Windows Internet Booster

Posted: May 5, 2012

Threat Metric

The Threat Meter is a malware assessment that SpywareRemove.com's research team is able to give every identifiable malware threat. Our Threat Meter includes several criteria based off of specific malware threats to value their severity, reach and volume. The Threat Meter is able to give you a numerical breakdown of each threat's initial Threat Level, Detection Count, Volume Count, Trend Path and Percentage Impact. The overall ranking of each threat in the Threat Meter is a basic breakdown of how all threats are ranked within our own extensive malware database. The scoring for each specific malware threat can be easily compared to other emerging threats to draw a contrast in its particular severity. The Threat Meter is a useful tool in the endeavor of seeking a solution to remove a threat or pursue additional analytical research for all types of computer users.

The following fields listed on the Threat Meter containing a specific value, are explained in detail below:

Threat Level: The threat level scale goes from 1 to 10 where 10 is the highest level of severity and 1 is the lowest level of severity. Each specific level is relative to the threat's consistent assessed behaviors collected from SpyHunter's risk assessment model.

Detection Count: The collective number of confirmed and suspected cases of a particular malware threat. The detection count is calculated from infected PCs retrieved from diagnostic and scan log reports generated by SpyHunter.

Volume Count: Similar to the detection count, the Volume Count is specifically based on the number of confirmed and suspected threats infecting systems on a daily basis. High volume counts usually represent a popular threat but may or may not have infected a large number of systems. High detection count threats could lay dormant and have a low volume count. Criteria for Volume Count is relative to a daily detection count.

Trend Path: The Trend Path, utilizing an up arrow, down arrow or equal symbol, represents the level of recent movement of a particular threat. Up arrows represent an increase, down arrows represent a decline and the equal symbol represent no change to a threat's recent movement.

% Impact (Last 7 Days): This demonstrates a 7-day period change in the frequency of a malware threat infecting PCs. The percentage impact correlates directly to the current Trend Path to determine a rise or decline in the percentage.

Threat Level:	2/10
Infected PCs:	40

First Seen:	May 5, 2012
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

Windows Internet Booster is a new variant of Win32/FakeVimes, a category of fake anti-virus and general security products. Other than a new name that (inaccurately) implies that its features branch out into network optimization, Windows Internet Booster doesn't show any distinguishing characters from its ancestors and includes the usual assortment of fraudulent security pop-ups, bad system scans, browser hijacks and unwarranted software-blocking attacks. Although Windows Internet Booster keeps up a careful presentation of looking like a security-oriented program, keeping Windows Internet Booster on your PC can only cause harm due to the various security-debilitating attacks that are all typical to similar types of FakeVimes-based scamware. As such, SpywareRemove.com malware analysts suggest Windows Internet Booster's immediate deletion by way of an appropriate anti-malware scanner.

Windows Internet Booster – a New Name for the Same Scamware Fresh Off the Assembly Line

Because Windows Internet Booster copies its interface and code wholesale from previous versions of rogue anti-virus scanners of the FakeVimes family, Windows Internet Booster can effectively be considered a clone or copy of such PC threats as Privacy Guard Pro, Extra Antivirus, Fast Antivirus 2009, Presto TuneUp, Windows Security Suite, Smart Virus Eliminator, Packed.Generic.245, Volcano Security Suite, Windows Enterprise Suite, Enterprise Suite, Additional Guard, Live PC Care, PC Live Guard, Live Enterprise Suite, Security Antivirus, My Security Wall, CleanUp Antivirus, Smart Security and PrivacyGuard Pro 2.0. These modern variants of Win32/FakeVimes can all be identified by their Windows Security Center-esque appearances, their fake anti-phishing features and their forcible substitute for Windows Task Manager – a 'feature' that's called Advanced Process Control. However, SpywareRemove.com malware researchers also warn that Windows Internet Booster can take action against other programs besides Task Manager, and may block the Registry Editor or various anti-virus products.

Windows Internet Booster will claim that these applications are being blocked due to various infections or other forms of damage, but Windows Internet Booster, as scamware, doesn't have any ability to detect real PC threats, including trojans, viruses, keyloggers or other types of high-level security hazards. While Windows Internet Booster will attempt to persuade you to spend money on a purchasable registration key, SpywareRemove.com malware researchers note that there never is any good justification for sending money to the criminals behind Windows Internet Booster – particularly when appropriate anti-malware programs can remove Windows Internet Booster easily enough.

Saving Your PC from Windows Internet Booster's Phony Booster Shots

As a fake anti-virus program, Windows Internet Booster, unfortunately, gives its victims more to worry about than just software inaccessibility and fake system alerts. Because Windows Internet Booster will launch itself with Windows to conduct the following attacks, SpywareRemove.com malware experts suggest that you use any a Safe Mode boot or remote hard drive-based boot to stop the symptoms noted below before they can even start:

Online search redirects to unusual or potentially harmful websites.
Disabled UAC features that block potentially-harmful system changes.
Disabled protection from files with invalid signatures – a common trait for fraudulent PC threats that install themselves by pretending to be legitimate products.

Windows Internet Booster can also be 'registered' for free with the code '0W000-000B0-00T00-E0020,' which can provide some minor assistance with making it easy to delete Windows Internet Booster.

Use SpyHunter to Detect and Remove PC Threats

If you are concerned that malware or PC threats similar to Windows Internet Booster may have infected your computer, we recommend you start an in-depth system scan with SpyHunter. SpyHunter is an advanced malware protection and remediation application that offers subscribers a comprehensive method for protecting PCs from malware, in addition to providing one-on-one technical support service.

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Why can't I open any program including SpyHunter? You may have a malware file running in memory that kills any programs that you try to launch on your PC. Tip: Download SpyHunter from a clean computer, copy it to a USB thumb drive, DVD or CD, then install it on the infected PC and run SpyHunter's malware scanner.

Technical Details

File System Modifications

Tutorials: If you wish to learn how to remove malware components manually, you can read the tutorials on how to find malware, kill unwanted processes, remove malicious DLLs and delete other harmful files. Always be sure to back up your PC before making any changes.

The following files were created in the system:

%AppData%\NPSWF32.dll

File name: %AppData%\NPSWF32.dll
File type: Dynamic link library
Mime Type: unknown/dll
Group: Malware file

%AppData%\result.db

File name: %AppData%\result.db
Mime Type: unknown/db
Group: Malware file

%AppData%\Protector-[RANDOM].exe

File name: %AppData%\Protector-[RANDOM].exe
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Group: Malware file

Registry Modifications

The following newly produced Registry Values are:

HKEY..\..\..\..{Subkeys}HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\WarnOnHTTPSToHTTPRedirect 0HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\InspectorHKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Settings\ID 4HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Settings\net [Date of Installation]HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Settings\UID [RANDOM]HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\AAWTray.exeHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\AAWTray.exe\Debugger svchost.exeHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\AVCare.exeHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\AVCare.exe\Debugger svchost.exeHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\AVENGINE.EXEHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\AVENGINE.EXE\Debugger svchost.exeHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system\ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin 0HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system\ConsentPromptBehaviorUser 0HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\policies\system\EnableLUA 0