Web Assistant 2.0.0.572
What is Web Assistant?
Web Assistant is a web browser extension and toolbar that delivers contextual based advertising as well as modify the user's web browser home and search pages to provide advertising and search. The is typically defined as a potentially unwanted application by various malware vendors.
What the browser extension does:
- Changes the default search engine.
- Changes the default browser home page.
- Adds search from the address bar.
- Adds alternative redirection "page not found" and DNS errors.
- Displays contextual advertising by injecting banner and text ads.
Overview
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). It adds a background controller service that is set to automatically run. Delaying the start of this service is possible through the service manager. It adds a Browser Helper Object (BHO) to 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 main program executable is ExtensionUpdaterService.exe. Typically most users end up uninstalling this just after a few days. The software installer includes 7 files and is usually about 2.4 MB (2,513,227 bytes). ExtensionUpdaterService.exe is the automatic update component of the software designed to download and apply new updates should new versions be released.
- Possible malware installed by this program
- Automatically starts with Windows
- Loads into the web browser
- Installs a Windows Service
- Hijacks the web browser's home page
- The experts agree, you should remove it!
Warning, multiple anti-virus scanners have detected possible malware in Web Assistant.
| ExtensionUpdaterService.exe (2e61503cbfec0d6c81dfaf1337930d22) has been flagged by the following 8 scanners: |
| Anti-Virus software | Version | Detection |
| Antiy-AVL |
2.0.3.7 |
Trojan/Win32.Agent |
| Bkav FE |
1.3.0.4613 |
W32.Clodad7.Trojan |
| ESET-NOD32 |
8.9249 |
a variant of Win32/Toolbar.BitCocktail.B |
| K7 AntiVirus |
13.175.10735 |
Unwanted-Program |
| K7GW |
13.175.10735 |
Unwanted-Program ( 00454f261 ) |
| Malwarebytes |
v2014.01.09.03 |
PUP.Optional.SweetPacks.A |
| Sophos |
4.96 |
BitCocktail |
| ViRobot |
2011.4.7.4223 |
Trojan.Win32.A.Agent.188760 |
| DGChrome.exe (b742c116da61626fdee975b78d3b4a60) has been flagged by the following 4 scanners: |
| Anti-Virus software | Software version | Detection |
| AVware |
1.5.0.21 |
BitCocktail |
| ESET-NOD32 |
11462 |
a variant of Win32/Toolbar.Perion.J potentially unwanted |
| TrendMicro-HouseCall |
9.700.0.1001 |
Suspicious_GEN.F47V0305 |
| VIPRE Antivirus |
39276 |
BitCocktail (not malicious) |
| Extension32.dll (45987e9d47bfc3775681041f7b048178) has been flagged by the following 3 scanners: |
| Anti-Virus software | Software version | Detection |
| ESET-NOD32 |
8943 |
a variant of Win32/Toolbar.Perion.A |
| Kingsoft AntiVirus |
2013.4.9.267 |
Win32.Troj.Generic.a.(kcloud) |
| Sophos |
4.93.0 |
BitCocktail |
View all 15 all detections
Program details
Displayed publisher: IncrediBar
URL: www.incredibar.com
Installation folder: C:\Program Files\Web Assistant\
Uninstaller: "C:\Program Files\Web Assistant\unins000.exe"
Estimated size: 2.4 MB
Files installed by Web Assistant 2.0.0.572
| Program executable: | ExtensionUpdaterService.exe (Malware detected) |
| Signed by: | Bit Cocktail Ltd. |
| Path: | C:\Program Files\Web Assistant\ExtensionUpdaterService.exe |
| MD5: | 2e61503cbfec0d6c81dfaf1337930d22 |
| Plazy Updater is the software updater program which runs in the background of Windows and automatically starts up when your PC boots. It checks for software udpates and automatically downloads and installs them if found. |
Additional files:
-
(Malware detected) Extension32.dll
-
Extension64.dll
-
(Malware detected) ExtensionUpdaterService.exe
-
InstallerHelper.dll
-
(Malware detected) DGChrome.exe - dgchrome
-
lpk.dll
-
unins000.exe - Setup/Uninstall
Behaviors exhibited
2 Internet Explorer BHOs
- Extension32.dll is installed in Internet Explorer as a BHO (Browser Helper Object) under the name 'Web Assistant' with the class of {336D0C35-8A85-403a-B9D2-65C292C39087} (Web Assistant Helper).
- Extension64.dll is installed in Internet Explorer as a BHO (Browser Helper Object) under the name 'Web Assistant' with the class of {336D0C35-8A85-403a-B9D2-65C292C39087} (Web Assistant Helper).
2 Scheduled Tasks
- unins000.exe is scheduled as a task with the class '{83F493FF-E35C-4B6F-B50E-A8464A53EAD7}' (runs on registration).
- DGChrome.exe is scheduled as a task named 'DGChrome27902 Watcher'.
Scheduled Task (Boot/Login)
- DGChrome.exe is automatically launched at startup through a scheduled task named DGChrome27750 Watcher.
Service
- ExtensionUpdaterService.exe runs as a service named 'Web Assistant Updater' (Web Assistant Updater).
Resource utilization averages
Show technical details
| ExtensionUpdaterService.exe |
| Memory: | 9.14 MB | |
| Total CPU: | 0.0013190738% | |
| Kernel CPU: | 0.00090722% | |
| User CPU: | 0.00041186% | |
| Switches/sec: | 8 | |
How do I remove Web Assistant?
You can uninstall Web Assistant 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 Web Assistant 2.0.0.572, 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 Web Assistant.
- 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.
How do I reset my web browser?
If your web browser homepage and search settings have been modfied by Web Assistant 2.0.0.572 you can restore them to their previous default settings.
Microsoft Internet Explorer
- Open Internet Explorer and click the Tools button, and then click Internet options.
- Click the Advanced tab, and then click Reset. Select the Delete personal settings check box if you would also like to remove search providers, Accelerators and home pages. When Internet Explorer finishes applying default settings, click Close, and then click OK.
- The changes will take effect the next time you open IE.
Mozilla Firefox
- At the top of the Firefox window, click the Firefox button, go over to the Help sub-menu and select Troubleshooting Information.
- To continue, click Reset Firefox in the confirmation window that opens. It will close and be reset.
- When it's done, a window will list the information that was imported. Click Finish and Firefox will open.
Google Chrome
- Open Chrome and click the Chrome menu on the browser toolbar.
- Select Settings. In the "Search" section, click Manage search engine. Check if (Default) is displayed next to your preferred search engine. If not, mouse over it and click Make default. Mouse over any other suspicious search engine entries that are not familiar and click X to remove them.
- When the "Show Home button" checkbox is selected, a web address appears below it. If you want the Homepage button to open up a different webpage, click Change to enter a link.
- Restart Google Chrome.
HOW IT RUNS
Windows Service? Yes
(Installs a service)
|
|
USER ACTIONS
 |
Uninstall it 78%
Keep it 22%
|
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GLOBAL RANK
 #8,592
|
Windows
Which Windows OS versions does it run on?
| Windows 7 |
81.76% |
|
| Windows XP |
8.34% |
|
| Windows Vista |
7.23% |
|
| Windows 10 |
2.67% |
|
Which OS releases does it run on? |
| Windows 7 Home Premium |
53.74% |
|
| Windows 7 Ultimate |
14.08% |
|
| Windows 7 Professional |
8.49% |
|
| Microsoft Windows XP |
8.16% |
|
| Windows Vista Home Premiu... |
5.14% |
|
| Windows 7 Home Basic |
2.57% |
|
Geography
29.89% of installs come from the United States
Which countries install it?
| United States |
29.89% |
| United Kingdom |
5.70% |
| Canada |
4.62% |
| Germany |
4.23% |
| Taiwan |
4.13% |
| Australia |
3.54% |
| Italy |
3.54% |
| Sweden |
3.24% |
| India |
2.95% |
| France |
2.85% |
| Belgium |
2.16% |
| Brazil |
2.16% |
| Netherlands |
1.87% |
| Czech Republic |
1.47% |
PC manufacturers
What PC manufacturers (OEMs) have it installed?
| Hewlett-Packard |
29.59% |
|
| Dell |
19.43% |
|
| Acer |
18.18% |
|
| ASUS |
10.70% |
|
| Toshiba |
9.45% |
|
| GIGABYTE |
5.17% |
|
| Samsung |
2.67% |
|
| Lenovo |
1.96% |
|
| American Megatrends |
1.43% |
|
| Intel |
1.43% |
|
Common models |
| HP Pavilion g6 Notebook P... |
7.37% |
|
| HP Pavilion dv6 Notebook ... |
6.41% |
|
| HP Pavilion dv7 Notebook ... |
4.49% |
|
| Dell Inspiron N5110 |
2.56% |
|
| TOSHIBA SATELLITE C660 |
2.56% |
|
| HP Pavilion g7 Notebook P... |
2.24% |
|
About Perion Network
Perion Network, formerly IncrediMail, is a consumer software company that develops programs to "make people's online experience simple, safe and enjoyable".
Publisher URL: www.perion.com