BleepingComputer.com: How To Remove Spyware Sheriff And Antispylab

How to remove Spyware Sheriff and Antispylab
Credits: S!ri for the creation of the SmitFraudFix program.



Skip introduction and go directly to the fix.


What this infection does:

Spyware Sheriff is an alleged antispyware application that uses Trojans and other malware into tricking or scaring you into purchasing it. If you are infected with this malware, your Internet Explorer home page will be reset to about:blank and display a fake Windows Security Center alert stating that you are possibly infected. When you click on the button on this page it will bring you to the site antispylab.com which attempts to sell you either Spyware Sheriff, Adware Sheriff, or Regfreeze Antispy. It is advised that you do not purchase any of these programs as they are all rogue antispyware applications.

This program will also create fake security alerts in the Windows taskbar stating that there are various security risks with your computer ranging from spam and hack attempts to Trojan infections. When you click on these alerts they will bring you to the antispylab.com site as well. There have also been reports of this infection crashing the legitimate Microsoft process lsass.exe. When this process crashes, your computer will begin a countdown which at the end will shutdown your computer.

Screenshots of an infected Internet Explorer homepage, the fake taskbar security alerts, and the crashed lsass.exe can be found below.

 





Tools Needed for this fix:

• SmitFraudFix.zip

Symptoms in a HijackThis Log:

O2 - BHO: (no name) - {00000000-59D4-4008-9058-080011001200} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {00000000-C1EC-0345-6EC2-4D0300000000} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {00000000-F09C-02B4-6EC2-AD0300000000} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {3ceff6cd-6f08-4e4d-bccd-ff7415288c3b} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: winapi32.MyBHO - {62E2E094-F989-48C6-B947-6E79DA2294F9} - C:\WINDOWS\system32\winapi32.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {7b55bb05-0b4d-44fd-81a6-b136188f5deb} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {8333c319-0669-4893-a418-f56d9249fca6} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {e52dedbb-d168-4bdb-b229-c48160800e81} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {ffd2825e-0785-40c5-9a41-518f53a8261f} - (no file)
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adware.Srv32] C:\WINDOWS\system32\runsrv32.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Transponder] C:\WINDOWS\system32\susp.exe
O4 - Startup: spywaresheriff.lnk = C:\Program Files\SpywareSheriff\spywaresheriff.exe

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Removal Instructions:

1. Print out these instructions as we will need to close every window that is open later in the fix.
   
   
2. Download SmitfraudFix.exe from here and save it to your desktop:
   
   SmitFraudFix.exe
   
   Confirm that the file SmitfraudFix.exe now resides on your desktop, but do not double-click on the icon as of yet. We will use it in later steps. The icon will look like the one below:
   
   
   
   
3. Next, please reboot your computer into Safe Mode by doing the following:
   
   
   1. Restart your computer
      
      
   2. After hearing your computer beep once during startup, but before the Windows icon appears, press F8.
      
      
   3. Instead of Windows loading as normal, a menu should appear
      
      
   4. Select the first option, to run Windows in Safe Mode.
      
      
   5. When you are at the logon prompt, log in as the same user which you had done the previous steps.
      
      
4. When your computer has started in safe mode and you see the desktop.
   
   
5. Close all open Windows.
   
   
6. Now, double-click on the SmitFraudfix icon that should be residing on your desktop.The icon will look like the one below:
   
   
   
   
7. When the tool first starts you will see a credits screen. Simply press any key on your keyboard to get to the next screen.
   
   
8. You will now see a menu as shown in the image below. Press the number 2 on your keyboard and the press the enter key to choose the option Clean (safe mode recommended).
   
   
   
   



9. The program will start cleaning your computer and go through a series of cleanup processes. When it is done, it will automatically start the Disk Cleanup program as shown by the image below.
   
   
   
   
   
   This program will remove all Temp, Temporary Internet Files, and other files that may be leftover files from this infection. This process can take up to a few hours depending on your computer, so please be patient. When it is complete, it will close automatically and you will should continue with step 11.
   
   
10. When Disk Cleanup is finished, you will be presented with an option asking Do you want to clean the registry ? (y/n). At this screen you should press the Y button on your keyboard and then press the enter key.
    



11. When this last routine is finished, you will be presented with a red screen stating Computer will reboot now. Close all applications. You should now press the spacebar on your computer. A counter will appear stating that the computer will reboot in 15 seconds. Do not cancel this countdown and allow your computer to reboot.
    
    
12. Once the computer has rebooted, you will be presented with a Notepad screen containing a log of all the files removed from your computer. Examine this log, and when you are done, close the Notepad screen.
    

Your computer should now be free of the Spyware Sheriff and Antispylab.com infection.

If you are still having problems with spyware after completing these instructions, then please follow the steps outlined in the topic linked below:

Preparation Guide For Use Before Posting A Hijackthis Log

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BleepingComputer.com can not be held responsible for problems that may occur by using this information. If you would like help with any of these fixes, you can post a HijackThis log in our HijackThis Logs and Analysis forum.

If you have any questions about this self-help guide then please post those questions in our AntiVirus, Firewall and Privacy Products and Protection Methods forum and someone will help you.