qualitink 1.0.0
What is qualitink?
Qualitink is a potentially unwanted application that runs in the web browser as a toolbar and web extension. The web extension is primarily designed to take control of the user's browser in order to modify the search provider and redirect web searches to the search engine partner the publisher has a revenue relationship with. In doing so, the toolbar performs a number of behaviors in order to maximize the potential of a user to click on sponsored advertising through search. It is typically installed via a bundled offer within a 3rd-party distribution.
Functionality of the toolbar includes:
- Changing the web browser's default home page to the affiliate search portal.
- Changing the browser's search provider, built-in search box as well as the address bar.
- Ability to modify the 'new tab' functionality to launch the modified search portal page.
- Adds an alternative error page, DNS error and 'page not' found functionality.
- Adds additional functionality that is designed to protect the search and home page settings.
- May 'inject' advertising in the form of context ads, links and pop-ups.
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. The main program executable is updatequalitink.exe. Typically most users end up uninstalling this just after a few days. The software installer includes 8 files and is usually about 1.19 MB (1,252,274 bytes).
- Possible malware installed by this program
- Loads into the web browser
- Installs a Windows Service
- Typically distributed through a pay-per-install bundle
- Hijacks the web browser's home page
- Hijacks the browser's default search provider
- Generally known to have a low reputation
- The wisdom of the crowd agrees, you should remove it!
Warning, multiple anti-virus scanners have detected possible malware in qualitink.
updatequalitink.exe (c2f9b9839cf1e9fb9122c302f15e7cae) has been flagged by the following 7 scanners: |
Anti-Virus software | Version | Detection |
Dr.Web |
9.0.0.011 |
Adware.Plugin.100 |
ESET-NOD32 |
8.8963 |
a variant of MSIL/BrowseFox.A |
Kingsoft AntiVirus |
331020.49267 |
Win32.Troj.Generic.a.(kcloud) |
McAfee |
5600.7254 |
Artemis!C2F9B9839CF1 |
McAfee-GW-Edition |
7.7254 |
Artemis!C2F9B9839CF1 |
TrendMicro-HouseCall |
7.2.11 |
TROJ_GEN.F47V0927 |
VIPRE Antivirus |
22702 |
Yontoo (fs) |
qualitinkBHO.dll (a1f17eff5491d3cb0a3f9e8ab4a8eeb9) has been flagged by the following 29 scanners: |
Anti-Virus software | Software version | Detection |
Lavasoft Ad-Aware |
12.0.163.0 |
Gen:Variant.Adware.BHO.Agent.4 |
Agnitum Outpost |
5.5.1.3 |
PUA.Agent! |
Avira AntiVir |
7.11.153.48 |
APPL/BrowseFox.Gen2 |
Antiy-AVL |
0.1.0.1 |
GrayWare[AdWare:not-a-virus]/Win32.Agent |
AVG |
14.0.0.3955 |
BrowseFox.F |
Baidu-International |
3.5.1.41473 |
Adware.Win32.BrowseFox.BF |
Bitdefender |
7.2 |
Gen:Variant.Adware.BHO.Agent.4 |
Comodo Security |
18440 |
Application.Win32.Altbrowse.AK |
Dr.Web |
7.00.7.12100 |
Trojan.BPlug.17 |
Emsisoft Anti-Malware |
3.0.0.599 |
Gen:Variant.Adware.BHO.Agent.4 (B) |
ESET-NOD32 |
9896 |
a variant of Win32/BrowseFox.F |
Fortinet FortiGate |
4 |
Adware/Agent |
F-Secure |
11.0.19100.45 |
Gen:Variant.Adware.BHO.Agent.4 |
G Data |
24 |
Gen:Variant.Adware.BHO.Agent.4 |
IKARUS anti.virus |
T3.1.6.1.0 |
not-a-virus:AdWare.Win32.Agent |
K7 AntiVirus |
9.179.12305 |
Unwanted-Program ( 00454f261 ) |
K7GW |
9.179.12305 |
Unwanted-Program ( 00454f261 ) |
Kaspersky |
12.0.0.1225 |
not-a-virus:AdWare.Win32.Agent.ahbx |
Kingsoft AntiVirus |
2013.04.09.267 |
Win32.Troj.Agent.ah.(kcloud) |
Malwarebytes |
1.75.0001 |
PUP.Optional.Qualitink.A |
McAfee |
6.0.4.564 |
Artemis!A1F17EFF5491 |
McAfee-GW-Edition |
2013 |
Artemis!A1F17EFF5491 |
MicroWorld-eScan |
12.0.250.0 |
Gen:Variant.Adware.BHO.Agent.4 |
NANO AntiVirus |
0.28.0.60100 |
Riskware.Win32.Agent.crkvek |
Panda Antivirus |
10.0.3.5 |
Trj/CI.A |
Sophos |
4.98.0 |
Generic PUA KC |
SUPERAntiSpyware |
5.6.0.1032 |
Adware.BrowseFox/Variant |
TrendMicro-HouseCall |
9.700-1001 |
TROJ_GEN.F47V0519 |
VIPRE Antivirus |
29966 |
Yontoo (fs) |
View all 36 all detections

qualitink 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: qualitink
URL: qualitink.net/support
Installation folder: C:\Program Files\qualitink
Uninstaller: C:\Program Files\qualitink\qualitinkuninstall.exe
Estimated size: 1.19 MB
Files installed by qualitink 1.0.0
Program executable: | updatequalitink.exe (Malware detected) |
| qualitink |
Path: | C:\Program Files\qualitink\updatequalitink.exe |
MD5: | c2f9b9839cf1e9fb9122c302f15e7cae |
Additional files:
-
(Malware detected) qualitinkBHO.dll - qualitink
-
qualitink.Common.dll - qualitink Common
Behaviors exhibited
Internet Explorer BHO
- qualitinkBHO.dll is installed in Internet Explorer as a BHO (Browser Helper Object) under the name 'qualitink' with the class of {73ad5d47-66e5-4127-80ca-c0eedabafbcc}.
Service
- updatequalitink.exe runs as a service named 'Util qualitink' (Util qualitink).
Resource utilization averages
Show technical details
updatequalitink.exe |
Memory: | 20.51 MB | |
Total CPU: | 0.0013115625% | |
Kernel CPU: | 0.00079671% | |
User CPU: | 0.00051485% | |
CPU cycles/sec: | 146,222 | |
Switches/sec: | 1 | |
I/O reads/min: | 604 Bytes | |
How do I remove qualitink?
You can uninstall qualitink 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 qualitink 1.0.0, 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 qualitink.
- 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 qualitink 1.0.0 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 (SP1) 55%
Win Vista 0%
|
|
HOW IT RUNS
Windows Service? Yes
(Installs a service)
|
|
USER ACTIONS
 |
Uninstall it 79%
Keep it 21%
|
|
Windows
Which Windows OS versions does it run on?
Windows 7 |
63.51% |
|
Windows 10 |
22.89% |
|
Windows XP |
8.95% |
|
Windows Vista |
4.65% |
|
Which OS releases does it run on? |
Windows 7 Home Premium |
25.86% |
|
Windows 7 Ultimate |
20.86% |
|
Windows 7 Professional |
12.07% |
|
Microsoft Windows XP |
8.79% |
|
Windows 8 |
6.72% |
|
Windows 8.1 |
5.00% |
|
Geography
20.04% of installs come from the United States
Which countries install it?
United States |
20.04% |
Israel |
8.59% |
Italy |
8.41% |
MA |
5.01% |
DZ |
3.58% |
India |
3.04% |
United Kingdom |
2.86% |
Canada |
2.50% |
Saudi Arabia |
2.33% |
Australia |
2.15% |
Mexico |
2.15% |
Netherlands |
2.15% |
IQ |
1.97% |
Taiwan |
1.79% |
PC manufacturers
What PC manufacturers (OEMs) have it installed?
Dell |
23.44% |
|
Hewlett-Packard |
22.40% |
|
Acer |
19.53% |
|
ASUS |
10.42% |
|
Samsung |
6.77% |
|
Toshiba |
6.25% |
|
GIGABYTE |
4.69% |
|
Lenovo |
3.13% |
|
Intel |
1.82% |
|
American Megatrends |
0.78% |
|
Sahara |
0.78% |
|
Common models |
HP Pavilion dv6 Notebook ... |
5.03% |
|
Dell Inspiron N5110 |
4.52% |
|
HP Pavilion g6 Notebook P... |
4.02% |
|
Dell Inspiron 3521 |
3.52% |
|
Dell Dell System Inspir... |
2.01% |
|
HP Pavilion 15 Notebook P... |
2.01% |
|
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