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Content is republished with permission from Malwarebytes.

What is MS Total Security?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that MS Total Security is a "system optimizer". These so-called "system optimizers" use intentional false positives to convince users that their systems have problems. Then they try to sell you their software, claiming it will remove these problems.
More information can be found on our Malwarebytes Labs blog.

How do I know if I am infected with MS Total Security?

This is how the main screen of the system optimizer looks:



you may see these icons on your desktop and in your taskbar:



and you may see this warning during install:



and these screens during "operations":





You may see these entries in your list of installed programs:



How did MS Total Security get on my computer?

These so-called system optimizers use different methods of getting installed. This particular one was downloaded from their website:



How do I remove MS Total Security?

Our program Malwarebytes can detect and remove this potentially unwanted application.

• Please download Malwarebytes to your desktop.
• Double-click mb3-setup-consumer-{version}.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
• Then click Finish.
• Once the program has fully updated, select Scan Now on the Dashboard. Or select the Threat Scan from the Scan menu.
• If another update of the definitions is available, it will be implemented before the rest of the scanning procedure.
• When the scan is complete, make sure that all Threats are selected, and click Remove Selected.
• Restart your computer when prompted to do so.

Is there anything else I need to do to get rid of MS Total Security?

• No, Malwarebytes removes MS Total Security completely.

How would the full version of Malwarebytes help protect me?

We hope our application and this guide have helped you eradicate this system optimizer.

As you can see below the full version of Malwarebytes would have protected you against the MS Total Security installer. It would have warned you before the application could install itself, giving you a chance to stop it before it became too late.

Technical details for experts

You may see these entries in FRST logs:

(MS SOFT SOLUTIONS LTD) [File not signed] C:\Program Files\MS SOFT SOLUTIONS LTD\MS Total Security\MSTS.exe
HKLM\...\Run: [MSTS] => C:\Program Files\MS SOFT SOLUTIONS LTD\MS Total Security\MSTS.exe [2034688 2018-02-03] (MS SOFT SOLUTIONS LTD) [File not signed]
HKLM\...\Run: [iGKlP] => C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\iGKlPSetup\iGKlP.exe [37888 2017-11-10] (Hewlett-Packard) [File not signed]
C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard
C:\Users\{username} Analyst\Desktop\MS Total Security.lnk
C:\Users\{username} Analyst\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\MS Total Security.lnk
C:\Program Files\MS SOFT SOLUTIONS LTD

iGKlPSetup (HKLM\...\{63EA1C6B-895D-43AE-BC17-20809BF1D0B8}) (Version: 1.0.0 - Hewlett-Packard)
MS Total Security (HKLM\...\{DDB1355A-8EC8-40A3-9BF0-E93AAF7D9FF2}) (Version: 1.0.0 - MS SOFT SOLUTIONS LTD)

Malwarebytes log:

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 7/31/19
Scan Time: 3:17 AM
Log File: 57dc4f52-b37c-11e9-b270-080027b43158.json

-Software Information-
Version: 3.8.3.2965
Components Version: 1.0.613
Update Package Version: 1.0.11789
License: Free

-System Information-
OS: Windows 8.1
CPU: x86
File System: NTFS
User: MalwareAnalysis\{username} Analyst

-Scan Summary-
Scan Type: Threat Scan
Scan Initiated By: Manual
Result: Completed
Objects Scanned: 174594
Threats Detected: 28
Threats Quarantined: 28
Time Elapsed: 7 min, 49 sec

-Scan Options-
Memory: Enabled
Startup: Enabled
Filesystem: Enabled
Archives: Enabled
Rootkits: Disabled
Heuristics: Enabled
PUP: Detect
PUM: Detect

-Scan Details-
Process: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Module: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Key: 3
PUP.Optional.MSTotalSecurity, HKLM\SOFTWARE\MSTS\INSTALLED, Quarantined, [3044], [711723],1.0.11789
PUP.Optional.MSTotalSecurity, HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\UNINSTALL\{63EA1C6B-895D-43AE-BC17-20809BF1D0B8}, Quarantined, [3044], [713250],1.0.11789
PUP.Optional.MSTotalSecurity, HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\UNINSTALL\{DDB1355A-8EC8-40A3-9BF0-E93AAF7D9FF2}, Quarantined, [3044], [712622],1.0.11789

Registry Value: 5
PUP.Optional.MSTotalSecurity, HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\RUN|IGKLP, Quarantined, [3044], [712608],1.0.11789
PUP.Optional.MSTotalSecurity, HKLM\SOFTWARE\MSTS\INSTALLED|PATH, Quarantined, [3044], [711723],1.0.11789
PUP.Optional.MSTotalSecurity, HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\RUN|MSTS, Quarantined, [3044], [712604],1.0.11789
PUP.Optional.MSTotalSecurity, HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\UNINSTALL\{63EA1C6B-895D-43AE-BC17-20809BF1D0B8}|DISPLAYNAME, Quarantined, [3044], [713250],1.0.11789
PUP.Optional.MSTotalSecurity, HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\UNINSTALL\{DDB1355A-8EC8-40A3-9BF0-E93AAF7D9FF2}|DISPLAYNAME, Quarantined, [3044], [712622],1.0.11789

Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Data Stream: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folder: 2
PUP.Optional.MSTotalSecurity, C:\PROGRAM FILES\MS SOFT SOLUTIONS LTD\MS TOTAL SECURITY, Quarantined, [3044], [712604],1.0.11789
PUP.Optional.MSTotalSecurity, C:\PROGRAM FILES\HEWLETT-PACKARD\IGKLPSETUP, Quarantined, [3044], [712605],1.0.11789

File: 16
PUP.Optional.MSTotalSecurity, C:\USERS\{username} ANALYST\DESKTOP\MS TOTAL SECURITY.LNK, Quarantined, [3044], [711721],1.0.11789
PUP.Optional.MSTotalSecurity, C:\USERS\{username} ANALYST\DESKTOP\MSTSSETUP.MSI, Quarantined, [3044], [711722],1.0.11789
PUP.Optional.MSTotalSecurity, C:\USERS\{username} ANALYST\APPDATA\ROAMING\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\START MENU\PROGRAMS\MS TOTAL SECURITY.LNK, Quarantined, [3044], [711720],1.0.11789
PUP.Optional.MSTotalSecurity, C:\PROGRAM FILES\HEWLETT-PACKARD\IGKLPSETUP\IGKLP.EXE, Quarantined, [3044], [712608],1.0.11789
PUP.Optional.MSTotalSecurity, C:\Program Files\MS SOFT SOLUTIONS LTD\MS Total Security\favico.ico, Quarantined, [3044], [712604],1.0.11789
PUP.Optional.MSTotalSecurity, C:\Program Files\MS SOFT SOLUTIONS LTD\MS Total Security\iGKlPSetup.exe, Quarantined, [3044], [712604],1.0.11789
PUP.Optional.MSTotalSecurity, C:\Program Files\MS SOFT SOLUTIONS LTD\MS Total Security\iGKlPSetup.msi, Quarantined, [3044], [712604],1.0.11789
PUP.Optional.MSTotalSecurity, C:\Program Files\MS SOFT SOLUTIONS LTD\MS Total Security\MSTS.exe, Quarantined, [3044], [712604],1.0.11789
PUP.Optional.MSTotalSecurity, C:\Program Files\MS SOFT SOLUTIONS LTD\MS Total Security\MSTS.exe.config, Quarantined, [3044], [712604],1.0.11789
PUP.Optional.MSTotalSecurity, C:\Program Files\MS SOFT SOLUTIONS LTD\MS Total Security\MSTS.InstallState, Quarantined, [3044], [712604],1.0.11789
PUP.Optional.MSTotalSecurity, C:\Program Files\MS SOFT SOLUTIONS LTD\MS Total Security\MySql.Data.dll, Quarantined, [3044], [712604],1.0.11789
PUP.Optional.MSTotalSecurity, C:\Program Files\MS SOFT SOLUTIONS LTD\MS Total Security\setup.exe, Quarantined, [3044], [712604],1.0.11789
PUP.Optional.MSTotalSecurity, C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\iGKlPSetup\iGKlP.exe.config, Quarantined, [3044], [712605],1.0.11789
PUP.Optional.MSTotalSecurity, C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\iGKlPSetup\iGKlP.InstallState, Quarantined, [3044], [712605],1.0.11789
PUP.Optional.MSTotalSecurity, C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\iGKlPSetup\MySql.Data.dll, Quarantined, [3044], [712605],1.0.11789
PUP.Optional.MSTotalSecurity, C:\USERS\{username} ANALYST\DESKTOP\MSTS.EXE, Quarantined, [3044], [711725],1.0.11789

Physical Sector: 0
(No malicious items detected)

WMI: 0
(No malicious items detected)


(end)

As mentioned before the full version of Malwarebytes 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.