How to remove XP Protection Center (Uninstall Instructions)

Posted by Grinler on November 22, 2008 @ 08:40 AM · Views: 9,486

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What this programs does:

XP Protection Center is a rogue anti-spyware program from the same family as AntiSpywareXP 2009. This program is advertised through the use of misleading web sites and Trojans that display fake security alerts on your computer. These security alerts state that your computer is infected and that you should download and install XP Protection Center in order to protect yourself. The text of one of the security alerts can be found below:

Privacy Alert!

Your system was found to be infected with intercepting programs. These can log your activity and damage your privacy. Click here for XP Protection Center spyware removal.

When installing, XP Protection Center will configure itself to start automatically when you logon to your computer. It will also create a variety of fake malware files on your computer. These fake malware files are actually harmless, but are being created so that XP Protection Center can detect them as malware. The names of the files that were installed on my test computer are:

c:\WINDOWS\agof.sys
c:\WINDOWS\fykutejudi.sys
c:\WINDOWS\nojeneqy.bin
c:\WINDOWS\olis._dl
c:\WINDOWS\totewake.db
c:\WINDOWS\uzoxapylu.reg
c:\WINDOWS\system32\_scui.cpl
c:\WINDOWS\system32\foxubory.dll
c:\WINDOWS\system32\gihakigobu.dat
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\aqugomafa.reg
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\kiwivaxav.inf
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\ozipajy.reg
%UserProfile%\Application Data\hewifehaby._dl
%UserProfile%\Application Data\ojas.scr
%UserProfile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\XPProtectionCenter.lnk
%UserProfile%\Cookies\esed._dl
%UserProfile%\Cookies\ogituqiv.dll
%UserProfile%\Cookies\ojow.dll
%UserProfile%\Cookies\zygewusyfa.pif
%UserProfile%\Desktop\XPProtectionCenter.lnk
%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\aboh.com
%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\alarefuqe.exe
%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\mokofyf.exe
%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\pyxixu.exe
%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\sefyjemasy.vbs
%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\tuqijorujo.reg
%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\weci.bat
%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\lavev.exe
%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\ruhuf.sys
%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\XPProtectionCenter
%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\XPProtectionCenter\Uninstall.lnk
%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\XPProtectionCenter\XPProtectionCenter.lnk
c:\Program Files\Common Files\liguzynaku.pif
c:\Program Files\Common Files\palozace.vbs
c:\Program Files\Common Files\usuk.scr

Once the program starts it will scan your computer and list a variety of files, most of them being the ones installed by the program itself, as infections. It will then require you to purchase a license of the software in order to remove these programs. It goes without saying that this is a scam and that you should not purchase the software. While running, you will also find that your Internet Explorer has become hijacked so that it randomly displays a warning stating that your computer is infected when browsing the web. Once on this hijacked page, regardless of what you click on that page, you will be brought to the XP Protection Center web site where they try and sell you the software.

XP Protection Center screen shot
For more screen shots of this infection click on the image above.
There are a total of 7 images you can view.

This guide will walk you through removing the XP Protection Center program and its associated malware for free.

Threat Classification:

• Information on Rogue Programs & Scareware

Advanced information:

View XP Protection Center files.
View XP Protection Center Registry Information.

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

XP Protection Center

Tools Needed for this fix:

• Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware

Symptoms that may be in a HijackThis Log:

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [XP Protection Center] "C:\Program Files\XPProtectionCenter\XPProtectionCenter.exe" /hide

Guide Updates:

11/23/08 - Initial guide creation.

Automated Removal Instructions for XP Protection Center using Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware:

1. Print out these instructions as we will need to close every window that is open later in the fix.
   
   
2. Download Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, or MBAM, from the following location and save it to your desktop:
   
   Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware Download Link
   
   


3. Once downloaded, close all programs and Windows on your computer, including this one.
   
   
4. Double-click on the icon on your desktop named mbam-setup.exe. This will start the installation of MBAM onto your computer.
   
   
5. 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.
   
   
6. 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.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
7. On the Scanner tab, make sure the the Perform quick scan option is selected and then click on the Scan button to start scanning your computer for XP Protection Center related files.
   
   
8. 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.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
9. 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 XPProtectionCenter removal process.
   
   
10. You will now be back at the main Scanner screen. At this point you should click on the Show Results button.
    
    
11. 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.
    
    
12. 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.
    
    
13. You can now exit the MBAM program.
    

Your computer should now be free of the XPProtectionCenter 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 Posting A Hijackthis Log

Associated XP Protection Center Files:

c:\Program Files\XPProtectionCenter
c:\Program Files\XPProtectionCenter\AVEngn.dll
c:\Program Files\XPProtectionCenter\htmlayout.dll
c:\Program Files\XPProtectionCenter\pthreadVC2.dll
c:\Program Files\XPProtectionCenter\Uninstall.exe
c:\Program Files\XPProtectionCenter\wscui.cpl
c:\Program Files\XPProtectionCenter\XPProtectionCenter.cfg
c:\Program Files\XPProtectionCenter\XPProtectionCenter.exe
c:\Program Files\XPProtectionCenter\data
c:\Program Files\XPProtectionCenter\data\daily.cvd
c:\Program Files\XPProtectionCenter\Microsoft.VC80.CRT
c:\Program Files\XPProtectionCenter\Microsoft.VC80.CRT\Microsoft.VC80.CRT.manifest
c:\Program Files\XPProtectionCenter\Microsoft.VC80.CRT\msvcm80.dll
c:\Program Files\XPProtectionCenter\Microsoft.VC80.CRT\msvcp80.dll
c:\Program Files\XPProtectionCenter\Microsoft.VC80.CRT\msvcr80.dll
c:\WINDOWS\agof.sys
c:\WINDOWS\fykutejudi.sys
c:\WINDOWS\nojeneqy.bin
c:\WINDOWS\olis._dl
c:\WINDOWS\totewake.db
c:\WINDOWS\uzoxapylu.reg
c:\WINDOWS\system32\_scui.cpl
c:\WINDOWS\system32\foxubory.dll
c:\WINDOWS\system32\gihakigobu.dat
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\aqugomafa.reg
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\kiwivaxav.inf
c:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\ozipajy.reg
%UserProfile%\Application Data\hewifehaby._dl
%UserProfile%\Application Data\ojas.scr
%UserProfile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\XPProtectionCenter.lnk
%UserProfile%\Cookies\esed._dl
%UserProfile%\Cookies\ogituqiv.dll
%UserProfile%\Cookies\ojow.dll
%UserProfile%\Cookies\zygewusyfa.pif
%UserProfile%\Desktop\XPProtectionCenter.lnk
%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\aboh.com
%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\alarefuqe.exe
%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\mokofyf.exe
%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\pyxixu.exe
%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\sefyjemasy.vbs
%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\tuqijorujo.reg
%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Application Data\weci.bat
%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\lavev.exe
%UserProfile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\ruhuf.sys
%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\XPProtectionCenter
%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\XPProtectionCenter\Uninstall.lnk
%UserProfile%\Start Menu\Programs\XPProtectionCenter\XPProtectionCenter.lnk
c:\Program Files\Common Files\liguzynaku.pif
c:\Program Files\Common Files\palozace.vbs
c:\Program Files\Common Files\usuk.scr

Associated XP Protection Center Windows Registry Information:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\XPProtectionCenter
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\XPProtectionCenter
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\don't load "scui.cpl"
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\don't load "wscui.cpl"
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run "XP Protection Center"