:blink: Please help,
I run Pest Patrol and find "CWS.GoogleMS.3" and I delete and verify that it is removed but later it comes back. Please tell me why and how to permanantly block it. It also seem to change Spyguard. When I check protection "xxxtoolbar.com is not protected. Wht do I do?
Here is my log file:
Logfile of HijackThis v1.97.7
Scan saved at 6:54:43 AM, on 05/29/2004
Platform: Windows XP SP1 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\Ati2evxx.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXBCES.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Dell\TrayTool.exe
C:\WINDOWS\DELLMMKB.EXE
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe
C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-aware 6\Ad-watch.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\tbctray.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\PESTPA~1\PPControl.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\PESTPA~1\PPMemCheck.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\PESTPA~1\CookiePatrol.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\AWS\WeatherBug\Weather.exe
C:\Program Files\FireTrust\MailWasher Pro\MailWasher.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccProxy.exe
C:\Program Files\SpywareGuard\sgmain.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7Debug\mdm.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton Antivirus\navapsvc.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~2\NORTON~2\NPROTECT.EXE
C:\Program Files\SpywareGuard\sgbhp.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton Antivirus\SAVScan.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SNDSrvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CCPD-LC\symlcsvc.exe
C:\Program Files\Netropa\OSD.exe
C:\Program Files\PestPatrol\PestPatrol.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\Bruce\My Documents\Spyware\hijackthis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.comcast.net/qry/myhome/0.939880...112117114105102
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyOverride = localhost
O2 - BHO: SpywareGuard Download Protection - {4A368E80-174F-4872-96B5-0B27DDD11DB2} - C:\Program Files\SpywareGuard\dlprotect.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\msdxm.ocx
O3 - Toolbar: Web assistant - {0B53EAC3-8D69-4b9e-9B19-A37C9A5676A7} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\AdBlocking\NISShExt.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Norton AntiVirus - {42CDD1BF-3FFB-4238-8AD1-7859DF00B1D6} - C:\Program Files\Norton SystemWorks\Norton Antivirus\NavShExt.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ToolExe] C:\Program Files\Dell\TrayTool.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [DellTouch] C:\WINDOWS\DELLMMKB.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ccApp] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATIPTA] C:\Program Files\ATI Technologies\ATI Control Panel\atiptaxx.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ATIModeChange] Ati2mdxx.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Ad-watch] "C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-aware 6\Ad-watch.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PestPatrol Control Center] C:\PROGRA~1\PESTPA~1\PPControl.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PPMemCheck] C:\PROGRA~1\PESTPA~1\PPMemCheck.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CookiePatrol] C:\PROGRA~1\PESTPA~1\CookiePatrol.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\System32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Weather] C:\Program Files\AWS\WeatherBug\Weather.exe 1
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Symantec NetDriver Monitor] C:\PROGRA~1\Symantec\LIVEUP~1\SNDMon.EXE
O4 - Startup: MailWasherPro.lnk = C:\Program Files\FireTrust\MailWasher Pro\MailWasher.exe
O4 - Startup: SpywareGuard.lnk = C:\Program Files\SpywareGuard\sgmain.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\OSA.EXE
O6 - HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions present
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office10\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: WeatherBug (HKCU)
O12 - Plugin for .pdf: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\PLUGINS\nppdf32.dll
O16 - DPF: ppctlcab - http://www.pestscan.com/scanner/ppctlcab.cab
O16 - DPF: {01113300-3E00-11D2-8470-0060089874ED} (Support.com Configuration Class) - http://www.comcastsupport.com/sdccommon/download/tgctlcm.cab
O16 - DPF: {01A88BB1-1174-41EC-ACCB-963509EAE56B} (SysProWmi Class) - http://support.dell.com/systemprofiler/SysPro.CAB
O16 - DPF: {166B1BCA-3F9C-11CF-8075-444553540000} (Shockwave ActiveX Control) - http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwa...director/sw.cab
O16 - DPF: {2FC9A21E-2069-4E47-8235-36318989DB13} (PPSDKActiveXScanner.MainScreen) - http://www.pestscan.com/scanner/axscanner.cab
O16 - DPF: {3E68E405-C6DE-49FF-83AE-41EE9F4C36CE} (Office Update Installation Engine) - http://office.microsoft.com/officeupdate/content/opuc.cab
O16 - DPF: {74D05D43-3236-11D4-BDCD-00C04F9A3B61} (HouseCall Control) - http://a840.g.akamai.net/7/840/537/2004033...all/xscan53.cab
O16 - DPF: {9F1C11AA-197B-4942-BA54-47A8489BB47F} (Update Class) - http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/CAB/...8038.3346527778
O16 - DPF: {AE1C01E3-0283-11D3-9B3F-00C04F8EF466} (HeartbeatCtl Class) - http://fdl.msn.com/zone/datafiles/heartbeat.cab
O16 - DPF: {B942A249-D1E7-4C11-98AE-FCB76B08747F} (RealArcadeRdxIE Class) - http://games-dl.real.com/gameconsole/Bundl...ArcadeRdxIE.cab
O16 - DPF: {C2FCEF52-ACE9-11D3-BEBD-00105AA9B6AE} (Symantec RuFSI Registry Information Class) - http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/SharedC...n/bin/cabsa.cab
O16 - DPF: {CE28D5D2-60CF-4C7D-9FE8-0F47A3308078} (ActiveDataInfo Class) - https://www-secure.symantec.com/techsupp/ac...ta/SymAData.dll
O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwa...ash/swflash.cab
O16 - DPF: {E13F1132-4CA0-4005-84D3-51406E27D269} (BTDownloadCtrl Control) - http://www.shockwave.com/content/thinktank...ownloadCtrl.cab
O16 - DPF: {E77C0D62-882A-456F-AD8F-7C6C9569B8C7} (ActiveDataObj Class) - https://www-secure.symantec.com/techsupp/ac.../ActiveData.cab

Hi

There are several variants of this Coolwebsearch Hijacker. There is a special free tool you can download to get rid of it.

CWShredder.
Download it here:

http://www.spywareinfo.com/downloads/tools/CWShredder.exe

Just download it, and click on it (You will need to have all browsers and any open windows closed). Hit the *Fix* button to run it. Let it fix what it finds. When done, press *next* and you will get the results, and then *exit*

See variant #17 on this page:
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/cwschronicles.html

SpywareGuard most likely will not protect your from Coolwebsearch as this parasite most often uses unpatched vulnerabilities in Windows and your IE browser to install on you.

For prevention, patch your operating system and secure your browser. Try this free tool from Microsoft called Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) . MBSA Version 1.2 will scan for common system misconfigurations on Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 systems. This program will identify the system security weaknesses in your browser and operating system and provides easy instructions to correct them. This includes any missing critical Windows security updates, system vulnerabilities and your IE Browser security settings. Get the download here:
Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/...s/mbsahome.mspx

And we also have this prevention page here with some other free programs to help (you might want to grab SpywareBlaster to protect against ActiveX downloads).

How to Stop Hijackers & Spyware Infections, And other malware too!
http://forum.gladiator-antivirus.com/index...?showtopic=9857