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[Metallica]

Content is republished with permission from Malwarebytes.

What is Personal Security?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that Personal Security 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 Personal Security?

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



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



And see these warnings:









In your Security Center:



How did Personal Security get on my computer?

Rogue programs use different methods for spreading themselves. This particular one uses a fake online scanner.

How do I remove Personal Security?

Our program Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware can detect and remove this rogue application.
Since Personal Security blocks access to our site and blocks the process mbam.exe these instructions will be slightly different.

• Please download Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware to your desktop.
• Double-click mbam-setup.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
• Then click Finish.
• In the folder you installed Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, usually C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, find and rename mbam.exe, for example to explorer.exe
  
• Doubleclick the renamed file and once the program has loaded, make sure to get the latest updates.
  
• Then select the Scanner tab, 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 Personal Security?

• No, Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware removes Personal Security 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 Personal Security rogue. 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

Signs in a HijackThis log:

C:\Program Files\PersonalSec\psecurity.exe

O2 - BHO: &Security Update - {60242C4F-F730-44B0-8440-F59C489C0219} - C:\WINDOWS\system32\win32extension.dll
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [PersonalSec] C:\Program Files\PersonalSec\psecurity.exe

Alterations made by the installer:

File System
  ===============
	Adds the folder C:\Documents and Settings\All Users.WINDOWS\Start Menu\PersonalSec
	  Adds the file Security Center.lnk"="14:53 16/01/10 665 bytes
	  Adds the file Registration.lnk"="14:53 16/01/10 1513 bytes
	  Adds the file Help.lnk"="14:53 16/01/10 1469 bytes
	  Adds the file Settings.lnk"="14:53 16/01/10 1505 bytes
	  Adds the file Update.lnk"="14:53 16/01/10 1501 bytes
	  Adds the file Computer Scan.lnk"="14:53 16/01/10 1517 bytes
	  Adds the file Personal Security.lnk"="14:53 16/01/10 661 bytes
	In the existing folder C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch
	  Adds the file PersonalSec.lnk"="14:53 16/01/10 673 bytes
	In the existing folder C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Desktop
	  Adds the file Personal Security.lnk"="14:53 16/01/10 655 bytes
	Adds the folder C:\Program Files\PersonalSec
	  Adds the file psecurity.exe"="14:52 16/01/10 1358848 bytes
	Adds the folder C:\Program Files\Common Files\PersonalSecUninstall
	  Adds the file Uninstall.lnk"="14:53 16/01/10 663 bytes
	In the existing folder C:\WINDOWS\system32
	  Adds the file win32extension.dll"="14:52 16/01/10 635392 bytes

  Registry
  ===============
	[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{60242C4F-F730-44B0-8440-F59C489C0219}]
	  "(Default)"="'&Security Update'"
	[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{60242C4F-F730-44B0-8440-F59C489C0219}\InprocServer32]
	  "ThreadingModel"="'Apartment'"
	  "(Default)"="'C:\WINDOWS\system32\win32extension.dll'"
	[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\{60242C4F-F730-44B0-8440-F59C489C0219}]
	[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\5.0\User Agent\Post Platform]
	  "WinTSI 16.01.2010"=""
	[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop]
	  "ForegroundLockTimeout"
		200000 ==> 0
	[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\PersonalSec]
	  "UninstallString"="'C:\Program Files\PersonalSec\psecurity.exe -uninst'"
	  "DisplayName"="'Personal Security'"
	  "DisplayIcon"="'C:\Program Files\PersonalSec\psecurity.exe'"

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware log:

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 1.44
Database version: 3576
Windows 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3
Internet Explorer 8.0.6001.18702

1/16/2010 3:08:50 PM
mbam-log-2010-01-16 (15-08-50).txt

Scan type: Quick Scan
Objects scanned: 130430
Time elapsed: 3 minute(s), 11 second(s)

Memory Processes Infected: 1
Memory Modules Infected: 1
Registry Keys Infected: 5
Registry Values Infected: 1
Registry Data Items Infected: 0
Folders Infected: 3
Files Infected: 12

Memory Processes Infected:
C:\Program Files\PersonalSec\psecurity.exe (Rogue.PersonalSecurity) -> Unloaded process successfully.

Memory Modules Infected:
C:\WINDOWS\system32\win32extension.dll (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> Delete on reboot.

Registry Keys Infected:
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{60242c4f-f730-44b0-8440-f59c489c0219} (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats\{60242c4f-f730-44b0-8440-f59c489c0219} (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\{60242c4f-f730-44b0-8440-f59c489c0219} (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\PersonalSec (Rogue.PersonalSecurity) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Servises (Malware.Trace) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

Registry Values Infected:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\personalsec (Rogue.PersonalSecurity) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

Registry Data Items Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Folders Infected:
C:\Program Files\PersonalSec (Rogue.PersonalSecurity) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users.WINDOWS\Start Menu\PersonalSec (Rogue.PersonalSecurity) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\Common Files\PersonalSecUninstall (Rogue.PersonalSecurity) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

Files Infected:
C:\WINDOWS\system32\win32extension.dll (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> Delete on reboot.
C:\Program Files\PersonalSec\psecurity.exe (Rogue.PersonalSecurity) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users.WINDOWS\Start Menu\PersonalSec\Personal Security.lnk (Rogue.PersonalSecurity) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users.WINDOWS\Start Menu\PersonalSec\Computer Scan.lnk (Rogue.PersonalSecurity) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users.WINDOWS\Start Menu\PersonalSec\Update.lnk (Rogue.PersonalSecurity) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users.WINDOWS\Start Menu\PersonalSec\Settings.lnk (Rogue.PersonalSecurity) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users.WINDOWS\Start Menu\PersonalSec\Help.lnk (Rogue.PersonalSecurity) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users.WINDOWS\Start Menu\PersonalSec\Registration.lnk (Rogue.PersonalSecurity) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users.WINDOWS\Start Menu\PersonalSec\Security Center.lnk (Rogue.PersonalSecurity) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\Common Files\PersonalSecUninstall\Uninstall.lnk (Rogue.PersonalSecurity) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Desktop\Personal Security.lnk (Rogue.PSecurity) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\PersonalSec.lnk (Rogue.PersonalSecurity) -> 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.