What is WindowChecker?
The Malwarebytes research team has determined that WindowChecker 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 WindowChecker?
This is how the main screen of the rogue application looks:
You will find this icon in your taskbar:
And see these warnings:
How did WindowChecker get on my computer?
Rogue programs use different methods for spreading themselves. This particular one was downloaded from their site.
How do I remove WindowChecker?
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 WindowChecker?
- No, Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware removes WindowChecker 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 WindowChecker 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\windowchecker\windowchecker.exe O23 - Service: windowchecker Service (windowcheckerService) - AKorea - C:\Program Files\windowchecker\windowcheckerse.exe
Alterations made by the installer:
File System =============== Adds the folder C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Start Menu\Programs\windowchecker Adds the file windowchecker.lnk"="08:26 21/08/13 1823 bytes Adds the file windowchecker ����.lnk"="08:26 21/08/13 1875 bytes Adds the file Homepage.url"="08:26 21/08/13 191 bytes Adds the folder C:\Program Files\windowchecker Adds the file windowcheckerU.exe"="08:25 21/08/13 79376 bytes Adds the file windowcheckerse.exe"="08:26 21/08/13 161304 bytes Adds the file windowchecker.exe"="08:26 21/08/13 646160 bytes Adds the file uninst_windowchecker.exe"="08:26 21/08/13 168992 bytes Adds the file M_flash.swf"="08:26 21/08/13 104566 bytes Adds the file bootflash.swf"="08:26 21/08/13 133890 bytes Registry =============== [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\windowchecker] "inspectDay"="'2013.08.21'" "popup"="'1'" "Today"="'20130821'" "ver6"="'20130618'" "ver5"="'20130618'" "ver4"="'20130618'" "ver3"="'20130618'" "ver2"="'20130619'" "ver1"="'20130618'" "userselect"="0" "autostart"="1" "userid"="'{username}'" "windowchecker_nic"="'08:00:27:31:D0:7C'" "installmode"="'2'" "code1"="'windowchecker'" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Application Compatibility] "wdwck"="'739833'" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\windowchecker] "NoRepair"="1" "NoModify"="1" "EstimatedSize"="949" "Publisher"="'AKorea'" "DisplayIcon"="'C:\Program Files\windowchecker\uninst_windowchecker.exe'" "UninstallString"="'C:\Program Files\windowchecker\uninst_windowchecker.exe'" "URLInfoAbout"="'http://www.windowchecker.co.kr'" "HelpLink"="'http://www.windowchecker.co.kr'" "DisplayVersion"="'1.2'" "DisplayName"="'windowchecker'" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\Root\LEGACY_WINDOWCHECKERSERVICE] "NextInstance"="1" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\Root\LEGACY_WINDOWCHECKERSERVICE\0000] "DeviceDesc"="'windowchecker Service'" "ClassGUID"="'{8ECC055D-047F-11D1-A537-0000F8753ED1}'" "Class"="'LegacyDriver'" "ConfigFlags"="0" "Legacy"="1" "Service"="'windowcheckerService'" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\Root\LEGACY_WINDOWCHECKERSERVICE\0000\Control] "ActiveService"="'windowcheckerService'" "*NewlyCreated*"="0" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\windowcheckerService] "ObjectName"="'LocalSystem'" "DisplayName"="'windowchecker Service'" "ImagePath"="C:\Program Files\windowchecker\windowcheckerse.exe." "ErrorControl"="1" "Start"="2" "Type"="16" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\windowcheckerService\Enum] "NextInstance"="1" "Count"="1" "0"="'Root\LEGACY_WINDOWCHECKERSERVICE\0000'" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\windowcheckerService\Security] "Security"="................0.................................`......................................... ... ............................."
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware log:
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware 1.75.0.1300 www.malwarebytes.org Database version: v2013.08.21.01 Windows XP Service Pack 3 x86 NTFS Internet Explorer 8.0.6001.18702 {username} :: MBAM-D3E8C91ACC [administrator] 8/21/2013 8:32:36 AM mbam-log-2013-08-21 (08-32-36).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: 192686 Time elapsed: 59 second(s) Memory Processes Detected: 1 C:\Program Files\windowchecker\windowchecker.exe (Rogue.WindowChecker) -> 228 -> Delete on reboot. Memory Modules Detected: 0 (No malicious items detected) Registry Keys Detected: 3 HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\windowcheckerService (Rogue.WindowChecker) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully. HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\windowchecker (Rogue.WindowChecker) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully. HKLM\SOFTWARE\WINDOWCHECKER (Rogue.WindowChecker) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully. Registry Values Detected: 4 HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer|windowchecker_windowchecker (Rogue.WindowChecker) -> Data: 1 -> Quarantined and deleted successfully. HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\windowchecker|URLInfoAbout (Rogue.WindowChecker) -> Data: http://www.windowchecker.co.kr -> Quarantined and deleted successfully. HKLM\SOFTWARE\windowchecker|windowchecker_nic (Rogue.WindowChecker) -> Data: 08:00:27:31:D0:7C -> Quarantined and deleted successfully. HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\windowcheckerService|ImagePath (Rogue.WindowChecker) -> Data: C:\Program Files\windowchecker\windowcheckerse.exe -> Quarantined and deleted successfully. Registry Data Items Detected: 0 (No malicious items detected) Folders Detected: 2 C:\Program Files\windowchecker (Rogue.WindowChecker) -> Delete on reboot. C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Start Menu\Programs\windowchecker (Rogue.WindowChecker) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully. Files Detected: 14 C:\Program Files\windowchecker\windowchecker.exe (Rogue.WindowChecker) -> Delete on reboot. C:\Program Files\windowchecker\windowcheckerse.exe (Rogue.WindowChecker) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully. C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Desktop\windowcheckersetup.exe (Rogue.Korad) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully. C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\ISXPLGEB\windowchecker[1].exe (Rogue.WindowChecker) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully. C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\O92WEW06\uninst_windowchecker[1].exe (Rogue.WindowChecker) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully. C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\Q5PIP6JW\windowcheckerU[1].exe (Rogue.WindowChecker) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully. C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\Y3PH3C5T\windowcheckerse[1].exe (Rogue.WindowChecker) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully. C:\Program Files\windowchecker\bootflash.swf (Rogue.WindowChecker) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully. C:\Program Files\windowchecker\M_flash.swf (Rogue.WindowChecker) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully. C:\Program Files\windowchecker\uninst_windowchecker.exe (Rogue.WindowChecker) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully. C:\Program Files\windowchecker\windowcheckerU.exe (Rogue.WindowChecker) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully. C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Start Menu\Programs\windowchecker\Homepage.url (Rogue.WindowChecker) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully. C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Start Menu\Programs\windowchecker\windowchecker »čÁ¦.lnk (Rogue.WindowChecker) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully. C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Start Menu\Programs\windowchecker\windowchecker.lnk (Rogue.WindowChecker) -> 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