Should I remove WS_Booster?
What percent of users and experts removed it?
86% remove it14% keep it
What do people think about it?
(click star to rate)
How common is it?
Reach 0.0006%
Lifespan of installation (until removal)
< 98.04 days
639.34 days >
Average installed length: 335.92 days
Versions
Version | Distribution |
3.2.0.1320 |
8.33% |
|
3.1.0.1559 |
8.33% |
|
3.0.0.1943 |
8.33% |
|
3.0.0.1300 |
8.33% |
|
2.3.0.1662 |
8.33% |
|
2.3.0.1575 |
8.33% |
|
2.3.0.1113 |
8.33% |
|
2.2.0.1710 |
8.33% |
|
2.1.0.1211 |
8.33% |
|
2.0.0.1964 |
8.33% |
|
2.0.0.1095 |
8.33% |
|
1.2.0.1412 |
8.33% |
|
Other programs by PremiumSoft
WS_Booster
from PremiumSoft
What is WS_Booster?
Bundled with various adware installations via the WebPick Internet Holdings bundle, SW Booster (also known as SK Enhancer) is an adware extension that injects various types of advertising in the user's web browser. This particular program is a protector module and is designed specifically to prevent the supporting web browser extensions that performs the ad-injection from being removed by the end user or other software. If the adware it is protecting is removed, the SW.Booster program will re-enable the removed software.
The software is installed typically with bundles signed by Sergey Petrov (a developer of WebPick). As a note, WebPick uses its developers to obtain and sign the files in order to prevent users from knowing the file is distributed via the WebPick InstalleRex platform.
This adware/malware also goes under the following names:
ws-enabler
sk.enhancer
ws-enabler
optimizerpro
sw-booster
Overview
The most common release is 3.2.0.1320, with over 98% of all installations currently using this version. During setup, the program registers itself to launch on boot through a Windows Schedule Task in order to automatically start-up (this is typically done to avoid any UAC prompts). The primary executable is named WS_Booster.exe. A majority of users end up uninstalling this less than a week of it being installed. The setup package generally installs about 1 files and is usually about 717.61 KB (734,831 bytes).
- Malware detected in the program
- Automatically starts with Windows
- Typically distributed through a pay-per-install bundle
- This program has a poor reputation
- The experts agree, you should remove it!
Warning, multiple anti-virus scanners have detected possible malware in WS_Booster.
WS_Booster.exe (1d283dd3ae2312eee624e8b8c46f6adb) has been flagged by the following 28 scanners: |
Anti-Virus software | Version | Detection |
AhnLab-V3 |
2014.01.09 |
Trojan/Win32.Agent |
Avira AntiVir |
7.11.124.22 |
TR/Downloader.A.988 |
avast! |
2014.9-140108 |
Win32:Agent-ASOC [Adw] |
AVG |
2015.0.3601 |
Downloader.Generic13 |
Baidu-International |
4.0.3.1418 |
Trojan.Win32.Agent.50 |
Bkav FE |
1.3.0.4613 |
W32.SauseiLTAR.Trojan |
Commtouch SDK |
5.4.1.7 |
W32/Trojan.IDAE-2984 |
Comodo Security |
17576 |
TrojWare.Win32.TrojanDownloader.Agent.AFD |
Dr.Web |
9.0.0.08 |
Trojan.DownLoad3.30962 |
ESET-NOD32 |
8.9264 |
a variant of Win32/TrojanDownloader.Agent.AFD |
Fortinet FortiGate |
1/8/2014 |
W32/Agent.AFD!tr.dldr |
G Data |
14.1.22 |
Win32.Trojan-Downloader.Agent.AU |
IKARUS anti.virus |
t3scan.2.2.29 |
Win32.SuspectCrc |
K7 AntiVirus |
13.175.10766 |
Trojan-Downloader |
K7GW |
13.175.10776 |
Trojan-Downloader ( 0048ec4f1 ) |
Kingsoft AntiVirus |
331020.49267 |
Win32.Troj.Generic.a.(kcloud) |
Malwarebytes |
v2014.01.08.11 |
PUP.Optional.MultiPlug.A |
McAfee |
5600.7257 |
RDN/Downloader.a!oi |
McAfee-GW-Edition |
7.7257 |
RDN/Downloader.a!oi |
NANO AntiVirus |
0.28.0.57029 |
Trojan.Win32.Agent.cojdgu |
Norman |
10.20140108 |
Suspicious_Gen4.FKQEC |
Panda Antivirus |
14.01.08.11 |
Trj/Genetic.gen |
Sophos |
4.96 |
Troj/Agent-AFFX |
Symantec |
1/8/2014 rev. 4 |
Trojan.Gen |
Trend Micro |
10.465.08 |
TROJ_SPNR.29L213 |
TrendMicro-HouseCall |
7.2.8 |
TROJ_SPNR.29L213 |
VIPRE Antivirus |
25218 |
Trojan.Win32.Generic!BT |
ViRobot |
2011.4.7.4223 |
Trojan.Win32.S.Agent.729600.B |
View all 28 all detections
WS_Booster has been found to be bundled with 3rd party software. If you have not purposefully installed this, you should be safe uninstalling it.
Program details
Installation folder: C:\ProgramData\hostit\ws_booster
Uninstaller: "C:\ProgramData\hostit\ws_booster\ws_booster.exe" /uninstall
Estimated size: 717.61 KB
Files installed by WS_Booster
Program executable: | WS_Booster.exe (Malware detected) |
Path: | C:\ProgramData\hostit\ws_booster\WS_Booster.exe |
MD5: | 1d283dd3ae2312eee624e8b8c46f6adb |
-
(Malware detected) WS_Booster.exe
Behaviors exhibited
Scheduled Task (Boot/Login)
- WS_Booster.exe is automatically launched at startup through a scheduled task named SW_Booster-S-2021471501.
Resource utilization averages
Show technical details
WS_Booster.exe |
Memory: | 1024 KB | |
Total CPU: | 0.0000125145% | |
Kernel CPU: | 0.00000264% | |
User CPU: | 0.00000988% | |
CPU cycles/sec: | 332 | |
I/O reads/min: | 14 Bytes | |
How do I remove WS_Booster?
You can uninstall WS_Booster 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 WS_Booster, 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 WS_Booster.
- 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.
OS VERSIONS
Win 7 (SP1) 75%
Win 10 8%
|
|
HOW IT STARTS
Scheduled task? Yes
(Runs on Windows boot)
|
|
USER ACTIONS
|
Uninstall it 86%
Keep it 14%
|
|
Windows
Which Windows OS versions does it run on?
Windows 7 |
83.33% |
|
Windows Vista |
8.33% |
|
Windows 10 |
8.33% |
|
Which OS releases does it run on? |
Windows 7 Ultimate |
33.33% |
|
Windows 7 Home Premium |
25.00% |
|
Windows 7 Professional |
16.67% |
|
Windows Vista Home Premiu... |
8.33% |
|
Windows 10 Home Single La... |
8.33% |
|
Windows 7 Home Basic |
8.33% |
|
Geography
26.67% of installs come from the United States
Which countries install it?
United States |
26.67% |
Italy |
13.33% |
United Kingdom |
6.67% |
Hungary |
6.67% |
Malaysia |
6.67% |
BG |
6.67% |
Chile |
6.67% |
Netherlands |
6.67% |
United Arab Emirates |
6.67% |
Australia |
6.67% |
Sweden |
6.67% |
PC manufacturers
What PC manufacturers (OEMs) have it installed?
Acer |
33.33% |
|
Sony |
16.67% |
|
Samsung |
16.67% |
|
Toshiba |
8.33% |
|
Dell |
8.33% |
|
Hewlett-Packard |
8.33% |
|
Lenovo |
8.33% |
|
Common models |
TOSHIBA Satellite A300 |
11.11% |
|
Acer Veriton X2610G |
11.11% |
|
HP Pavilion g4 Notebook P... |
11.11% |
|
Acer Aspire 5750G |
11.11% |
|
Sony SVF14213SAB |
11.11% |
|
Samsung 305E4A/305E5A/305... |
11.11% |
|