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[Metallica]

Content is republished with permission from Malwarebytes.

What is SearchCon?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that SearchCon is an adware application. These so-called "adwares" show unsollicited commercial messages.

How do I know if I am infected with SearchCon?

You will find these icons on your desktop:



And see these warnings:





How did SearchCon get on my computer?

Adware programs use different methods for spreading themselves. This particular one was downloaded from their site.

How do I remove SearchCon?

Our program Malwarebytes Anti-Malware can detect and remove this adware 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 SearchCon?

• The shortcuts shown above on the desktop, can be deleted, if they belonged to the adware.

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

Technical details for experts

Signs in a HijackThis log:

O23 - Service: Searchcon Service (searchconservice) - UCF - C:\Windows\SysWOW64\searchcon-se.exe

Alterations made by the installer:

File system details 
---------------------------------------------
    Adds the folder C:\Program Files (x86)\ico
    Adds the folder C:\Program Files (x86)\ico\searchcon
       Adds the file history1.txt"="12/24/2013 5:31 AM, 403 bytes, A
       Adds the file history2.txt"="12/24/2013 5:31 AM, 403 bytes, A
       Adds the file history3.txt"="12/24/2013 5:31 AM, 473 bytes, A
       Adds the file searchcon.exe"="12/24/2013 5:31 AM, 135168 bytes, A
       Adds the file uninst_searchcon.exe"="12/24/2013 5:31 AM, 146960 bytes, A
    Adds the folder C:\Program Files (x86)\ico\tmp
       Adds the file 11st.ico"="12/24/2013 5:31 AM, 9662 bytes, A
       Adds the file auction.ico"="12/24/2013 5:31 AM, 9662 bytes, A
       Adds the file gmarket.ico"="12/24/2013 5:31 AM, 9662 bytes, A
       Adds the file icon_30.ico"="12/24/2013 5:31 AM, 3782 bytes, A
       Adds the file installer.ico"="12/24/2013 5:31 AM, 4286 bytes, A
    In the existing folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
       Adds the file ¿Á¼Ç¹Ù·Î°¡±â.lnk"="12/24/2013 5:31 AM, 3002 bytes, A
       Adds the file ¼½½ÃÀ¯¸Ó¹Ù·Î°¡±â.lnk"="12/24/2013 5:31 AM, 2838 bytes, A
       Adds the file ¹«·á¾ÐÃàÇÁ·Î±×·¥¹Ù·Î°¡±â.lnk"="12/24/2013 5:31 AM, 2924 bytes, A
       Adds the file 11¹ø°¡¹Ù·Î°¡±â.lnk"="12/24/2013 5:31 AM, 2994 bytes, A
       Adds the file Áö¸¶ÄϹٷΰ¡±â.lnk"="12/24/2013 5:31 AM, 3006 bytes, A
    In the existing folder C:\Users\{username}\Desktop
       Adds the file ¿Á¼Ç.lnk"="12/24/2013 5:31 AM, 2888 bytes, A
       Adds the file ¼½½ÃÀ¯¸Ó.lnk"="12/24/2013 5:31 AM, 2724 bytes, A
       Adds the file 11¹ø°¡.lnk"="12/24/2013 5:31 AM, 2880 bytes, A
       Adds the file Áö¸¶ÄÏ.lnk"="12/24/2013 5:35 AM, 3007 bytes, A
       Adds the file hijackthis.log"="12/24/2013 5:35 AM, 445 bytes, A
    In the existing folder C:\Users\{username}\Favorites
       Adds the file ¿Á¼Ç.url"="12/24/2013 5:31 AM, 276 bytes, A
       Adds the file ¼½½ÃÀ¯¸Ó.url"="12/24/2013 5:31 AM, 190 bytes, A
       Adds the file 11¹ø°¡.url"="12/24/2013 5:31 AM, 270 bytes, A
       Adds the file Áö¸¶ÄÏ.url"="12/24/2013 5:31 AM, 276 bytes, A
    In the existing folder C:\Windows\SysWOW64
       Adds the file searchcon-se.exe"="12/24/2013 5:31 AM, 161800 bytes, A
       Adds the file searchconu.exe"="12/24/2013 5:31 AM, 172040 bytes, A

Registry details 
------------------------------------------
    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Internet Explorer]
       "searchcon_searchcon"="REG_SZ, "1"
    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Application Compatibility]
       "srcn"="REG_SZ, "5689859"
    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\searchcon]
       "DisplayIcon"="REG_SZ, "C:\Program Files (x86)\ico\searchcon\uninst_searchcon.exe"
       "DisplayName"="REG_SZ, "searchcon"
       "DisplayVersion"="REG_SZ, "1.2"
       "EstimatedSize"="REG_DWORD, 592"
       "HelpLink"="REG_SZ, "http://www.searchcon.co.kr"
       "NoModify"="REG_DWORD, 1"
       "NoRepair"="REG_DWORD, 1"
       "Publisher"="REG_SZ, "UCF"
       "UninstallString"="REG_SZ, "C:\Program Files (x86)\ico\searchcon\uninst_searchcon.exe"
       "URLInfoAbout"="REG_SZ, "http://www.searchcon.co.kr"
    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\searchcon\app]
       "searchcon.exe"="REG_SZ, "20131218"
       "uninst_searchcon.exe"="REG_SZ, "20131218"
    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\searchcon\update]
       "code1"="REG_SZ, "searchcon"
       "installmode"="REG_SZ, "2"
       "reboot"="REG_SZ, "1"
       "searchcon_nic"="REG_SZ, "08:00:27:B0:81:23"
       "searchcon-se.exe"="REG_SZ, "20131218"
       "searchconu.exe"="REG_SZ, "20131218"
       "today"="REG_SZ, "20131224"
       "upToday"="REG_SZ, "20131224"
    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\searchconservice]
       "DisplayName"="REG_SZ, "Searchcon Service"
       "ErrorControl"="REG_DWORD, 1"
       "ImagePath"="REG_EXPAND_SZ, "C:\Windows\SysWOW64\searchcon-se.exe"
       "ObjectName"="REG_SZ, "LocalSystem"
       "Start"="REG_DWORD, 2"
       "Type"="REG_DWORD, 272"
       "WOW64"="REG_DWORD, 1"

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware log:

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (PRO) 1.75.0.1300
www.malwarebytes.org

Database version: v2013.12.24.03

Windows 8 x64 NTFS
Internet Explorer 10.0.9200.16660
{username} :: MBAM-VM [administrator]

Protection: Disabled

12/24/2013 5:37:26 AM
mbam-log-2013-12-24 (05-37-26).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: 202900
Time elapsed: 1 minute(s), 36 second(s)

Memory Processes Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Memory Modules Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Keys Detected: 2
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\searchconservice (Rogue.SearchCon) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\searchcon (Rogue.SearchCon) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

Registry Values Detected: 2
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer|searchcon_searchcon (Rogue.SearchCon) -> Data: 1 -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\searchconservice|ImagePath (Rogue.SearchCon) -> Data: C:\Windows\SysWOW64\searchcon-se.exe -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

Registry Data Items Detected: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folders Detected: 2
C:\Program Files (x86)\ico\tmp (Rogue.SearchCon) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files (x86)\ico\searchcon (Rogue.SearchCon) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

Files Detected: 16
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\searchcon-se.exe (Rogue.SearchCon) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Users\{username}\Desktop\searchcon_setup.exe (Rogue.SearchCon) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Windows\System32\searchcon-se.exe (Rogue.SearchCon) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Windows\System32\searchconu.exe (Rogue.SearchCon) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Users\{username}\Favorites\11¹ø°¡.url (Malware.Trace) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Windows\SysWOW64\searchconu.exe (Rogue.SearchCon) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files (x86)\ico\tmp\11st.ico (Rogue.SearchCon) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files (x86)\ico\tmp\auction.ico (Rogue.SearchCon) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files (x86)\ico\tmp\gmarket.ico (Rogue.SearchCon) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files (x86)\ico\tmp\icon_30.ico (Rogue.SearchCon) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files (x86)\ico\tmp\installer.ico (Rogue.SearchCon) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files (x86)\ico\searchcon\history1.txt (Rogue.SearchCon) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files (x86)\ico\searchcon\history2.txt (Rogue.SearchCon) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files (x86)\ico\searchcon\history3.txt (Rogue.SearchCon) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files (x86)\ico\searchcon\searchcon.exe (Rogue.SearchCon) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
C:\Program Files (x86)\ico\searchcon\uninst_searchcon.exe (Rogue.SearchCon) -> 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

Save yourself the hassle and get protected.