453 Posts

March 8th, 2005 13:00

msgale-

If you have a process called winrar.exe running on your computer and you don't use the 'winrar' archiving utility, your computer has most likely been infected with a variant of the coolwwwsearch parasite.

Any malware can be named anything - so you should check where the files of the running processes are located on your disk. If a "non-Microsoft" .exe file is located in the C:\Windows or C:\Windows\System32 folder, then there is a high risk for a virus, spyware, trojan or worm infection!


coolwwwsearch parasite has two running processes:

C:\WINDOWS\quicken.exe
C:\WINDOWS\editpad.exe

also the filenames:

c:\windows\winrar.exe
c:\windows\waol.exe.

-chik

4.8K Posts

March 9th, 2005 00:00

msgale,

I'm also thinking that the WinRAR archiver would have version info, where the CWS app probably won't (or won't match upto the file name).

-

Mike.

2 Intern

 • 

2.5K Posts

March 9th, 2005 01:00

I thak you for your responses, but since I don't believe HJT gives version info, would then need additional informations, i.e. the file properities.  The idea of checking the file's path seems to hold more promise.

4.8K Posts

March 9th, 2005 02:00

msgale,

Always glad to be of assistance.

-

Mike.

March 9th, 2005 06:00

Hey msgale,

If I do a HJT scan and I have the WinRAR archiver running, it shows
in the "Running processes" section of the HJT log as follows:

C.:\Program Files\WinRAR\winrar.exe

It would seem that the legitimate executable would be preceded in the
file path by the program folder.

It (should L, OL) follow that in the CWS version the executable would
have no program folder preceding it, i.e. C.:\Windows\wimrar.exe, or
C.:\Windows\system (32)\winrar.exe.

I guess I would be pretty suspicious if the running process showed up as C.:\Windows\winrar.exe or C.:\Windows\system (32)\winrar.exe.

Let us know what you discover, for future reference.:smileyhappy:

George a.k.a. SpotCheckBilly
 
No Events found!

Top