Remove TrustDoctor (Uninstall Guide)

Posted by Lawrence Abrams on April 23, 2010 @ 06:59 PM · Views: 2,868

 

What this infection does:

TrustDoctor is a rogue anti-spyware program from the Wini family of rogues. This program is promoted through fake porn sites that pretend to show free pornographic videos. If you click on one of these videos it will fail to show and an alert will be displayed stating that you need to download a video codec in order to properly view the video. This supposed video codec, though, is actually a Trojan that will then install TrustDoctor on to your computer. While installing TrustDoctor, the Trojan will also create numerous harmless files within your C:\Windows\ and C:\Windows\System32 folders that contain random names similar to c:\WINDOWS\101213zo9m49d5.cpl and c:\WINDOWS\system32\77481tzoj56fc.bin. When TrustDoctor scans your computer it will then find these files and state that they are infections. The results, though, are all a lie and should not be a cause for alarm.

 

TrustDoctor screen shot
For more screen shots of this infection click on the image above.
There are a total of 1 images you can view.

 

While TrustDoctor is running it will also display numerous fake alerts on your computer. These fake security alerts will state that your computer is compromised, that it is sending personal information to the Internet, or that active malware has been discovered. An example of one of these alerts, in various languages, is:

English Alert:
Spyware Alert!
Your computer is infected with spyware. It could damage your critical files or expose your private data on the Internet. Click here to register your copy of TrustDoctor and remove spyware threats from your PC.

German Alert:
Spzprogramm Warnzeichen!
Ihr Computer ist mit Spionprogramm infektioniert. Das kann Ihren Dateien und die im Internet zugänglich machen. Klicken bitte hier, um Ihre Kopie von TrustDoctor zu registrieren und Ihr PC von Spyprogramm frei zu machen.

French Alert:
Spyware Alerte!
Votre ordinateur est infecté de spyware. Il pourrait endommager vos fichiers critiques ou exposer vos données prives sur 'Internet. Cliquez ici pour enregistrer votre copie de TrustDoctor et enléver des menaces spyware de votre OP.

Italian Alert:
Spyware miniaccia!
Il suo computer è infetto di spyware. Puo dannegiare i suoi files criticali rivelare i suoi dati personali nell'Internet. Clicca qui per registrare la sua coppia di TrustDoctor e rimouvere le minacce di spyware dal suo computer.

Just like the scan results, these alerts are all fake and are only being shown to scare you into purchasing the program. It goes without saying that you should definitely not purchase TrustDoctor and should ignore anything it displays.

As you can see, TrustDoctor was created with the single purpose of scaring you into thinking you are infected by displaying false information in the hopes that you will then purchase the program. You should definitely not purchase it, and if you have, you should contact your credit card company and dispute the charges stating it is a scam. Last, but not least, to remove this infection and any related malware, please follow the removal guide below.

 

Threat Classification:

• Information on Rogue Programs & Scareware

 

Advanced information:

View TrustDoctor files.
View TrustDoctor Registry Information.

 

Entries for this program found in the Add or Remove Programs control panel:

TrustDoctor

 

Tools Needed for this fix:

• Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware

 

Symptoms that may be in a HijackThis Log:

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TrustDoctor] C:\Program Files\TrustDoctor Software\TrustDoctor\TrustDoctor.exe -min
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [<random>.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\<random>.exe

 

Guide Updates:

04/23/10 - Initial guide creation.

 

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Automated Removal Instructions for TrustDoctor using Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware:

 

1. Print out these instructions as we may need to close every window that is open later in the fix.
   
   
2. 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.
   
   
3. Before we can do anything we must first end the processes that belong to TrustDoctor 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.
   
   
4. Once it is downloaded, double-click on the iExplore.exe icon in order to automatically attempt to stop any processes associated with TrustDoctor 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 TrustDoctor 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 TrustDoctor . 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. If you continue having problems running RKill, you can download the other renamed versions of RKill from the rkill download page. All of the 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.
   
   Do not reboot your computer after running RKill as the malware programs will start again.
   
   
5. 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)
   
   


6. Once downloaded, close all programs and Windows on your computer, including this one.
   
   
7. Double-click on the icon on your desktop named mbam-setup.exe. This will start the installation of MBAM onto your computer.
   
   
8. 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.
   
   
9. 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.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
10. 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 TrustDoctor related files.
    
    
11. 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.
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
12. 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 TrustDoctor removal process.
    
    
13. You will now be back at the main Scanner screen. At this point you should click on the Show Results button.
    
    
14. 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.
    
    
15. 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.
    
    
16. You can now exit the MBAM program.
    
    
17. 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 TrustDoctor 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

 

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Associated TrustDoctor Files:

c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop\TrustDoctor.lnk
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\TrustDoctor
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\TrustDoctor\1 TrustDoctor.lnk
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\TrustDoctor\2 Homepage.lnk
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\TrustDoctor\3 Uninstall.lnk
c:\Program Files\TrustDoctor Software\
c:\Program Files\TrustDoctor Software\TrustDoctor\
c:\Program Files\TrustDoctor Software\TrustDoctor\TrustDoctor.exe
c:\Program Files\TrustDoctor Software\TrustDoctor\uninstall.exe
c:\WINDOWS\101213zo9m49d5.cpl
c:\WINDOWS\10566wormz5e.dll
c:\WINDOWS\system32\2325viruz9.dll
c:\WINDOWS\system32\15274hzcktool3d59.bin
c:\WINDOWS\system32\77481tzoj56fc.bin
c:\WINDOWS\system32\<random>.exe
%Temp%\<random>.exe

File Location Notes:

%Temp% refers to the Windows Temp folder. By default, this is C:\Windows\Temp for Windows 95/98/ME, C:\DOCUMENTS AND SETTINGS\<Current User>\LOCAL SETTINGS\Temp for Windows 2000/XP, and C:\Users\<Current User>\AppData\Local\Temp for Windows Vista and Windows 7.

 

Associated TrustDoctor Windows Registry Information:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\TrustDoctor
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\TrustDoctor
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\TrustDoctor
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run "<random>.exe"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run "TrustDoctor"