C:\Program Files\LiveSupport\LiveSupport_deskband_x64.dll, Quarantined, [b346ec08c9c06dc9afb5c3dd11f25ba5], PUP.Optional.LiveSupport.A, C:\Program Files\LiveSupport\unins000.dat, Quarantined, [b346ec08c9c06dc9afb5c3dd11f25ba5], PUP.Optional.LiveSupport.A, C:\Program Files\LiveSupport\unins000.exe, Quarantined, [b346ec08c9c06dc9afb5c3dd11f25ba5], PUP.Optional.LiveSupport.A, C:\Program Files\LiveSupport\unins000.msg, Quarantined, [b346ec08c9c06dc9afb5c3dd11f25ba5], Trojan.Agent.Gen, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Explorer.EXE_log.txt, Delete-on-Reboot, [d12819db00894cead4a0139bd62e8878], Physical Sectors: 0 (No malicious items detected) (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