Hotbar installation & Zone Alarm

  • Thread starter Thread starter andersohlsson
  • Start date Start date
A

andersohlsson

Hi!

HbInst.exe is trying to access the Internet I was told by Zone Alarm.
Curious by this I searched for info and found out that it is a Hotbar
feature. I had problems with adware's before which required a
re-install of XP...

So I told Zone Alarm (ver 5.1.011.000) to remember not to allow this
program to access the Internet. I also blocked it in the programs list
provided by ZA.

I searched for some registry keys (see thread:
http://groups.google.com/[email protected]&rnum=7)
to see if I had any of the software installed on my machine, but I was
lucky not to have it. I also changed the attribute on the file folders
keeping the installer and DLL's in order to be able to delete the
files and finally emptied the Trash bin.

Hope fully this will keep HB from my machine...

BR
andes
 
Suggest that you install and run both Ad-Aware Personal se
and SpyBot Search and Destroy. SpyBot will also do an
immunization for those evil programs.
SpyBot and Ad-Aware are both available from
www.majorgeeks.com on the spyware tools link.
The home [age for each Ad-Aware www.lavasoftusa.com or
www.lavasoft.de
SpyBot www.safer-networking.org

Also, SpywareBlaster from Javacool and SpySites from
Camtech2000 are useful.


--
The people think the Constitution protects their rights;
But government sees it as an obstacle to be overcome.


| Hi!
|
| HbInst.exe is trying to access the Internet I was told by
Zone Alarm.
| Curious by this I searched for info and found out that it
is a Hotbar
| feature. I had problems with adware's before which
required a
| re-install of XP...
|
| So I told Zone Alarm (ver 5.1.011.000) to remember not to
allow this
| program to access the Internet. I also blocked it in the
programs list
| provided by ZA.
|
| I searched for some registry keys (see thread:
|
http://groups.google.com/[email protected]&rnum=7)
| to see if I had any of the software installed on my
machine, but I was
| lucky not to have it. I also changed the attribute on the
file folders
| keeping the installer and DLL's in order to be able to
delete the
| files and finally emptied the Trash bin.
|
| Hope fully this will keep HB from my machine...
|
| BR
| andes
 
Just so you, and other people know, if you were using only the Windows XP
firewall (even the new one in SP2) that file would have been able to
communicate to the internet. You don't know what would have happened had it
been successful. The XP firewall DOES NOT block outgoing as ZoneAlarm does!

--
Regards:

Richard Urban

aka Crusty (-: Old B@stard :-)
 
Dealing with Trojans & Hijackware

A. Trojans

1. Check in at Windows Update and install all critical updates & reboot.

2. Download and run Stinger (http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/); then...

3. Update your virus definitions, enable Show Hidden Files
(http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2002092715262339)
and then run a full system scan in Safe Mode
(http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2001052409420406)
with nothing else running in background. Note the files identified and
removed then find the corresponding page for the file at your AV maker's
online support pages (e.g.,
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/adware.winfavorites.html)
and follow *all* Removal steps, including editing the Registry if directed.

WinXP Only (WinME similar): If this scan finds anything, create a new
Restore Point then:

Disk Cleanup > More options > Delete all but the most recent Restore
Point.

B. Hijackware

Help with Hijackware
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm
http://aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/Darnit.htm

CoolWebSearch Chronicles
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/cwschronicles.html

Run these tools in the following order with nothing else running in
background:

1. CWShredder v1.59.1 (no updates available currently; fix all found)

2. Ad-Aware SE (reconfigure per Post #2 in
http://aumha.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5877; fix all found)

3. Spybot (RTFM but generally fix everything in red)

Important: You must seek updates for Ad-Aware, Spybot, etc., before each and
every use, even "right out of the box". But even they can't catch
everything, 24/7. When all else fails, HijackThis
(http://forum.aumha.org/downloads/hijackthis.zip) is the preferred tool to
use. It will help you to both identify and remove any hijackware/spyware.
**Post your files to http://forums.spywareinfo.com/ or
http://forum.aumha.org/viewforum.php?f=30 for expert analysis, not here.**

[Alternate download pages for many of the above tools may be found at
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm.]

So How Did I Get Infected Anyway?
http://boards.cexx.org/viewtopic.php?t=957

--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE), AH-VSOP

Are You Ready for WinXP SP2?
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

WinXP SP2 Release Notes
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;835935

AumHa Forums
http://forum.aumha.org
 
What you are also needing to verify after uninstalling Hotbar is that these
extensions are removed. If not, you will have issues within XP. The
automated edit is listed as well.

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.dllGetPromo&El=hotbar%5felement%3bimg%3bst%3b&SG=&RAND=1]
@="dllGetPromo&El=hotbar%5felement%3bimg%3bst%3b&SG=&RA_auto_file"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.JPG&YY=67368&order=down&sort=date&pos=0]
@="JPG&YY=67368&order=down&sort=date&pos=0_auto_file"

Hotbar - Explorer/New Freezes (Line 206)
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/xp_tweaks.htm





PA Bear said:
Dealing with Trojans & Hijackware

A. Trojans

1. Check in at Windows Update and install all critical updates & reboot.

2. Download and run Stinger (http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/); then...

3. Update your virus definitions, enable Show Hidden Files
(http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2002092715262339)
and then run a full system scan in Safe Mode
(http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2001052409420406)
with nothing else running in background. Note the files identified and
removed then find the corresponding page for the file at your AV maker's
online support pages (e.g.,
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/adware.winfavorites.html)
and follow *all* Removal steps, including editing the Registry if
directed.

WinXP Only (WinME similar): If this scan finds anything, create a new
Restore Point then:

Disk Cleanup > More options > Delete all but the most recent Restore
Point.

B. Hijackware

Help with Hijackware
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm
http://aumha.org/a/quickfix.htm
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/Darnit.htm

CoolWebSearch Chronicles
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/cwschronicles.html

Run these tools in the following order with nothing else running in
background:

1. CWShredder v1.59.1 (no updates available currently; fix all found)

2. Ad-Aware SE (reconfigure per Post #2 in
http://aumha.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5877; fix all found)

3. Spybot (RTFM but generally fix everything in red)

Important: You must seek updates for Ad-Aware, Spybot, etc., before each
and every use, even "right out of the box". But even they can't catch
everything, 24/7. When all else fails, HijackThis
(http://forum.aumha.org/downloads/hijackthis.zip) is the preferred tool to
use. It will help you to both identify and remove any hijackware/spyware.
**Post your files to http://forums.spywareinfo.com/ or
http://forum.aumha.org/viewforum.php?f=30 for expert analysis, not here.**

[Alternate download pages for many of the above tools may be found at
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm.]

So How Did I Get Infected Anyway?
http://boards.cexx.org/viewtopic.php?t=957

--
~Robear Dyer (PA Bear)
MS MVP-Windows (IE/OE), AH-VSOP

Are You Ready for WinXP SP2?
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx

WinXP SP2 Release Notes
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;835935

AumHa Forums
http://forum.aumha.org

Hi!

HbInst.exe is trying to access the Internet I was told by Zone Alarm.
Curious by this I searched for info and found out that it is a Hotbar
feature. I had problems with adware's before which required a
re-install of XP...

So I told Zone Alarm (ver 5.1.011.000) to remember not to allow this
program to access the Internet. I also blocked it in the programs list
provided by ZA.

I searched for some registry keys (see thread:
http://groups.google.com/[email protected]&rnum=7)
to see if I had any of the software installed on my machine, but I was
lucky not to have it. I also changed the attribute on the file folders
keeping the installer and DLL's in order to be able to delete the
files and finally emptied the Trash bin.

Hope fully this will keep HB from my machine...

BR
andes
Click to expand...
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