Should I remove Gamescouk Toolbar?

What percent of users and experts removed it?

79% remove it21% keep it

Overall Sentiment

Bad

What do people think about it?

(click star to rate)

How common is it?

Reach <0.001%

Versions

Version	Distribution
5.7.2.2	100.00%

Other programs by Conduit

Gamescouk Toolbar

from Conduit Ltd.

Remove Gamescouk Toolbar by Conduit

What is Gamescouk Toolbar?

This is a potentially unwanted (PUP) web browser toolbar that bundles and installs additional software such as Search Protect. "Search Protect is a free desktop application designed to help you maintain your selected browser settings, including your home page, default search and new tab, and prevent third parties from changing these settings without your permission."

Overview

Upon being installed, the software adds a Windows Service which is designed to run continuously in the background. Manually stopping the service has been seen to cause the program to stop functing properly. It adds a background controller service that is set to automatically run. Delaying the start of this service is possible through the service manager. The program adds a toolbar to Microsoft Internet Explorer. A scheduled task is added to Windows Task Scheduler in order to launch the program at various scheduled times (the schedule varies depending on the version). The software is designed to connect to the Internet and adds a Windows Firewall exception in order to do so without being interfered with. The primary executable is named GamescoukToolbarHelper.exe. A majority of users end up uninstalling this less than a week of it being installed. It also bundles additional software in the form of the Conduit Engine, which installs a potentially unwanted toolbar, and makes homepage and default search engine changes to a user's web browser. The setup package generally installs about 3 files and is usually about 2.8 MB (2,935,187 bytes).

Malware detected in the program
Integrates into the web browser
This toolbar is distributed via Conduit (potentially unwanted)
Adds a background Windows Service
Hijacks the web browser's home page
Most users and experts agree, you should remove it!

Warning, multiple anti-virus scanners have detected possible malware in Gamescouk Toolbar.

GamescoukToolbarHelper.exe (a320df2b47cfcaf98d06eb59cd72084c) has been flagged by the following 5 scanners:
Anti-Virus software	Version	Detection
Bkav FE	1.3.0.6379	W32.HfsAdware
Dr.Web	9.0.0.0103	Adware.Conduit.300
G Data	14.11.25	Win32.Adware.Conduit
IKARUS anti.virus	t3scan.1.6.1.0	PUA.ClientConnect
Panda Antivirus	14.01.11.10	PUP/Conduit.A
tbGame.dll (469b44ae63d2ae02b512ec92c64d4a06) has been flagged by the following 4 scanners:
Anti-Virus software	Software version	Detection
Bkav FE	1.3.0.4246	HW32.Stranact.rwyk
ESET-NOD32	9314	a variant of Win32/Toolbar.Conduit.B
Panda Antivirus	10.0.3.5	Adware/Conduit
VIPRE Antivirus	25620	Conduit (fs)

Program details

Displayed publisher: Gamescouk

URL: GamescoukToolbar.OurToolbar.com

Help link: GamescoukToolbar.OurToolbar.com/help

Installation folder: C:\Program Files\Gamescouk

Uninstaller: C:\Program Files2\GAMESC~1\UNWISE.EXE /U C:\Program Files2\GAMESC~1\INSTALL.LOG

(Wise Installer is used for installing and uninstalling this software.)

Estimated size: 2.8 MB

This is a Community Toolbar by Conduit, what does that mean?

Conduit is a toolbar monetization platform for software publishers. It provides a utility for developers to create branded generic web browser toolbars. Publishers can bundle these toolbars with their software programs or provide access to download them separately through GamescoukToolbar.OurToolbar.com. Once installed, the toolbar modifies the browser's home page and search settings in order to redirect searches through the Conduit portal (which utilizes Bing or Yahoo! Search engines). Read more...

Files installed by Gamescouk Toolbar

Program executable:	GamescoukToolbarHelper.exe (Malware detected)
Path:	C:\Program Files\Gamescouk\GamescoukToolbarHelper.exe
MD5:	a320df2b47cfcaf98d06eb59cd72084c

Additional files:

(Malware detected) tbGame.dll - Conduit Toolbar
(Malware detected) GamescoukToolbarHelper.exe
UNWISE.EXE

Behaviors exhibited

Internet Explorer BHO

tbGame.dll is installed in Internet Explorer as a BHO (Browser Helper Object) under the name 'ToggleSW Toolbar' with the class of {6dabbda0-1da5-4a2f-bc89-2ae084c572fa}.

Internet Explorer Bar

tbGame.dll installs an Explorer Bar in Internet Explorer called 'HotSpot International Findbar' with a class of {E7B933F6-FC68-4603-8C33-69AF90051503}.

Internet Explorer Toolbar

tbGame.dll is loaded as Internet Explorer Toolbar with the name 'ToggleSW Toolbar' with the class of {6dabbda0-1da5-4a2f-bc89-2ae084c572fa}.

Internet Explorer URL Search Hook

tbGame.dll loads into IE as a URL Search Hook named 'ToggleSW Toolbar' with a class of {6dabbda0-1da5-4a2f-bc89-2ae084c572fa} in order to redirect unknown URL searches.

Internet Explorer Web Browser

tbGame.dll installs an IE Web Browser in Internet Explorer named 'ToggleSW Toolbar' with a class of {6DABBDA0-1DA5-4A2F-BC89-2AE084C572FA}.

2 Scheduled Tasks

UNWISE.EXE is scheduled as a task with the class '{F71A9918-1861-4EFE-AE94-530BDDE46DD4}' (runs on registration).
GamescoukToolbarHelper.exe is scheduled as a task with the class '{B8E8E278-F25D-478A-BAB2-24A5EDB01F6C}' (runs on registration).

Service

UNWISE.EXE runs as a service named 'Browser System Enahncer' (671c50b0).

Windows Firewall Allowed Program

UNWISE.EXE is added as a firewall exception for 'C:\Program Files1\Yahoo!\MESSEN~1\UNWISE.EXE'.

How do I remove Gamescouk Toolbar?

You can uninstall Gamescouk Toolbar from your computer by using the Add/Remove Program feature in the Window's Control Panel.

On the Start menu (for Windows 8, right-click the screen's bottom-left corner), click Control Panel, and then, under Programs, do one of the following:

Windows Vista/7/8/10: Click Uninstall a Program.
Windows XP: Click Add or Remove Programs.

When you find the program Gamescouk Toolbar, click it, and then do one of the following:

Windows Vista/7/8/10: Click Uninstall.
Windows XP: Click the Remove or Change/Remove tab (to the right of the program).

Follow the prompts. A progress bar shows you how long it will take to remove Gamescouk Toolbar.
If for some reason uninstallation fails, please install Microsoft's uninstall fixer utility which will help fix problems with programs that can't be uninstalled at support.microsoft.com.