yes, that is considered malware.  quoted from the original site of the real wintools:

"'WToolsA.exe', 'WToolsS.exe', 'WSup.exe', 'WinTools Easy Installer' and 'WinTools' for internet explorer v2 are not our products. We do not spread viruses and trojans! Please use any antivirus program to remove viruses from your computer."

Being that you are asking about it, I can assume you arent the one that installed it.

Go to add/remove programs and see if there is an entry for WinTools. If so, uninstall it. If not then do the following:
Go to start>Settings>Control Panel>Administrative Tools>Services Look for "WinTools for IE service" in the right pane. If you find it, right click on it. Stop it by pressing the stop button. Then disable it by clicking on the startup type drop down and selecting "Disable"

Then right click on the taskbar and open taskmanager.
Go to applications and/or processes and end task on the following (WToolsS.exe should already be stopped from the above step):
WToolsAexe
WToolsS.exe
WSup.exe

Go to control panel and remove Wintools

REBOOT

i'm unsure how Wintools is getting in, but i do know it's making it's rounds and making alot of headaches in the process.  glad i was able to help

Deborah B

Thanks much. So far, that seems to do the job (it did appear in add/remove programs, and it was removed successfully) - but I still can't determine how it got installed in my system to begin with.

Let me interject the opinion that many anti-malware fighters don't trust uninstall programs written by the same folks who put the stuff on your system in the first place. Sometimes they do other things as they are supposedly 'uninstalling' their product.

I'd suggest you post a Hijackthis log so we can see what is going on under the covers. The average person has nearly 30 pieces of unknown malware on their computer. *;-)

We need you to download and install an analysis and repair tool called Hijackthis.

Go here and download the file: http://tomcoyote.com/hjt

Please unzip Hijackthis.zip into a new folder you create in the root (first) level of the C: drive. Name this folder HJT for best and safest results. (don't unzip it into a temp folder or run the file from a temp folder, or the Windows Desktop, etc...as it needs a safe folder to keep backup logs). Also when people post here and place it on the Desktop the log usually shows their full name since their Windows user profile is commonly named with their full name. We try not to disturb your privacy. *;-)

See this link for graphical instruction: http://russelltexas.com/spywareinfo/createhjtfolder.htm

See my entire Hijackthis FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) at:

http://www.russelltexas.com/spywareinfo/faqhijackthis.htm

After downloading, and unzipping the hijackthis file into a safe folder you create (preferably a folder named HJT in the first level of the C: drive)...run Hijackthis, click on the 'scan' button and then 'save log' button.

Copy and paste the contents of the text file you save into a reply to this message. A lot of posters make mistakes here in copying and pasting so reread the left info sidebar called Copy and Paste at http://www.tomcoyote.com/hjt

Special Notice! Hijackthis is a powerful tool that edits the brains of Windows (the Registry). DO NOT FIX anything in the Hijackthis log screen without assistance from the experts! Most of the line items in the scanned log are normal for Windows operation. Hijackthis should identify the vast majority of your problems and enable us to help you clean them off your system.


Stay in this thread for continuity. Reply to this message.


HTH (Hope that Helps)

Texruss

Texruss,  As you suggested I downloaded Hijackthis and I have pasted the log here (from the notepad file) - however, it contained my full name (which I wasn't crazy about posting) in one line - the last of the C:\  list which was the Documents and Settings folder - so I simply deleted my last name. Hope that doesn't present a problem. The rest of the log is here in its entirety.

Thanks for your help.

 

Logfile of HijackThis v1.97.7
Scan saved at 11:32:19 AM, on 5/26/2004
Platform: Windows XP SP1 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Nhksrv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\cisvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\CTsvcCDA.EXE
C:\Program Files\Common Files\EPSON\EBAPI\SAgent2.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\GEARSEC.EXE
C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\nvsvc32.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\MsPMSPSv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\CTHELPER.EXE
C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\navapw32.exe
C:\Program Files\EPSON\Ink Monitor\InkMonitor.exe
C:\WINDOWS\DELLMMKB.EXE
C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe
C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\ezSP_Px.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Works Shared\WkUFind.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe
C:\Program Files\Roxio\Easy CD Creator 6\DragToDisc\DrgToDsc.exe
C:\Program Files\Roxio\Easy CD Creator 6\AudioCentral\RxMon.exe
C:\documents and settings\richard eisenstein\local settings\temp\UpQrnocZ.exe
C:\Program Files\iPod\bin\iPodService.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\efax\HotTray.exe
C:\Program Files\InterVideo\Common\Bin\WinCinemaMgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\efax\Dllcmd32.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Works Shared\wkcalrem.exe
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MMAUSBCM.exe
C:\Program Files\Roxio\Easy CD Creator 6\AudioCentral\Playlist.exe
C:\Program Files\Sierra Imaging\Image Expert 2000\IXApplet.exe
C:\Palm\HOTSYNC.EXE
C:\Program Files\SMASHER\Smasher.exe
C:\Program Files\SMASHER\Smasher.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\spool\DRIVERS\W32X86\3\E_S10IC2.EXE
C:\Program Files\Netropa\OSD.exe
C:\Program Files\SysAI\SysAI.exe
C:\Program Files\Outlook Express\msimn.exe
C:\Palm\Palm.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\Richard\Local Settings\Temp\Temporary Directory 1 for hijackthis.zip\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = file://C:\WINDOWS\System32\SearchBar.htm
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.dellnet.com/
R3 - URLSearchHook: IncrediFindBHO Class - {4FC95EDD-4796-4966-9049-29649C80111D} - C:\PROGRA~1\INCRED~1\BHO\INCFIN~1.DLL
O2 - BHO: IE Agent - {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000221} - C:\Program Files\ClearSearch\CSIE.DLL (file missing)
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {000020DD-C72E-4113-AF77-DD56626C6C42} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {01C5BF6C-E699-4CD7-BEA1-786FA05C83AB} - C:\Program Files\SysAI\AproposPlugin.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {029CA12C-89C1-46a7-A3C7-82F2F98635CB} - C:\Program Files\Kontiki\bin\bh309190.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: CitiUS Shared Browser Helper Object - {387EDF53-1CF2-4523-BC2F-13462651BE8C} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\BhoCitUS.dll
O2 - BHO: NavErrRedir Class - {4FC95EDD-4796-4966-9049-29649C80111D} - C:\PROGRA~1\INCRED~1\BHO\INCFIN~1.DLL
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - c:\windows\googletoolbar2.dll
O2 - BHO: NAV Helper - {BDF3E430-B101-42AD-A544-FADC6B084872} - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {FDD3B846-8D59-4ffb-8758-209B6AD74ACC} - C:\Program Files\Microsoft Money\System\mnyviewer.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Norton AntiVirus - {42CDD1BF-3FFB-4238-8AD1-7859DF00B1D6} - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\msdxm.ocx
O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\windows\googletoolbar2.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WINDVDPatch] CTHELPER.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [UpdReg] C:\WINDOWS\UpdReg.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nwiz] nwiz.exe /install
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE NvQTwk,NvCplDaemon initialize
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NAV Agent] C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\navapw32.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Jet Detection] "C:\Program Files\Creative\SBLive\PROGRAM\ADGJDet.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Ink Monitor] C:\Program Files\EPSON\Ink Monitor\InkMonitor.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DellTouch] C:\WINDOWS\DELLMMKB.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AHQInit] C:\Program Files\Creative\SBLive\Program\AHQInit.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [iTunesHelper] C:\Program Files\iTunes\iTunesHelper.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [alchem] C:\WINDOWS\alchem.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ezShieldProtector for Px] C:\WINDOWS\System32\ezSP_Px.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Microsoft Works Update Detection] C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Works Shared\WkUFind.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TkBellExe] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Real\Update_OB\realsched.exe"  -osboot
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RoxioEngineUtility] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Roxio Shared\System\EngUtil.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RoxioDragToDisc] "C:\Program Files\Roxio\Easy CD Creator 6\DragToDisc\DrgToDsc.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [RoxioAudioCentral] "C:\Program Files\Roxio\Easy CD Creator 6\AudioCentral\RxMon.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [UpQrnocZ] C:\documents and settings\richard eisenstein\local settings\temp\UpQrnocZ.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [2LRX2W83X2T3MQ] C:\WINDOWS\System32\WkvZ.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AutoUpdater] "C:\Program Files\AutoUpdate\AutoUpdate.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Ad-watch] "C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-aware 6\Ad-watch.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WinTools] C:\Program Files\Common files\WinTools\WToolsA.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [072R3mW] mprptsvc.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Pcsv] C:\WINDOWS\system32\pcs\pcsvc.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Symantec NetDriver Monitor] C:\PROGRA~1\Symantec\LIVEUP~1\SNDMon.EXE
O4 - Startup: Camio Viewer 3.2.lnk = C:\Program Files\Sierra Imaging\Image Expert 2000\IXApplet.exe
O4 - Startup: HotSync Manager.lnk = C:\Palm\HOTSYNC.EXE
O4 - Startup: SMASHER.lnk = C:\Program Files\SMASHER\Smasher.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Adobe Gamma Loader.lnk = ?
O4 - Global Startup: eFax.com Tray Menu.lnk = C:\Program Files\Common Files\efax\HotTray.exe
O4 - Global Startup: EPSON Status Monitor 3 Environment Check 2.lnk = C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SPOOL\DRIVERS\W32X86\3\E_SRCV02.EXE
O4 - Global Startup: InterVideo WinCinema Manager.lnk = C:\Program Files\InterVideo\Common\Bin\WinCinemaMgr.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Live Menu.lnk = C:\Program Files\Common Files\efax\Dllcmd32.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Works Calendar Reminders.lnk = ?
O4 - Global Startup: MMAUSBCM.LNK = C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MMAUSBCM.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Google Search - res://c:\windows\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmsearch.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Backward &Links - res://c:\windows\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmbacklinks.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Cac&hed Snapshot of Page - res://c:\windows\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmcache.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Si&milar Pages - res://c:\windows\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmsimilar.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Translate into English - res://c:\windows\GoogleToolbar2.dll/cmtrans.html
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: MaxSpeed (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: AIM (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: Real.com (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: MoneySide (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: Messenger (HKLM)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Messenger (HKLM)
O12 - Plugin for .spop: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Plugins\NPDocBox.dll
O16 - DPF: {01A88BB1-1174-41EC-ACCB-963509EAE56B} (SysProWmi Class) - http://support.dell.com/systemprofiler/SysPro.CAB
O16 - DPF: {02BF25D5-8C17-4B23-BC80-D3488ABDDC6B} (QuickTime Object) - http://www.apple.com/qtactivex/qtplugin.cab
O16 - DPF: {11260943-421B-11D0-8EAC-0000C07D88CF} (iPIX ActiveX Control) - http://www.ipix.com/download/ipixx.cab
O16 - DPF: {1239CC52-59EF-4DFA-8C61-90FFA846DF7E} (Musicnotes Viewer) - http://www.musicnotes.com/download/mnviewer.cab
O16 - DPF: {166B1BCA-3F9C-11CF-8075-444553540000} (Shockwave ActiveX Control) - http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/director/sw.cab
O16 - DPF: {2EC77245-C97C-4F5E-80D1-9B280C4CD820} - http://download.mailfrontier.com/matador/preview/instmtdr.cab
O16 - DPF: {4E888414-DB8F-11D1-9CD9-00C04F98436A} (Microsoft.WinRep) - https://webresponse.one.microsoft.com/oas/ActiveX/winrep.cab
O16 - DPF: {56336BCB-3D8A-11D6-A00B-0050DA18DE71} - http://207.188.7.150/0378ac79e79420d1d617/netzip/RdxIE2.cab
O16 - DPF: {8EDAD21C-3584-4E66-A8AB-EB0E5584767D} - http://toolbar.google.com/data/GoogleActivate.cab
O16 - DPF: {90A29DA5-D020-4B18-8660-6689520C7CD7} (DmiReader Class) - http://ftp.us.dell.com/fixes/PROFILER.CAB
O16 - DPF: {90C9629E-CD32-11D3-BBFB-00105A1F0D68} (InstallShield International Setup Player) - http://www.napster.com/client/isetup.cab
O16 - DPF: {9F1C11AA-197B-4942-BA54-47A8489BB47F} (Update Class) - http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/CAB/x86/unicode/iuctl.CAB?37599.5949074074
O16 - DPF: {A7E092C3-692A-11D0-A7E5-08002B322F3B} (WebResponseAttachments Control) - https://webresponse.one.microsoft.com/oas/ActiveX/FileXfer.cab
O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab
O16 - DPF: {E13F1132-4CA0-4005-84D3-51406E27D269} (BTDownloadCtrl Control) - http://www.shockwave.com/content/thinktanks/BTDownloadCtrl.cab

 

You've got several fairly serious issues...a peper infection, Clearsearch, Incredifind, AproposMedia adware, and various Trojans.

Let's fix peper first...then we'll go from there:

http://www.russelltexas.com/spywareinfo/peper/pepercomments.htm

The line we are looking at is this one:

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [2LRX2W83X2T3MQ] C:\WINDOWS\System32\WkvZ.exe
Don't fix it in Hijackthis...use the instructions at the link above.

The red bracketed box contains the CLISD (unique Class Identifier) which tells us that it's a peper file as the CLSID for peper always has 14 random characters with a number between 2 and 6 for the first character.

After you run the fix run a new HJT scan and see if any new 04 entries appear with that 14 character number sequence starting with a 2,3,4,5, or 6. If so it has morphed and you'll need to fix again.

Post a fresh log after the fix as we have more to do. Before you do so...it's very important you change your C: drive folder for hijackthis as we have many line entries to fix and a backup file is created for each one. It is not safe where you have it (privacy issues of your name notwithstanding...the temp folder flat out doesn't have any safety for backups.

Please create a new folder named HJT in the first level of the C: drive. Copy or move the hijackthis executable file into the HJT folder and delete all other zip copies and extracted copies elsewhere.

See FAQ's 2,3,4 at http://www.russelltexas.com/spywareinfo/faqhijackthis.htm

All the best,

Texruss 

Texruss,

I downloaded the fix, and tried to run it, but the black command line box just popped up momentarily, then disappeared. I'm not sure how to proceed at this point. Any other options for removing the offending files?

Thanks

Recent evidence is that the 'official' peper removal tool no longer works. The tool the O^E was developing a few months ago is still effective however.

Canned fix:

You have a Peper infection, click here to download the PeperFix tool, save it to your desktop, doubleclick on it, click 'Find and Fix' and reboot if prompted.

Post a new hijackthis log after please. - DO NOT REBOOT UNTIL WE TELL YOU PLEASE - leave the computer running so that we can fix the peper line with hijackthis after you post the log.

Post a new Hijackthis log and let's take a look. Thanks to Chris...I have updated my Peper page:

Item 15 on this page:  http://www.russelltexas.com/spywareinfo/malware.htm

All the best,

Texruss

ChrisRLG,

I did as you suggested, but when I ran PeperFix it said "no pepers found". So whadya think?

Thanks much,

Eiseyboy