WebConnect
What is WebConnect?
WebConnect is a Yontoo adware variant that will hijack your web browser’s home and search pages to an unwanted search engine that serves up malware and trick-to-click ware via malvertising practices. Once installed it will add a toolbar, change your browser homepage and set your default search engine. In addition, this adware will injects advertisements in the browser, also known as an ad-injector. Ad injection will insert an add, text, banner, flash or hyperlink-over into the white space or over and existing ad in the underlying HTML. Ads can be from PCP hijacked engines with very low relevance and can serve up malware, adware or other PUP. In addition the components will track your web browser history and actions and report back to a command and control server.
Overview
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. In the Google Chrome browser, it will add an extension. The main program executable is updateWebConnect.exe. Typically most users end up uninstalling this just after a few days. The software installer includes 7 files and is usually about 66.48 MB (69,706,692 bytes).
- Possible malware installed by this program
- Loads into the web browser
- Adds a background Windows Service
- Installed as part of a co-bundle
- Injects advertisements unassociated with the underlying web page
- Generally known to have a low reputation
- The experts agree, you should remove it!
Warning, multiple anti-virus scanners have detected possible malware in WebConnect.
updateWebConnect.exe (2ce17e14f317be2fa00666cde57873f1) has been flagged by the following 17 scanners: |
Anti-Virus software | Version | Detection |
avast! |
2014.9-150816 |
MSIL:BrowseFox-CE [PUP] |
Avira |
8.3.1.6 |
ADWARE/BrowseFox.Gen7 |
AVware |
1.5.0.21 |
Yontoo (fs) |
Baidu-International |
4.0.3.15816 |
Adware.MSIL.BrowseFox.G |
Bkav FE |
1.3.0.6379 |
W32.HfsAdware |
CAT-QuickHeal |
8.15.14.00 |
PUA.Weblayers.Gen |
Cyren |
5.4.16.7 |
W32/S-c2884e20!Eldorado |
Dr.Web |
9.0.0.0228 |
Trojan.Yontoo.1734 |
ESET-NOD32 |
9.11699 |
a variant of MSIL/BrowseFox.G potentially unwanted |
F-Prot |
v6.4.7.1.166 |
W32/S-c2884e20 |
G Data |
15.8.25 |
Win32.Application.Agent.HTFIUW |
McAfee |
5600.6671 |
Artemis!2CE17E14F317 |
McAfee-GW-Edition |
7.6671 |
Artemis |
Qihoo-360 |
1.0.0.1015 |
HEUR/QVM03.0.Malware.Gen |
Tencent |
1.0.0.1 |
Trojan.Win32.Qudamah.Gen.18 |
TrendMicro-HouseCall |
7.2.228 |
Suspicious_GEN.F47V0526 |
VIPRE Antivirus |
40622 |
Yontoo (fs) |
sqlite3.exe (8d03b10f0dced524a88a3ff4b370f50d) has been flagged by the following 2 scanners: |
Anti-Virus software | Software version | Detection |
Antiy-AVL |
2.0.3.7 |
AdWare/Win32.WebCake.gen |
Bkav FE |
1.3.0.4613 |
W32.Clodc3a.Trojan.bde5 |
View all 19 all detections
WebConnect 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
Displayed publisher: Web Connect
URL: webconnect.co/support
Installation folder: C:\Program Files\WebConnect
Uninstaller: C:\Program Files\WebConnect\WebConnectuninstall.exe
Estimated size: 66.48 MB
Files installed by WebConnect
Program executable: | updateWebConnect.exe (Malware detected) |
Path: | C:\Program Files\WebConnect\updateWebConnect.exe |
MD5: | 2ce17e14f317be2fa00666cde57873f1 |
Additional files:
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WebConnectBHO.dll (by Web Connect) - WebConnect
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Microsoft.Win32.TaskScheduler.dll (by CodePlex Community) - TaskService (Task Scheduler Wrapper)
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ieakfmpjhljbpbfpldjkddkjmmgjmgon.crx
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(Malware detected) updateWebConnect.exe
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WebConnect.Common.dll - WebConnect Common
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WebConnectUninstall.exe
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(Malware detected) sqlite3.exe
Behaviors exhibited
Internet Explorer BHO
- WebConnectBHO.dll is installed in Internet Explorer as a BHO (Browser Helper Object) under the name 'WebConnect 1.0.0.7' with the class of {2316c625-b487-4410-a1a5-ff040b65245f}.
Service
- updateWebConnect.exe runs as a service named 'Update WebConnect' (Update WebConnect).
How do I remove WebConnect?
You can uninstall WebConnect 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 WebConnect, 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 WebConnect.
- 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 WebConnect 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)
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USER ACTIONS
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Uninstall it 81%
Keep it 19%
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MOST USED OS
~99%
Windows 10
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Geography
100.00% of installs come from the United States
Which countries install it?
About Yontoo Technology
Yontoo, a subsidiary/alias of ad-hijacker Sambreel, is a publisher of ad-supported web browser extensions designed to inject and display advertisements within the browser.
Publisher URL: www.yontoo.com