What is RuntimeBroker?
The Malwarebytes research team has determined that RuntimeBroker is adware. These adware applications display advertisements not originating from the sites you are browsing.
This particualr one uses the Privoxy proxy to intercept and change your internet traffic.
How do I know if my computer is affected by RuntimeBroker?
You may see this setting has changed under Internet Options > Connections > LAN settings:
How did RuntimeBroker get on my computer?
Adware applications use different methods for distributing themselves. This particular one was installed by a trojan.
How do I remove RuntimeBroker?
Our program Malwarebytes can detect and remove this potentially unwanted program.
- Please download Malwarebytes to your desktop.
- Double-click mb3-setup-consumer-{version}.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
- Then click Finish.
- Once the program has fully updated, select Scan Now on the Dashboard. Or select the Threat Scan from the Scan menu.
- If another update of the definitions is available, it will be implemented before the rest of the scanning procedure.
- When the scan is complete, make sure that all Threats are selected, and click Remove Selected.
- Restart your computer when prompted to do so.
- No, Malwarebytes removes RuntimeBroker completely.
We hope our application and this guide have helped you eradicate this adware.
As you can see below the full version of Malwarebytes would have protected you against the RuntimeBroker adware. It would have warned you before the adware could install itself, giving you a chance to stop it before it became too late.
The web protection module also blocks some of the connections the installer tries to make:
Technical details for experts
Possible signs in FRST logs:
(The Privoxy team - www.privoxy.org) C:\Windows\{username}-pc\oxy.exe ProxyEnable: [{user SID}] => Proxy is enabled. ProxyServer: [{user SID}] => 127.0.0.1:8118 S2 RuntimeBroker; C:\Windows\{username}-pc\RuntimeBroker.exe [349184 2017-04-25] (www.kdsmarketing.com) [File not signed] R2 Telephone; C:\Windows\{username}-pc\oxy.exe [373248 2016-01-22] (The Privoxy team - www.privoxy.org) [File not signed] C:\Windows\{username}-pc () C:\Windows\{username}-pc\mgwz.dllAlterations made by the installer:
File system details [View: All details] (Selection) --------------------------------------------------- Adds the folder C:\Windows\{username}-pc Adds the file config.txt"="3/28/2016 3:22 PM, 407 bytes, A Adds the file default.action"="2/7/2016 6:10 AM, 21 bytes, A Adds the file default.filter"="3/30/2017 4:35 AM, 114 bytes, A Adds the file mgwz.dll"="1/22/2016 4:45 AM, 86528 bytes, A Adds the file oxy.exe"="1/22/2016 4:45 AM, 373248 bytes, A Adds the file oxy.log"="6/30/2017 10:40 AM, 0 bytes, A Adds the file RuntimeBroker.exe"="4/25/2017 3:10 PM, 349184 bytes, A Registry details [View: All details] (Selection) ------------------------------------------------ [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{863CB7C5-1335-4CB0-AF61-4BCDC2B0AA2D}] "DisplayVersion"="REG_SZ", "2.08" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\RuntimeBroker] "DelayedAutostart"="REG_DWORD", 1 "Description"="REG_SZ", "Helps protect users from Runtime Errors" "DisplayName"="REG_SZ", "RuntimeBroker" "ErrorControl"="REG_DWORD", 1 "ImagePath"="REG_EXPAND_SZ, "C:\Windows\{username}-pc\RuntimeBroker.exe" "ObjectName"="REG_SZ", "LocalSystem" "Start"="REG_DWORD", 2 "Type"="REG_DWORD", 16 "WOW64"="REG_DWORD", 1 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\Telephone] "Description"="REG_SZ", "Provides Telephony API (TAPI) support for programs that control telephony devices on the local computer and, through the LAN, on servers that are also running the service." "DisplayName"="REG_SZ", "Telephone" "ErrorControl"="REG_DWORD", 1 "ImagePath"="REG_EXPAND_SZ, "C:\Windows\{username}-pc\oxy.exe --service" "ObjectName"="REG_SZ", "LocalSystem" "Start"="REG_DWORD", 2 "Type"="REG_DWORD", 16 "WOW64"="REG_DWORD", 1 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings] "ProxyEnable REG_DWORD, 0 ==> REG_DWORD, 1 "ProxyServer"="REG_SZ", "127.0.0.1:8118"Malwarebytes log:
Malwarebytes www.malwarebytes.com -Log Details- Scan Date: 6/30/17 Scan Time: 10:58 AM Log File: mbamOffers4U.txt Administrator: Yes -Software Information- Version: 3.1.2.1733 Components Version: 1.0.141 Update Package Version: 1.0.2261 License: Premium -System Information- OS: Windows 7 Service Pack 1 CPU: x64 File System: NTFS User: {computername}\{username} -Scan Summary- Scan Type: Threat Scan Result: Completed Objects Scanned: 336715 Threats Detected: 19 Threats Quarantined: 19 Time Elapsed: 2 min, 20 sec -Scan Options- Memory: Enabled Startup: Enabled Filesystem: Enabled Archives: Enabled Rootkits: Disabled Heuristics: Enabled PUP: Enabled PUM: Enabled -Scan Details- Process: 1 Adware.Privoxy, C:\WINDOWS\{computername}\OXY.EXE, Quarantined, [1506], [385808],1.0.2261 Module: 1 Adware.Privoxy, C:\WINDOWS\{computername}\OXY.EXE, Quarantined, [1506], [385808],1.0.2261 Registry Key: 5 Trojan.SpamBot, HKLM\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVICES\RuntimeBroker, Delete-on-Reboot, [582], [402529],1.0.2261 Adware.Privoxy, HKLM\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVICES\TELEPHONE, Delete-on-Reboot, [1506], [385808],1.0.2261 Adware.Privoxy, HKLM\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVICES\NLASVC\PARAMETERS\INTERNET\MANUALPROXIES, Delete-on-Reboot, [1506], [-1],0.0.0 Adware.Privoxy, HKLM\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVICES\Telephone, Delete-on-Reboot, [1506], [-1],0.0.0 Adware.Privoxy, HKLM\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVICES\RuntimeBroker, Delete-on-Reboot, [1506], [-1],0.0.0 Registry Value: 7 Adware.Privoxy, HKLM\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVICES\TELEPHONE|IMAGEPATH, Delete-on-Reboot, [1506], [385808],1.0.2261 Adware.Privoxy, HKU\S-1-5-18\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\INTERNET SETTINGS|PROXYENABLE, Delete-on-Reboot, [1506], [-1],0.0.0 Adware.Privoxy, HKCU\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\INTERNET SETTINGS|PROXYENABLE, Delete-on-Reboot, [1506], [-1],0.0.0 Adware.Privoxy, HKCU\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\INTERNET SETTINGS|PROXYENABLE, Delete-on-Reboot, [1506], [-1],0.0.0 Adware.Privoxy, HKCU\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\INTERNET SETTINGS|PROXYSERVER, Delete-on-Reboot, [1506], [-1],0.0.0 Adware.Privoxy, HKU\.DEFAULT\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\INTERNET SETTINGS|PROXYENABLE, Delete-on-Reboot, [1506], [-1],0.0.0 PUM.Optional.ProxyHijacker, HKCU\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\INTERNET SETTINGS|PROXYSERVER, Delete-on-Reboot, [9480], [250493],1.0.2261 Registry Data: 0 (No malicious items detected) Data Stream: 0 (No malicious items detected) Folder: 0 (No malicious items detected) File: 5 Trojan.SpamBot, C:\WINDOWS\{computername}\RUNTIMEBROKER.EXE, Delete-on-Reboot, [582], [402529],1.0.2261 Trojan.SpamBot, C:\USERS\{username}\DESKTOP\OFFERS.EXE, Delete-on-Reboot, [582], [402481],1.0.2261 Adware.Privoxy, C:\WINDOWS\{computername}\OXY.EXE, Delete-on-Reboot, [1506], [385808],1.0.2261 Adware.Privoxy, C:\WINDOWS\{computername}\oxy.exe, Delete-on-Reboot, [1506], [-1],0.0.0 Adware.Privoxy, C:\WINDOWS\{computername}\RuntimeBroker.exe, Delete-on-Reboot, [1506], [-1],0.0.0 Physical Sector: 0 (No malicious items detected) (end)As mentioned before the full version of Malwarebytes 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