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Content is republished with permission from Malwarebytes.

What is Forest Guard?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that Forest Guard is a "system optimizer". These so-called "system optimizers" use intentional false positives to convince users that their systems have problems. Then they try to sell you their software, claiming it will remove these problems.
More information can be found on our Malwarebytes Labs blog.

How do I know if I am infected with Forest Guard?

This is how the main screen of the system optimizer looks:



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



and see these warnings during install:





You may see this entry in your list of installed programs:



How did Forest Guard get on my computer?

These so-called system optimizers use different methods of getting installed. This particular one was downloaded from their website:



How do I remove Forest Guard?

Our program Malwarebytes can detect and remove this potentially unwanted application.

• 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.

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

• No, Malwarebytes removes Forest Guard completely.

How would the full version of Malwarebytes help protect me?

We hope our application and this guide have helped you eradicate this system optimizer.

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

Technical details for experts

You may see these entries in FRST logs:

(BDEsoft) [File not signed] C:\Users\{username}\Desktop\softsinn\SoftSinn\ForestGuard.exe
C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\SoftSinn.lnk
C:\Users\{username}\Desktop\SoftSinn.lnk
C:\Users\{username}\Desktop\softsinn

Alterations made by the installer:

File system details [View: All details] (Selection)
---------------------------------------------------
    In the existing folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
       Adds the file SoftSinn.lnk"="5/27/2019 9:15 AM, 855 bytes, A
    In the existing folder C:\Users\{username}\Desktop
       Adds the file SoftSinn.lnk"="5/27/2019 9:15 AM, 807 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\Desktop\softsinn\SoftSinn
       Adds the file ForestGuard.exe"="5/24/2019 1:11 PM, 379392 bytes, A
       Adds the file l.txt"="3/6/2019 10:34 AM, 3986 bytes, A
       Adds the file load2.exe"="5/15/2019 11:18 AM, 77312 bytes, A
       Adds the file logger.exe"="5/24/2019 1:09 PM, 238080 bytes, A
       Adds the file unins000.dat"="5/27/2019 9:15 AM, 2084 bytes, A
       Adds the file unins000.exe"="5/27/2019 9:14 AM, 730789 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\Desktop\softsinn\SoftSinn\Data
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\Desktop\softsinn\SoftSinn\Setting
       Adds the file setting.ini"="5/27/2019 9:16 AM, 162 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\Desktop\softsinn\SoftSinn\Temp

Registry details [View: All details] (Selection)
------------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\BDEsoft]
       "{55861586-C050-4EE9-8280-DD6466A4EB71}"="REG_SZ", "MjAxOS0wNi0yNiAwOToxNjowMQ=="
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{68F15829-5EB7-406D-98D6-20B4A2167CB9}_is1]
       "DisplayName"="REG_SZ", "SoftSinn version 3.6.0"
       "DisplayVersion"="REG_SZ", "3.6.0"
       "EstimatedSize"="REG_DWORD", 2231
       "HelpLink"="REG_SZ", "http://www.SoftSinn.com/"
       "Inno Setup: App Path"="REG_SZ", "C:\Users\{username}\Desktop\softsinn\SoftSinn"
       "Inno Setup: Deselected Tasks"="REG_SZ", ""
       "Inno Setup: Icon Group"="REG_SZ", "(Default)"
       "Inno Setup: Language"="REG_SZ", "english"
       "Inno Setup: Selected Tasks"="REG_SZ", "desktopicon"
       "Inno Setup: Setup Version"="REG_SZ", "5.6.1 (a)"
       "Inno Setup: User"="REG_SZ", "{username}"
       "InstallDate"="REG_SZ", "20190527"
       "InstallLocation"="REG_SZ", "C:\Users\{username}\Desktop\softsinn\SoftSinn\"
       "MajorVersion"="REG_DWORD", 3
       "MinorVersion"="REG_DWORD", 6
       "NoModify"="REG_DWORD", 1
       "NoRepair"="REG_DWORD", 1
       "Publisher"="REG_SZ", "SoftSinn"
       "QuietUninstallString"="REG_SZ", ""C:\Users\{username}\Desktop\softsinn\SoftSinn\unins000.exe" /SILENT"
       "UninstallString"="REG_SZ", ""C:\Users\{username}\Desktop\softsinn\SoftSinn\unins000.exe""
       "URLInfoAbout"="REG_SZ", "http://www.SoftSinn.com/"
       "URLUpdateInfo"="REG_SZ", "http://www.SoftSinn.com/"
       "VersionMajor"="REG_DWORD", 3
       "VersionMinor"="REG_DWORD", 6
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Softsinn\softsinn]
       "key"="REG_SZ", "softsinn2019"

Malwarebytes log:

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 5/27/19
Scan Time: 9:23 AM
Log File: 63f5acc0-8050-11e9-b6f0-00ffdcc6fdfc.json

-Software Information-
Version: 3.7.1.2839
Components Version: 1.0.586
Update Package Version: 1.0.10786
License: Premium

-System Information-
OS: Windows 7 Service Pack 1
CPU: x64
File System: NTFS
User: {computername}\{username}

-Scan Summary-
Scan Type: Threat Scan
Scan Initiated By: Manual
Result: Completed
Objects Scanned: 236344
Threats Detected: 10
Threats Quarantined: 10
Time Elapsed: 6 min, 18 sec

-Scan Options-
Memory: Enabled
Startup: Enabled
Filesystem: Enabled
Archives: Enabled
Rootkits: Enabled
Heuristics: Enabled
PUP: Detect
PUM: Detect

-Scan Details-
Process: 1
PUP.Optional.Softsinn, C:\USERS\{username}\DESKTOP\SOFTSINN\SOFTSINN\FORESTGUARD.EXE, Quarantined, [3680], [687785],1.0.10786

Module: 1
PUP.Optional.Softsinn, C:\USERS\{username}\DESKTOP\SOFTSINN\SOFTSINN\FORESTGUARD.EXE, Quarantined, [3680], [687785],1.0.10786

Registry Key: 2
PUP.Optional.Softsinn, HKCU\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\UNINSTALL\{68F15829-5EB7-406D-98D6-20B4A2167CB9}_IS1, Quarantined, [3680], [677737],1.0.10786
PUP.Optional.Softsinn, HKCU\SOFTWARE\Softsinn, Quarantined, [3680], [677738],1.0.10786

Registry Value: 1
PUP.Optional.Softsinn, HKCU\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\UNINSTALL\{68F15829-5EB7-406D-98D6-20B4A2167CB9}_IS1|DISPLAYNAME, Quarantined, [3680], [677737],1.0.10786

Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Data Stream: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folder: 0
(No malicious items detected)

File: 5
PUP.Optional.Softsinn, C:\USERS\{username}\APPDATA\ROAMING\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\START MENU\PROGRAMS\SOFTSINN.LNK, Quarantined, [3680], [681816],1.0.10786
PUP.Optional.Softsinn, C:\USERS\{username}\Desktop\SoftSinn.lnk, Quarantined, [3680], [687785],1.0.10786
PUP.Optional.Softsinn, C:\USERS\{username}\DESKTOP\SOFTSINN\SOFTSINN\FORESTGUARD.EXE, Quarantined, [3680], [687785],1.0.10786
PUP.Optional.Softsinn, C:\USERS\{username}\DESKTOP\INSTALL2.EXE, Quarantined, [3680], [687794],1.0.10786
Generic.Malware/Suspicious, C:\USERS\{username}\DESKTOP\SOFTSINN\SOFTSINN\LOGGER.EXE, Quarantined, [0], [392686],1.0.10786

Physical Sector: 0
(No malicious items detected)

WMI: 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

Save yourself the hassle and get protected.