Should I remove Website Hit Counters Toolbar?
What percent of users and experts removed it?
77% remove it23% keep it
What do people think about it?
(click star to rate)
How common is it?
Reach 0.0001%
Versions
Version | Distribution |
6.8.0.8 |
50.00% |
|
5.7.2.2 |
50.00% |
|
Website Hit Counters Toolbar
from Website Hit Counters
What is Website Hit Counters Toolbar?
Website Hit Counters Toolbar is a Conduit powered search toolbar and Browser helper Object (for IE) that delivers contextual based advertising to the web browser. In addition it will modify the user's browser home and search pages as well as 'New Tab' pages to push advertising and search.
Overview
The most common release is 6.8.0.8, with over 98% of all installations currently using this version. 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 primary executable is named tbWebs.dll. 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 10 files and is usually about 12.89 MB (13,514,705 bytes).
- Malware detected in the program
- Integrates into the web browser
- This toolbar is distributed via Conduit (potentially unwanted)
- The experts agree, you should remove it!
Warning, multiple anti-virus scanners have detected possible malware in Website Hit Counters Toolbar.
tbWebs.dll (469b44ae63d2ae02b512ec92c64d4a06) has been flagged by the following 4 scanners: |
Anti-Virus software | Version | Detection |
Bkav FE |
1.3.0.4246 |
HW32.Stranact |
ESET-NOD32 |
7.9314 |
a variant of Win32/Toolbar.Conduit.B |
Panda Antivirus |
14.01.26.11 |
Adware/Conduit |
VIPRE Antivirus |
25620 |
Conduit (fs) |
Website_Hit_CountersToolbarHelper.exe (a320df2b47cfcaf98d06eb59cd72084c) has been flagged by the following 5 scanners: |
Anti-Virus software | Software version | Detection |
Bkav FE |
1.3.0.6379 |
W32.HfsAdware.C534 |
Dr.Web |
7.0.12.3050 |
Adware.Conduit.300 |
G Data |
25 |
Win32.Adware.Conduit.B |
IKARUS anti.virus |
T3.1.6.1.0 |
PUA.ClientConnect |
Panda Antivirus |
4.6.4.2 |
PUP/Conduit.A |
Program details
URL: WebsiteHitCounters.OurToolbar.com
Help link: WebsiteHitCounters.OurToolbar.com/help
Installation folder: C:\Program Files\website_hit_counters
Uninstaller: C:\Program Files\Website_Hit_Counters\uninstall.exe
Estimated size: 12.89 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 WebsiteHitCounters.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...Each publisher enters into a 'Publisher Agreement' with Conduit which defines the revenue structure, known as the 'incentive amount', to be paid each calendar month in which the user has an active toolbar installed. Typically payout is based on the geographic origin of the user and ranges from $2 for a US user per month to just a few cents for other countries. Is it considered dangerous? Well, it's not malware or even spyware, however it changes the browser’s search provider in order to display, but if you read the EULA that is mentioned and presumably agreed on when installing. Users should decide if you need the functionality the toolbar has to offer. But remember, if you uninstall it make sure you reset your web browser, see how.
Files installed by Website Hit Counters Toolbar
Program module: | tbWebs.dll (Malware detected) |
Name: | Conduit Toolbar |
Signed by: | Conduit Ltd. |
Path: | C:\Program Files\website_hit_counters\tbWebs.dll |
MD5: | 469b44ae63d2ae02b512ec92c64d4a06 |
Additional files:
-
uninstall.exe (by Conduit) - Conduit Engine Uninstall
-
(Malware detected) Website_Hit_CountersToolbarHelper.exe - ToolbarH Application
-
tbWebs.dll (by Conduit) - Conduit Toolbar
Behaviors exhibited
Internet Explorer BHO
- tbWebs.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
- tbWebs.dll installs an Explorer Bar in Internet Explorer called 'HotSpot International Findbar' with a class of {E7B933F6-FC68-4603-8C33-69AF90051503}.
Internet Explorer Toolbar
- tbWebs.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
- tbWebs.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
- tbWebs.dll installs an IE Web Browser in Internet Explorer named 'ToggleSW Toolbar' with a class of {6DABBDA0-1DA5-4A2F-BC89-2AE084C572FA}.
2 Scheduled Tasks
- uninstall.exe is scheduled as a task with the class '{42CD7A24-AF4B-44A0-A119-1C6F9B6E2A90}' (runs on registration).
- Website_Hit_CountersToolbarHelper.exe is scheduled as a task with the class '{B8E8E278-F25D-478A-BAB2-24A5EDB01F6C}' (runs on registration).
Resource utilization averages
Show technical details
Website_Hit_CountersToolbarHelper.exe |
Total CPU: | 0.4892737327% | |
Kernel CPU: | 0.29804920% | |
User CPU: | 0.19122453% | |
How do I remove Website Hit Counters Toolbar?
You can uninstall Website Hit Counters 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 Website Hit Counters 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 Website Hit Counters 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.
How do I reset my web browser?
If your web browser homepage and search settings have been modfied by Website Hit Counters Toolbar 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.
OS VERSIONS
Win 7 50%
Win 7 (SP1) 50%
|
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HOW DOES IT RUN?
|
Plugs into Internet Explorer
|
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USER ACTIONS
|
Uninstall it 77%
Keep it 23%
|
|
Windows
Which Windows OS versions does it run on?
Windows 7 |
100.00% |
|
Which OS releases does it run on? |
Windows 7 Home Premium |
50.00% |
|
Windows 7 Enterprise |
50.00% |
|
Geography
80.00% of installs come from the United States
Which countries install it?
United States |
80.00% |
Jordan |
20.00% |
PC manufacturers
What PC manufacturers (OEMs) have it installed?
Hewlett-Packard |
50.00% |
|
Dell |
50.00% |
|