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Removal instructions for APCProtect

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Metallica

Metallica

    Spyware Veteran

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Content is republished with permission from Malwarebytes.

What is APCProtect?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that APCProtect is a fake anti-malware application. These so-called "rogues" use intentional false positives to convince users that their systems have been compromised. Then they try to sell you their software, claiming it will remove these threats. In extreme cases the false threats are actually the very trojans that advertise or even directly install the rogue. You are strongly advised to follow our removal instructions below.

How do I know if I am infected with APCProtect?

This is how the main screen of the rogue application looks:

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

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And see these warnings:

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And from your Windows Security Center:

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How did APCProtect get on my computer?

Rogue programs use different methods for spreading themselves. This particular one was installed by a trojan.

How do I remove APCProtect?

Our program Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware can detect and remove this rogue application.
  • 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 APCProtect?

No, Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware removes APCProtect completely.

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 APCProtect rogue. It would have warned you before the rogue could install itself, giving you a chance to stop it before it became too late.

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Technical details for experts

Signs in a HijackThis log:
C:\Program Files\APCProtect Software\APCProtect\APCProtect.exe

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [0005eeb3.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\0005eeb3.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [APCProtect.exe] C:\Program Files\APCProtect Software\APCProtect\APCProtect.exe

Note: 005eeb3.exe is a random name

Alterations made by the installer:
File System
  ===============
	In the existing folder C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop
	  Adds the file APCProtect.lnk"="15:19 25/12/09 796 bytes
	Adds the folder C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\APCProtect
	  Adds the file 3 Uninstall.lnk"="15:19 25/12/09 1715 bytes
	  Adds the file 2 Homepage.lnk"="15:19 25/12/09 1176 bytes
	  Adds the file 1 APCProtect.lnk"="15:19 25/12/09 1722 bytes
	Adds the folder C:\Program Files\APCProtect Software\APCProtect
	  Adds the file uninstall.exe"="15:19 25/12/09 75574 bytes
	  Adds the file APCProtect.exe"="15:19 25/12/09 1798144 bytes
	In the existing folder C:\WINDOWS
	  Adds the file 10446zack5ool389.exe"="15:10 25/12/09 6864 bytes
	  Adds the file 1053szeal27659.bin"="02:57 22/04/08 10190 bytes
	  Adds the file 1059ad5warz2772.exe"="15:10 25/12/09 15820 bytes
	  Adds the file 10682not-9z5irus4a4.exe"="11:32 12/09/09 15574 bytes
	  Adds the file 10790troz75a.bin"="14:48 25/10/08 3236 bytes
	  Adds the file 114zworm4955.dll"="11:21 04/05/08 17582 bytes
	  Adds the file 11555tro9ze1.bin"="15:10 25/12/09 13950 bytes
	  Adds the file 1199znot-a-virus3505.dll"="17:19 08/11/09 9592 bytes
	  Adds the file 12104spambz965.cpl"="05:19 05/01/08 17106 bytes
	  Adds the file 1268h5ckto9l63z.dll"="01:50 13/01/09 7645 bytes
	  Adds the file 12z37tro9225.dll"="03:43 09/04/08 9625 bytes
	  Adds the file 13874n9t-a-vir5s6e0z.bin"="08:00 10/04/09 11375 bytes
	  Adds the file 13z779ackto5l10e.dll"="21:34 11/07/08 4667 bytes
	  Adds the file 1423zr95215.ocx"="05:37 21/05/08 6945 bytes
	  Adds the file 143w5rz729.ocx"="22:41 04/01/09 9819 bytes
	  
<snipped> a long list of added files later detected by the rogue as "Threats"

	  Adds the file zeb7thief295.exe"="22:41 17/11/08 11167 bytes

	In the existing folder C:\WINDOWS\system32
	  Adds the file 0005eeb3.exe = 12:32 24/12/09 40448 bytes
	  Adds the file 103z2s5y2079.exe"="20:48 04/08/09 16166 bytes
	  Adds the file 11071not-9-vizus4f5.cpl"="10:51 27/11/08 6901 bytes
	  Adds the file 1154troj955z.dll"="05:18 19/09/09 15079 bytes
	  Adds the file 125dad9wzre555.ocx"="19:42 03/03/08 9930 bytes
	  Adds the file 125z59irus42f.bin"="10:41 06/09/09 8674 bytes
	  Adds the file 126749p5ze.cpl"="16:09 07/06/08 11828 bytes
	  Adds the file 12965spamzot5b79.dll"="15:10 25/12/09 6432 bytes
	  
<snipped> a long list of added files later detected by the rogue as "Threats"

	  Adds the file zf55vir5595.bin"="15:10 25/12/09 12254 bytes
	  Adds the file zf7espa9se5058.ocx"="05:39 03/04/08 9519 bytes
	  Adds the file zf8cs5ars91675.ocx"="08:22 15/01/08 7052 bytes

  Registry
  ===============
	[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\APCProtect]
	  "Install_Dir"="'C:\Program Files\APCProtect Software\APCProtect'"
	  "Lang"="'English'"
	[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\APCProtect]
	  "NoRepair"="1"
	  "NoModify"="1"
	  "UninstallString"="C:\Program Files\APCProtect Software\APCProtect\uninstall.exe"
	  "DisplayName"="'APCProtect'"
	[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
	  "0005eeb3.exe"="'C:\WINDOWS\system32\0005eeb3.exe'"
	[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
	  "APCProtect.exe"="'C:\Program Files\APCProtect Software\APCProtect\APCProtect.exe'"

Note: there are two different installers. The one from their website does not dump the randomly named files and subsequently does not report any of them as malware.

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware log:
Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 1.42
Database version: 3427
Windows 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2
Internet Explorer 6.0.2900.2180

12/25/2009 3:00:59 PM
mbam-log-2009-12-25 (15-00-59).txt

Scan type: Quick Scan
Objects scanned: 93688
Time elapsed: 2 minute(s), 46 second(s)

Memory Processes Infected: 2
Memory Modules Infected: 0
Registry Keys Infected: 4
Registry Values Infected: 2
Registry Data Items Infected: 1
Folders Infected: 3
Files Infected: 8

Memory Processes Infected:
C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\My Documents\downloads\APC\APCprotect\setup.exe (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> Unloaded process successfully.
C:\Program Files\APCProtect Software\APCProtect\APCProtect.exe (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> Unloaded process successfully.

Memory Modules Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Keys Infected:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\setup.exe (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\APCProtect (Rogue.APCprotect) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\APCProtect (Rogue.APCprotect) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\APCProtect (Rogue.APCprotect) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

Registry Values Infected:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\0005eeb3.exe (Trojan.FakeAlert.H) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\apcprotect.exe (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

Registry Data Items Infected:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Security Center\AntiVirusDisableNotify (Disabled.SecurityCenter) -> Bad: (1) Good: (0) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

Folders Infected:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\APCProtect (Rogue.APCprotect) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\APCProtect Software (Rogue.APCprotect) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\APCProtect Software\APCProtect (Rogue.APCprotect) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

Files Infected:
C:\WINDOWS\system32\0005eeb3.exe (Trojan.FakeAlert.H) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\My Documents\downloads\APC\APCprotect\setup.exe (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\APCProtect Software\APCProtect\APCProtect.exe (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\APCProtect\1 APCProtect.lnk (Rogue.APCprotect) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\APCProtect\2 Homepage.lnk (Rogue.APCprotect) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\APCProtect\3 Uninstall.lnk (Rogue.APCprotect) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\APCProtect Software\APCProtect\uninstall.exe (Rogue.APCprotect) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop\APCProtect.LNK (Rogue.APCprotect) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.


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.
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