BleepingComputer.com: PUP.ZUGO

please help. i don't know if i should remove it or not.
is this a dangerous malware? how does this affect my pc?

MBAM log

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 1.51.2.1300
www.malwarebytes.org

Database version: 8235

Windows 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1
Internet Explorer 9.0.8112.16421

11/24/2011 11:40:22 PM
mbam-log-2011-11-24 (23-40-17).txt

Scan type: Full scan (C:\|D:\|)
Objects scanned: 166404
Time elapsed: 31 minute(s), 46 second(s)

Memory Processes Infected: 0
Memory Modules Infected: 0
Registry Keys Infected: 1
Registry Values Infected: 0
Registry Data Items Infected: 0
Folders Infected: 0
Files Infected: 1

Memory Processes Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Memory Modules Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Keys Infected:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\StartNow Toolbar (PUP.Zugo) -> No action taken.

Registry Values Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Data Items Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Folders Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Files Infected:
c:\program files (x86)\startnow toolbar\startnowtoolbaruninstall.exe (PUP.Zugo) -> No action taken.

This post has been edited by Orange Blossom: 25 November 2011 - 03:28 AM
Reason for edit: Moved to AII. ~ OB

Hi, asitaka7270

Zugo is not dangerous, and it's not even a malware, although there are some false alerts going around (hence no "actions taken"). It's the name of the a toolbar, which you can choose to install or not. It redirects the searches and sometimes changes the home page if you don't opt out of it during installation, but that is all.

If you have installed it already, you can uninstall it as normally - either from Add/Remove program panel, or if you go to your browser's settings and uninstall addon/extension. Here are the detailed instructions: http://zugo.com/uninstall/

Hope the above helps
MM

This post has been edited by majo_mano: 25 November 2011 - 11:46 AM

Yes,click Remove Selected as that is what the "no Action taken" indicates in the MBAM log/

Reboot into Safe Mode with Networking
How to start Windows 7 in Safe Mode

Next run Superantisypware (SAS):

Download and scan with SUPERAntiSpyware Free for Home Users

• Double-click SUPERAntiSpyware.exe and use the default settings for installation.
  
• An icon will be created on your desktop. Double-click that icon to launch the program.
  
• If asked to update the program definitions, click "Yes". If not, update the definitions before scanning by selecting "Check for Updates". (If you encounter any problems while downloading the updates, manually download them from here. Double-click on the hyperlink for Download Installer and save SASDEFINITIONS.EXE to your desktop. Then double-click on SASDEFINITIONS.EXE to install the definitions.)
  
• In the Main Menu, click the Preferences... button.
  
• Click the Scanning Control tab.
  
• Under Scanner Options make sure the following are checked (leave all others unchecked):
  • Close browsers before scanning.
    
  • Scan for tracking cookies.
    
  • Terminate memory threats before quarantining.
• Click the "Close" button to leave the control center screen.
  
• Back on the main screen, under "Scan for Harmful Software" click Scan your computer.
  
• On the left, make sure you check C:\Fixed Drive.
  
• On the right, under "Complete Scan", choose Perform Complete Scan.
  
• Click "Next" to start the scan. Please be patient while it scans your computer.
  
• After the scan is complete, a Scan Summary box will appear with potentially harmful items that were detected. Click "OK".
  
• Make sure everything has a checkmark next to it and click "Next".
  
• A notification will appear that "Quarantine and Removal is Complete". Click "OK" and then click the "Finish" button to return to the main menu.
  
• If asked if you want to reboot, click "Yes".
  
• To retrieve the removal information after reboot, launch SUPERAntispyware again.
  • Click Preferences, then click the Statistics/Logs tab.
    
  • Under Scanner Logs, double-click SUPERAntiSpyware Scan Log.
    
  • If there are several logs, click the current dated log and press View log. A text file will open in your default text editor.
    
  • Please copy and paste the Scan Log results in your next reply.
• Click Close to exit the program.

If you have a problem downloading, installing or getting SAS to run, try downloading and using the SUPERAntiSpyware Portable Scanner instead. Save the randomly named file (i.e. SAS_1710895.COM) to a usb drive or CD and transfer to the infected computer. Then double-click on it to launch and scan. The file is randomly named to help keep malware from blocking the scanner.

all though i finished the scan and all, it's still in the control panel programs. should i uninstall it from there?

Yes remove it there also.

thanks for the help. <3

You should still run the SAS scan in post 3 and see if you have more ad/spyware.

You're welcome.

I had the same thing happen to me back in August. I was really worried like you were because of stuff I was reading online, but the Zugo thing really is just a toolbar that you can uninstall like majo said. I see that you did that now, so hopefully you're back in action regularly.

Once I removed it and changed my homepage back from Bing, I had no troubles..no spyware or anything. Hope you're experiencing the same results.

Quote

A Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP) is a very broad threat category which can include any number of different programs to include those which are benign as well as malicious. They may also be defined somewhat differently by various security vendors.

• Lavasoft: What are Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPS)?
  
• Eset FAQs: What are Potentially Unwanted Programs and Potentially Unsafe Applications?
  
• McAfee White Paper: Potentially Unwanted Programs
  
• Sophos: Potentially unwanted applications
  
• AVG FAQ 2340: Potentially Unwanted Programs

This type of detection does not necessarily mean the file is malware or a bad program. It means it has the potential for being misused by others or that it was simply detected as suspicious or a threat due to the security program's heuristic analysis engine. Anti-virus scanners cannot distinguish between "good" and "malicious" use of such programs, therefore they may alert you or even automatically remove them. Since these detections do not necessarily mean the file is malware or a bad program, in some cases the detection may be a "false positive".