What is Web Guard?
The Malwarebytes research team has determined that Web Guard is adware. These adware applications display advertisements not originating from the sites you are browsing.
How do I know if my computer is affected by Web Guard?
You may see this entry in your list of installed programs:

and these warnings:



How did WebGuard get on my computer?
Adware applications use different methods for distributing themselves. This particular one was bundled with other software.
How do I remove WebGuard?
Our program Malwarebytes Anti-Malware can detect and remove this potentially unwanted program.
- Please download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to your desktop.
- Double-click mbam-setup-version.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
- At the end, be sure a check-mark is placed next to the following:
- Enable free trial of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Premium
- Launch Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
- Then click Finish.
- If an update is found, you will be prompted to download and install the latest version.
- Once the program has loaded, select Scan now. Or select the Threat Scan from the Scan menu.
- When the scan is complete , make sure that everything is set to "Quarantine", and click Apply Actions.
- Reboot your computer if prompted.
- No, Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware removes Web Guard completely.
We hope our application and this guide have helped you eradicate this hijacker.
As you can see below the full version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware would have protected you against the Web Guard hijacker. 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
You will see these signs in a HijackThis log:
O23 - Service: WebGuard - Interesting Solutions - C:\ProgramData\WebGuard\WebGuardService.exe
Alterations made by the installer:
File system details --------------------------------------------- Adds the folder C:\ProgramData\WebGuard Adds the file info.dat"="10/1/2014 1:53 PM, 64 bytes, A Adds the file uninstall.exe"="10/1/2014 1:53 PM, 666472 bytes, A Adds the file uninstall.exe.config"="10/1/2014 1:53 PM, 168 bytes, A Adds the file WebGuard.dll"="10/1/2014 1:53 PM, 1186152 bytes, A Adds the file WebGuard.exe"="10/1/2014 1:53 PM, 50024 bytes, A Adds the file WebGuard.exe.config"="10/1/2014 1:53 PM, 190 bytes, A Adds the file WebGuard.ico"="10/1/2014 1:53 PM, 121672 bytes, A Adds the file WebGuardService.exe"="10/1/2014 1:53 PM, 2319720 bytes, A Adds the file WebGuardService.exe.config"="10/1/2014 1:53 PM, 189 bytes, A Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\WebGuard Adds the file data2.dat"="10/1/2014 1:53 PM, 3072 bytes, A Registry details ------------------------------------------ [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{051E9166-B275-4683-907B-372FAE22BC7C}] "id"="REG_SZ", "4505411d9c1c44908144439e86d80da3" "p"="REG_SZ", "366" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{3f6acc4e-6099-2f2b-47eb-d7baeba78128}] "ik"="REG_SZ", "{aa8fcf8a-f998-ff32-8588-0f6999254573}" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{534daa42-de53-2824-7735-588962ddc8c9}] "id"="REG_SZ", "4505411d9c1c44908144439e86d80da3" "p"="REG_SZ", "366" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{9C4EFBD5-1ADF-41E6-BE26-AF44326E30E4}] "(Default)"="REG_DWORD", 1 "v"="REG_DWORD", 1 "vs"="REG_SZ", "1" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{A2970C7C-8392-4E6F-8B51-B763CF38E13C}] [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Tracing\WebGuardService_RASAPI32] "ConsoleTracingMask"="REG_DWORD", -65536 "EnableConsoleTracing"="REG_DWORD", 0 "EnableFileTracing"="REG_DWORD", 0 "FileDirectory"="REG_EXPAND_SZ, "%windir%\tracing" "FileTracingMask"="REG_DWORD", -65536 "MaxFileSize"="REG_DWORD", 1048576 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Tracing\WebGuardService_RASMANCS] "ConsoleTracingMask"="REG_DWORD", -65536 "EnableConsoleTracing"="REG_DWORD", 0 "EnableFileTracing"="REG_DWORD", 0 "FileDirectory"="REG_EXPAND_SZ, "%windir%\tracing" "FileTracingMask"="REG_DWORD", -65536 "MaxFileSize"="REG_DWORD", 1048576 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\WebGuard] "DisplayIcon"="REG_SZ", "C:\ProgramData\WebGuard\WebGuard.ico" "DisplayName"="REG_SZ", "WebGuard" "DisplayVersion"="REG_SZ", "3.0.11" "EstimatedSize"="REG_DWORD", 5000 "HelpLink"="REG_SZ", "http://www.thewebguard.com/about.html" "InstallDate"="REG_SZ", "10/1/2014" "Publisher"="REG_SZ", "Interesting Solutions" [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\WebGuard] "DependOnService"="REG_MULTI_SZ, "Winmgmt CryptSvc " "DisplayName"="REG_SZ", "WebGuard" "ErrorControl"="REG_DWORD", 1 "FailureActions"="REG_BINARY, <..................... "ImagePath"="REG_EXPAND_SZ, ""C:\ProgramData\WebGuard\WebGuardService.exe"" "ObjectName"="REG_SZ", "LocalSystem" "Start"="REG_DWORD", 2 "Type"="REG_DWORD", 16Malwarebytes Anti-Malware log:
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware www.malwarebytes.org Scan Date: 10/1/2014 Scan Time: 2:01:15 PM Logfile: mbamWebGuard.txt Administrator: Yes Version: 2.00.2.1012 Malware Database: v2014.10.01.04 Rootkit Database: v2014.09.19.01 License: Free Malware Protection: Disabled Malicious Website Protection: Disabled Self-protection: Disabled OS: Windows 7 Service Pack 1 CPU: x86 File System: NTFS User: Malwarebytes Scan Type: Threat Scan Result: Completed Objects Scanned: 266468 Time Elapsed: 3 min, 5 sec Memory: Enabled Startup: Enabled Filesystem: Enabled Archives: Enabled Rootkits: Disabled Heuristics: Enabled PUP: Enabled PUM: Enabled Processes: 1 PUP.Optional.WebGuard.A, C:\ProgramData\WebGuard\WebGuardService.exe, 4788, Delete-on-Reboot, [5434c94606761b1bb7439037d52c956b] Modules: 0 (No malicious items detected) Registry Keys: 3 PUP.Optional.WebGuard.A, HKLM\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVICES\WebGuard, Quarantined, [5434c94606761b1bb7439037d52c956b], PUP.Optional.WebSteroids.A, HKLM\SOFTWARE\CLASSES\CLSID\{051E9166-B275-4683-907B-372FAE22BC7C}, Quarantined, [a7e10a054d2feb4b3aa3f3a4709248b8], PUP.Optional.WebGuard.A, HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\UNINSTALL\WebGuard, Quarantined, [4444f619225aeb4bb941d6f17d840ef2], Registry Values: 0 (No malicious items detected) Registry Data: 0 (No malicious items detected) Folders: 1 PUP.Optional.WebGuard.A, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\WebGuard, Quarantined, [f7918e810874f54129909277cf34b848], Files: 6 PUP.Optional.WebGuard.A, C:\ProgramData\WebGuard\WebGuardService.exe, Delete-on-Reboot, [5434c94606761b1bb7439037d52c956b], PUP.Optional.WebGuard.A, C:\ProgramData\WebGuard\uninstall.exe, Quarantined, [4444f619225aeb4bb941d6f17d840ef2], PUP.Optional.WebGuard.A, C:\ProgramData\WebGuard\WebGuard.dll, Quarantined, [7a0e31de9fdd93a355584cb764a1a957], PUP.Optional.WebGuard.A, C:\ProgramData\WebGuard\WebGuard.exe, Quarantined, [820635da6e0ea0966a90a6210bf6c53b], PUP.Optional.WebGuard.A, C:\Users\{username}\Desktop\Setup.exe, Quarantined, [fa8ee728136982b4ea10f2d5dc25d52b], PUP.Optional.WebGuard.A, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\WebGuard\data2.dat, Quarantined, [f7918e810874f54129909277cf34b848], Physical Sectors: 0 (No malicious items detected) (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