84,488,480 programs installed

Should I remove Web Assistant?

What percent of users and experts removed it?
83% remove it17% keep it
Overall Sentiment
Bad
What do people think about it?
(click star to rate)
How common is it?
Global Rank #27,916
United States Rank #35,927
Reach 0.0056%
Lifespan of installation (until removal)
< 28.95 days
854.07 days >
Average installed length: 448.75 days

Versions

VersionDistribution
2.0.0.600 100.00%

Other programs by Perion Network

Web Assistant 2.0.0.600

What is Web Assistant?

Web Assistant installs into the IE and Firefox web browsers and provides advertisier supported searchs that changes and redircts default search results as well as DNS errors. Web Assistant becomes the browser's default search provider which changes all search requests as well as tracks your Internet surfing behavior in order display targeted advertising.

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). In the Google Chrome browser, it will add an extension. 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 2.32 MB (2,430,784 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
  • Typically distributed through a pay-per-install bundle
  • Hijacks the browser's default search provider
  • The experts agree, you should remove it!
Warning, multiple anti-virus scanners have detected possible malware in Web Assistant.
ExtensionUpdaterService.exe (e6a6b6c684e5833fa63b3e9f2e7a30a5) has been flagged by the following 8 scanners:
Anti-Virus softwareVersionDetection
ESET-NOD32 8.8943 a variant of Win32/Toolbar.BitCocktail.B
Kingsoft AntiVirus 331020.49267 Win32.Troj.Generic.a.(kcloud)
Malwarebytes v2014.01.11.03 PUP.Optional.SweetPacks.A
McAfee 5600.7254 Artemis!E6A6B6C684E5
McAfee-GW-Edition 7.7254 Artemis!E6A6B6C684E5
Sophos 4.93 BitCocktail
TrendMicro-HouseCall 7.2.11 TROJ_GEN.F47V0723
ViRobot 2011.4.7.4223 Trojan.Win32.A.Agent.188760
source.crx (8efcf544e3d5acba06944db3bf331f2d) has been flagged by the following 4 scanners:
Anti-Virus softwareSoftware versionDetection
Baidu-International 3.5.1.41473 Trojan.Win32.Agent.adBy
Clam AntiVirus 0.97.3.0 WIN.Trojan.Genome-43
ESET-NOD32 9062 Win32/Toolbar.Perion.D
TrendMicro-HouseCall 9.700.0.1001 TROJ_GEN.F47V1110
Extension32.dll (29315dbe36361a31abf7f75d57a63a76) has been flagged by the following 3 scanners:
Anti-Virus softwareSoftware versionDetection
ESET-NOD32 8944 a variant of Win32/Toolbar.Perion.A
Kingsoft AntiVirus 2013.4.9.267 Win32.Troj.Generic.a.(kcloud)
Sophos 4.93.0 BitCocktail
Extension64.dll (89ac5dc6c09cd180b05f8a9b1da4e384) has been flagged by the following 2 scanners:
Anti-Virus softwareSoftware versionDetection
Jiangmin 16.0.100 Win32/Virut.bn
Sophos 4.91.0 BitCocktail
       View all 17 all detections
Web Assistant has been found to be bundled with 3rd party software. If you have not purposefully installed this, you should be safe uninstalling it.

Program detailsProgram 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: 2.32 MB

Program filesFiles installed by Web Assistant 2.0.0.600

Program executable:ExtensionUpdaterService.exe (Malware detected)
Path:C:\Program Files\Web Assistant\ExtensionUpdaterService.exe
MD5:e6a6b6c684e5833fa63b3e9f2e7a30a5
Additional files:
  • DGChrome.exe - dgchrome
  • (Malware detected) Extension32.dll
  • (Malware detected) Extension64.dll
  • (Malware detected) ExtensionUpdaterService.exe
  • InstallerHelper.dll
  • (Malware detected) source.crx
  • unins000.exe - Setup/Uninstall

Program behaviorsBehaviors exhibited

2 Internet Explorer BHOs
  • 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).
  • 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).
Scheduled Task
  • DGChrome.exe is scheduled as a task named 'DGChrome11270 Watcher'.
Scheduled Task (Boot/Login)
  • DGChrome.exe is automatically launched at startup through a scheduled task named DGChrome24523 Watcher.
Service
  • ExtensionUpdaterService.exe runs as a service named 'Web Assistant Updater' (Web Assistant Updater).

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.
  1. 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.
  2. When you find the program Web Assistant 2.0.0.600, 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).
  3. Follow the prompts. A progress bar shows you how long it will take to remove Web Assistant.
  4. 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 2.0.0.600 you can restore them to their previous default settings.
Microsoft Internet Explorer
Mozilla Firefox
Google Chrome

OS VERSIONS
Win 7 (SP1) 85%
Win 10 2%
 
HOW IT RUNS
Windows Service? Yes
(Installs a service)
 
USER ACTIONS
Uninstall it 83%
Keep it 17%

Windows OS versionsWindows

Which Windows OS versions does it run on?
Windows 7 86.36%
Windows XP 6.36%
Windows Vista 5.45%
Windows 10 1.82%
Which OS releases does it run on?
Windows 7 Home Premium 56.36%
Windows 7 Ultimate 11.82%
Windows 7 Professional 10.91%
Microsoft Windows XP 7.27%
Windows 7 Starter 5.45%
Windows Vista Home Premiu... 4.55%

Distribution by countryGeography

25.20% of installs come from the United States
Which countries install it?
  United States 25.20%
  Germany 8.94%
  Brazil 7.32%
  Canada 6.50%
  United Kingdom 6.50%
  Spain 4.88%
  Netherlands 4.07%
  Australia 3.25%
  Italy 3.25%
  France 2.44%
  Greece 2.44%
  Israel 2.44%
  Belgium 1.63%
  DK 1.63%

OEM distributionPC manufacturers

What PC manufacturers (OEMs) have it installed?
Hewlett-Packard 36.49%
Acer 16.22%
Dell 12.16%
GIGABYTE 9.46%
Samsung 8.11%
Toshiba 5.41%
Intel 4.05%
American Megatrends 2.70%
ASUS 2.70%
Lenovo 2.70%
Common models
Dell Studio XPS 8100 2.11%
HP Pavilion dv6 Notebook ... 2.11%
Positivo MOBILE 2.11%
HP Pavilion g7 Notebook P... 2.11%
HP Pavilion g6 Notebook P... 2.11%
Hewlett-Packard p7-1127c 2.11%

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

commentsComments

user comment
No one has commented yet. Help others learn more about this software, share your comments.