What is PCScan Antispyware?
The Malwarebytes research team has determined that PCScan Antispyware 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 PCScan Antispyware?
This is how the main screen of the rogue application looks:
You will find these icons in your taskbar and on your desktop:
And see these warnings:
How did PCScan Antispyware get on my computer?
Rogue programs use different methods for spreading themselves. This particular one was downloaded from their site.
How do I remove PCScan Antispyware?
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 PCScan Antispyware?
- The shortcut called �Ǿ���ĵ on the desktop can be deleted if it belonged to the rogue. If you are unsure, compare the icon to the one posted above.
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 PCScan Antispyware rogue. It would have warned you before the rogue could install itself, giving you a chance to stop it before it became too late.
Signs in a HijackThis log:
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\pcs.exe C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\pcsmonitor.exe C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\pcss.exe O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [PCScan Antispyware] C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\pcsp.exe
Alterations made by the installer:
File System
===============
In the existing folder C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Desktop
Adds the file �Ǿ���ĵ.lnk"="19:47 05/02/13 1640 bytes
Adds the folder C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Start Menu\Programs\�Ǿ���ĵ
Adds the file �Ǿ���ĵ ����.lnk"="19:47 05/02/13 1652 bytes
Adds the file �Ǿ���ĵ Uninstall.lnk"="19:47 05/02/13 1636 bytes
Adds the folder C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware
Adds the file rm.vrm"="19:47 05/02/13 67456 bytes
Adds the file psnd.pdb"="19:47 05/02/13 11456 bytes
Adds the file pslocal.dat"="19:47 05/02/13 608 bytes
Adds the file ps14.pdb"="11:43 08/03/12 204704 bytes
Adds the file ps13.pdb"="14:20 11/01/12 203648 bytes
Adds the file ps12.pdb"="14:20 11/01/12 204288 bytes
Adds the file ps11.pdb"="14:20 11/01/12 204512 bytes
Adds the file ps10.pdb"="14:20 11/01/12 201728 bytes
Adds the file ps09.pdb"="14:20 11/01/12 204064 bytes
Adds the file ps08.pdb"="14:20 11/01/12 203616 bytes
Adds the file ps07.pdb"="14:20 11/01/12 204160 bytes
Adds the file ps06.pdb"="14:20 11/01/12 204128 bytes
Adds the file ps05.pdb"="14:20 11/01/12 204320 bytes
Adds the file ps04.pdb"="08:38 08/06/12 30144 bytes
Adds the file ps03.pdb"="08:38 08/06/12 202624 bytes
Adds the file ps02.pdb"="14:20 11/01/12 202688 bytes
Adds the file ps01.pdb"="14:20 11/01/12 201696 bytes
Adds the file pcsu.exe"="04:35 11/01/13 209400 bytes
Adds the file pcss.exe"="23:13 10/01/13 354808 bytes
Adds the file pcsr.exe"="23:13 10/01/13 110072 bytes
Adds the file pcsp.exe"="05:56 11/01/13 250360 bytes
Adds the file pcsmonitor.exe"="23:13 10/01/13 193528 bytes
Adds the file pcsl.exe"="23:13 10/01/13 139256 bytes
Adds the file pcsc.dll"="23:13 10/01/13 16376 bytes
Adds the file pcs.exe"="23:13 10/01/13 562680 bytes
Adds the file hlog.dat"="19:51 05/02/13 1270 bytes
In the existing folder C:\WINDOWS\system32
Adds the file pcscan.not"="23:24 10/01/13 1 bytes
Adds the file svlstps.dat"="19:51 05/02/13 1120 bytes
Registry
===============
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\PCScan_is1]
"NoRepair"="1"
"NoModify"="1"
"URLUpdateInfo"="'http://www.pcscan.net'"
"HelpLink"="'http://www.pcscan.net'"
"URLInfoAbout"="'http://www.pcscan.net'"
"Publisher"="'Copyright (C)2013 PCScan All Right Reserved.'"
"UninstallString"="'C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\pcsu.exe'"
"DisplayName"="'AntiSpyware Solution PCScan'"
"Inno Setup: User"="'{username}'"
"Inno Setup: Icon Group"="'�Ǿ���ĵ'"
"InstallLocation"="'C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\'"
"Inno Setup: App Path"="'C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware'"
"Inno Setup: Setup Version"="'5.0.8'"
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\PCScan Antispyware]
"ldate"="'2013.2.5'"
"RMT"="1"
"RST"="1"
"ASH"="1"
"com"="'pcsite'"
"date"="'2013.2.5'"
"eng"="'2013.01.11.11'"
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
"PCScan Antispyware"="'C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\pcsp.exe'"
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware log:
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.70.0.1100
www.malwarebytes.org
Database version: v2013.02.05.09
Windows XP Service Pack 3 x86 NTFS
Internet Explorer 8.0.6001.18702
{username} :: MBAM-D3E8C91ACC [administrator]
2/5/2013 7:53:30 PM
mbam-log-2013-02-05 (19-53-30).txt
Scan type: Quick scan
Scan options enabled: Memory | Startup | Registry | File System | Heuristics/Extra | Heuristics/Shuriken | PUP | PUM
Scan options disabled: P2P
Objects scanned: 185662
Time elapsed: 46 second(s)
Memory Processes Detected: 3
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\pcs.exe (Rogue.PCScan) -> 464 -> Delete on reboot.
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\pcsmonitor.exe (Rogue.PCScan) -> 1940 -> Delete on reboot.
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\pcss.exe (Rogue.PCScan) -> 380 -> Delete on reboot.
Memory Modules Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)
Registry Keys Detected: 1
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\PCScan_is1 (Rogue.PCAntiSpyware) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
Registry Values Detected: 1
HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run|PCScan Antispyware (Rogue.PCScan) -> Data: C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\pcsp.exe -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
Registry Data Items Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)
Folders Detected: 1
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware (Rogue.PCAntiSpyware) -> Delete on reboot.
Files Detected: 27
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\pcs.exe (Rogue.PCScan) -> Delete on reboot.
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\pcsmonitor.exe (Rogue.PCScan) -> Delete on reboot.
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\pcss.exe (Rogue.PCScan) -> Delete on reboot.
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\pcsp.exe (Rogue.PCScan) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Desktop\PCScanSetup.exe (Rogue.PCScan) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\hlog.dat (Rogue.PCAntiSpyware) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\pcsc.dll (Rogue.PCAntiSpyware) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\pcsl.exe (Rogue.PCAntiSpyware) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\pcsr.exe (Rogue.PCAntiSpyware) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\pcsu.exe (Rogue.PCAntiSpyware) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\ps01.pdb (Rogue.PCAntiSpyware) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\ps02.pdb (Rogue.PCAntiSpyware) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\ps03.pdb (Rogue.PCAntiSpyware) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\ps04.pdb (Rogue.PCAntiSpyware) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\ps05.pdb (Rogue.PCAntiSpyware) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\ps06.pdb (Rogue.PCAntiSpyware) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\ps07.pdb (Rogue.PCAntiSpyware) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\ps08.pdb (Rogue.PCAntiSpyware) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\ps09.pdb (Rogue.PCAntiSpyware) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\ps10.pdb (Rogue.PCAntiSpyware) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\ps11.pdb (Rogue.PCAntiSpyware) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\ps12.pdb (Rogue.PCAntiSpyware) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\ps13.pdb (Rogue.PCAntiSpyware) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\ps14.pdb (Rogue.PCAntiSpyware) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\pslocal.dat (Rogue.PCAntiSpyware) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\psnd.pdb (Rogue.PCAntiSpyware) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files\PCScan Antispyware\rm.vrm (Rogue.PCAntiSpyware) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
(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
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