Smart Security, otherwise known as SmartSecurity, is the name
of two separate rogue anti-spyware programs. The first one, which is a Security
Tool variant that was released around March 10th, 2010, and a newer one,
which is a My
Security Shield variant that was released around September 29th, 2010. Both
of these programs are installed on your computer through the use of Trojans
or by manually downloading it from sites that pretend to be online anti-malware
scanners or video codecs requires to watch a video online. Once installed, Smart
Security will be configured to start automatically when you log into Windows.
Once started it will scan your computer and then state that your computer is
infected with a variety of infections. In reality, though, none of these infections
actually exist on your computer and are only being shown to scare you into purchasing
the program.
Smart Security screen shot
For more screen shots of this infection click on the image above.
There are a total of 6 images you can view.
While Smart Security is running, you will also see numerous security alerts
and warnings appear on your desktop. These warnings will state that you are
being hacked by a remote computer, sending personal information to a remote
location, or that a password stealing Trojan was detected on your computer.
The text of some of the alerts you may see are:
Smart Security Warning
Spyware.IEMonster activity detected.
This is spyware that attempts to steal passwords from Internet Explorer, Mozilla
Firefox, Outlook and other programs.
Click here to remove it immediately with SecurityTool.
Smart Security Warning
Some critical system files of your computer
were modified by malicious program. It may cause system instability and data
loss.
Click here to block unauthorised modification by removing threats (Recommended)
Warning! Identity theft attempt detected!
Hidden Connection IP: <random IP
address>
Target: Microsoft Corporation Keys
System Alert
Firewall has blocked a program from accessing the Internet
Internet Explorer
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Iexplore.exe
Lsas.Trojan-Spy.DOS.Keycopy is suspected to have infected your PC.
This type of virus intercepts entered data and transmits it to a remote server.
Data interception was detected while visiting a website: http://www.google.com
Just like the scan results, these security warnings are all fake and should
be ignored as they are just trying to scare you into thinking you have a security
problem on your computer. Smart Security will also configure Internet Explorer
to act as a proxy server so that when you browse the web, you will randomly
be greeted with a message that states "The document has moved, redirecting...
". The browser will then be redirected to another page that benefits the
malware developer instead of going to the page you actually requested.
As you can see, Smart Security was created to scare you into purchasing the
program. Therefore, please do not purchase the program for any reason. If you
have already purchased it, then we suggest you contact your credit card company
and dispute the charges stating that this program is a computer infection. Last,
but not least, if you are infected with Smart Security please use the removal
guide below to remove it for free.
Threat Classification:
Advanced information:
View Smart Security files.
View Smart Security Registry Information.
Entries for this program found in the Uninstall Programs control panel:
Smart Security 1.2.1
Tools Needed for this fix:
Symptoms that may be in a HijackThis Log:
Current Smart Security:
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyServer = http=127.0.0.1:25567
O1 - Hosts: 74.125.45.100 4-open-davinci.com
O1 - Hosts: 74.125.45.100 securitysoftwarepayments.com
O1 - Hosts: 74.125.45.100 privatesecuredpayments.com
O1 - Hosts: 74.125.45.100 secure.privatesecuredpayments.com
O1 - Hosts: 74.125.45.100 getantivirusplusnow.com
O1 - Hosts: 74.125.45.100 secure-plus-payments.com
O1 - Hosts: 74.125.45.100 www.getantivirusplusnow.com
O1 - Hosts: 74.125.45.100 www.secure-plus-payments.com
O1 - Hosts: 74.125.45.100 www.getavplusnow.com
O1 - Hosts: 74.125.45.100 safebrowsing-cache.google.com
O1 - Hosts: 74.125.45.100 urs.microsoft.com
O1 - Hosts: 74.125.45.100 www.securesoftwarebill.com
O1 - Hosts: 74.125.45.100 secure.paysecuresystem.com
O1 - Hosts: 74.125.45.100 paysoftbillsolution.com
O1 - Hosts: 74.125.45.100 protected.maxisoftwaremart.com
O1 - Hosts: 173.232.149.92 www.google.com
O1 - Hosts: 173.232.149.92 www.bing.com
O1 - Hosts: 173.232.149.92 search.yahoo.com
O1 - Hosts: 173.232.149.92 www.youtube.com
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Smart Security] "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\ae01cc\SMae0_289.exe" /s /d
Old Smart Security:
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SmartSecurity] C:\Program Files\Smart Security\SmartSecurity.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [SmartSecurity] C:\Program Files\Smart Security\SmartSecurity.exe
Guide Updates:
03/10/10 - Initial guide creation.
Automated Removal Instructions for Smart Security using Malwarebytes Anti-Malware:
- Print out these instructions as we may need to close every window that is
open later in the fix.
- Reboot your computer into Safe Mode with Networking. To
do this, turn your computer off and then back on and immediately when you
see anything on the screen, start tapping the F8 key on your
keyboard. Eventually you will be brought to a menu similar to the one below:
Using the arrow keys on your keyboard, select Safe Mode with Networking
and press Enter on your keyboard. If you are having trouble
entering safe mode, then please use the following tutorial: How
to start Windows in Safe Mode
Windows will now boot into safe mode with networking and prompt you to login
as a user. Please login as the same user you were previously logged in with
in the normal Windows mode. Then proceed with the rest of the steps.
- It is possible that the infection you are trying to remove will not allow
you to download files on the infected computer. If this is the case, then
you will need to download the files requested in this guide on another computer
and then transfer them to the infected computer. You can transfer the files
via a CD/DVD, external drive, or USB flash drive.
- Before we can do anything we must first end the processes that belong to
Smart Security
so that it does not interfere with the cleaning procedure. To do this, please
download RKill to your desktop from the following link.
RKill
Download Link - (Download page will open in a new tab or browser window.)
When at the download page, click on the Download Now button
labeled iExplore.exe download link. When you are prompted
where to save it, please save it on your desktop.
- Once it is downloaded, double-click on the iExplore.exe
icon in order to automatically attempt to stop any processes associated with
Smart Security
and other Rogue programs. Please be patient while the program looks for various
malware programs and ends them. When it has finished, the black window will
automatically close and you can continue with the next step. If you get a
message that RKill is an infection, do not be concerned. This message is just
a fake warning given by
Smart Security
when it terminates programs that may potentially remove it. If you run into
these infections warnings that close RKill, a trick is to leave the warning
on the screen and then run RKill again. By not closing the warning, this typically
will allow you to bypass the malware trying to protect itself so that RKill
can terminate
Smart Security
. So, please try running RKill until the malware is no longer running. You
will then be able to proceed with the rest of the guide. Do not reboot
your computer after running RKill as the malware programs will start again.
If you continue having problems running RKill, you can download the other
renamed versions of RKill from the RKill
download page. Both of these files are renamed copies of RKill, which
you can try instead. Please note that the download page will open in a new
browser window or tab.
- Now you should download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, or MBAM, from the following
location and save it to your desktop:
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Download Link
(Download page will open in a new window)
- Once downloaded, close all programs and Windows on your computer, including
this one.
- Double-click on the icon on your desktop named mbam-setup.exe.
This will start the installation of MBAM onto your computer.
- When the installation begins, keep following the prompts in order to continue
with the installation process. Do not make any changes to default settings
and when the program has finished installing, make sure you leave both the
Update Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and Launch
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware checked. Then click on the Finish
button. If MalwareBytes' prompts you to reboot, please do not do so.
- MBAM will now automatically start and you will see a message stating that
you should update the program before performing a scan. As MBAM will automatically
update itself after the install, you can press the OK button
to close that box and you will now be at the main program as shown below.
- On the Scanner tab, make sure the the Perform
full scan option is selected and then click on the Scan
button to start scanning your computer for
Smart Security
related files.
- MBAM will now start scanning your computer for malware. This process can
take quite a while, so we suggest you go and do something else and periodically
check on the status of the scan. When MBAM is scanning it will look like the
image below.
- When the scan is finished a message box will appear as shown in the image
below.
You should click on the OK button to close the message box and continue with
the
Smart Security
removal process.
- You will now be back at the main Scanner screen. At this point you should
click on the Show Results button.
- A screen displaying all the malware that the program found will be shown
as seen in the image below. Please note that the infections found may be different
than what is shown in the image.
You should now click on the Remove Selected button to remove
all the listed malware. MBAM will now delete all of the files and registry
keys and add them to the programs quarantine. When removing the files, MBAM
may require a reboot in order to remove some of them. If it displays a message
stating that it needs to reboot, please allow it to do so. Once your computer
has rebooted, and you are logged in, please continue with the rest of the
steps.
- When MBAM has finished removing the malware, it will open the scan log and
display it in Notepad. Review the log as desired, and then close the Notepad
window.
- You can now exit the MBAM program.
- As this infection also changes your Windows HOSTS file, we want to replace
this file with the default version for your operating system. Please note
that if you or your company has added custom entries to your HOSTS file then
you will need to add them again after restoring the default HOSTS file. In
order to protect itself,
Smart Security
changes the permissions of the HOSTS file so you can't edit or delete
it. To fix these permissions please download the following batch file and
save it to your desktop:
hosts-perm.bat
Download Link
When the file has finished downloading, double-click on the hosts-perm.bat
file that is now on your desktop. If Windows asks if you if you are sure you
want to run it, please allow it to run. Once it starts you will see a small
black window that opens and then quickly goes away. This is normal and is
nothing to be worried about. You should now be able to access your HOSTS file.
- We now need to delete the C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc\HOSTS
file. Once it is deleted, download the following HOSTS file that corresponds
to your version of Windows and save it in the C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc
folder. If the contents of the HOSTS file opens in your browser when you click
on a link below then right-click on the appropriate link and select Save
Target As..., if in Internet Explorer, or Save Link As..,
if in Firefox, to download the file.
Windows
XP HOSTS File Download Link
Windows
Vista HOSTS File Download Link
Windows
2003 Server HOSTS File Download Link
Windows
2008 Server HOSTS File Download Link
Windows
7 HOSTS File Download Link
Your Windows HOSTS file should now be back to the default one from when Windows
was first installed.
- Now reboot your computer.
- As many rogues and other malware are installed through vulnerabilities found
in out-dated and insecure programs, it is strongly suggested that you use
Secunia PSI to scan for vulnerable programs on your computer. A tutorial on
how to use Secunia PSI to scan for vulnerable programs can be found here:
How to
detect vulnerable and out-dated programs using Secunia Personal Software Inspector
Your computer should now be free of the
Smart Security
program. If your current anti-virus solution let this infection through,
you may want to consider purchasing the
PRO version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to protect against these types
of threats in the future.
If you are still having problems with your computer after completing these instructions, then please follow the steps outlined in the topic linked below:
Preparation Guide For Use Before Using Malware Removal Tools and Requesting Help
Associated Smart Security Files:
<b>Current Smart Security</b>:
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\ae01cc\
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\ae01cc\537.mof
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\ae01cc\axjzexzeexul.ini
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\ae01cc\mozcrt19.dll
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\ae01cc\SMae0_289.exe
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\ae01cc\SMS.ico
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\ae01cc\sqlite3.dll
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\ae01cc\BackUp\
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\ae01cc\Quarantine Items\
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\ae01cc\SMSSys\
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\ae01cc\SMSSys\vd952342.bd
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\SMUVZICOS\
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\SMUVZICOS\SMSYYTICS.cfg
%UserProfile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\Smart Security.lnk
%UserProfile%\Application Data\Smart Security\
%UserProfile%\Application Data\Smart Security\cookies.sqlite
%UserProfile%\Application Data\Smart Security\Instructions.ini
%UserProfile%\Desktop\Smart Security.lnk
%UserProfile%\Desktop\Smart_Security\ae01cc42668ec8a22e4d0493aabb97d8.ocx
%UserProfile%\My Documents\hijackthis.log
%UserProfile%\Recent\ANTIGEN.drv
%UserProfile%\Recent\CLSV.tmp
%UserProfile%\Recent\eb.dll
%UserProfile%\Recent\eb.exe
%UserProfile%\Recent\eb.sys
%UserProfile%\Recent\fan.drv
%UserProfile%\Recent\fan.sys
%UserProfile%\Recent\fix.exe
%UserProfile%\Recent\kernel32.exe
%UserProfile%\Recent\kernel32.tmp
%UserProfile%\Recent\PE.sys
%UserProfile%\Recent\PE.tmp
%UserProfile%\Recent\sld.drv
%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Smart Security.lnk
%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\Smart Security.lnk
<b>Old Smart Security</b>:
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop\Smart Security.lnk
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Smart Security
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Smart Security\Uninstall Smart Security.lnk
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Smart Security\Smart Security.lnk
c:\Program Files\Smart Security
c:\Program Files\Smart Security\SmartSecurity.exe
c:\Program Files\Smart Security\unins000.dat
c:\Program Files\Smart Security\unins000.exe
File Location Notes:
%UserProfile% refers to the current user's profile folder. By default, this is C:\Documents and Settings\<Current User> for Windows 2000/XP, C:\Users\<Current User> for Windows Vista/7/8, and c:\winnt\profiles\<Current User> for Windows NT.
Associated Smart Security Windows Registry Information:
<b>Current Smart Security</b>:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\3
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{3F2BBC05-40DF-11D2-9455-00104BC936FF}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SMae0_289.DocHostUIHandler
HKEY_USERS\.DEFAULT\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchScopes "URL" = "http://findgala.com/?&uid=289&q={searchTerms}"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchScopes "URL" = "http://findgala.com/?&uid=289&q={searchTerms}"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer "PRS" = "http://127.0.0.1:27777/?inj=%ORIGINAL%"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Download "RunInvalidSignatures" = "1"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings "ProxyServer" = "http=127.0.0.1:25567"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer "DisallowRun" ="1"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run "Smart Security"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Download "CheckExeSignatures" = "no"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings "ProxyEnable" = "1"
<b>Old Smart Security</b>:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Smart Security_is1
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run "SmartSecurity"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run "SmartSecurity"
This is a self-help guide. Use at your own risk.
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 ask for malware removal assistance in our Virus, Trojan, Spyware, and Malware Removal Logs forum.
If you have any questions about this self-help guide then please post those questions in our Am I infected? What do I do? and someone will help you.
