Wednesday 6 July 2011

How to Remove Anti-Malware Lab (Uninstall Guide)

Anti-Malware Lab is a rogue anti-virus application designed to scare you into buying bogus security products. It produces fake scan results and displays misleading security alerts to make you think you have a virus infection. The fake antivirus program then prompts you to pay for a full version of the Anti-Malware Lab to remove non-existent infections and to protect your computer against spyware, Trojans and other malicious software. Although such rogue antivirus programs as AntiMalware Lab have become increasingly common in a last few years, users may still fall victim to these scams because fake antivirus programs are designed to appear as legitimate as possible. Some of these fake AVs are even made to look like legitimate anti-virus applications as where Anti-Malware Lab looks more like a Windows Security scanner. Cyber crooks usually rely on visitors to wittingly install this bogus security application. They do this through social engineering most of the time. However, Anti-Malware Lab is also distributed through the use of Trojan horses, drive-by downloads that are able to install the rogue application without your interaction and other malware. If your computer is infected with this scareware, please follow the steps in the removal guide below to remove Anti-Malware Lab and any associated malware.



Anti-Malware Lab is from the same malware family as PC Security Guardian, Best Malware Protection and some other rogue AVs. The rogue application is configured to that run automatically when Windows starts. It may report up to twenty fake infections, e.g., Trojan-IM.Win32.Faker.a, Virus.BAT.Gray.705, Trojan-PSW.Win32.Dripper and many other non-existent threats. Below are a number of different images of fake security alerts that you may run across.



It also displays fake security alerts and notifications saying that your computer is infected or under attack from a remote machine. Basically, Anti-Malware Lab uses misleading security alerts to frighten you into purchasing worthless security software. If you have already purchased this this rogue applications, you should requested a refund from a fake antivirus firm if they provide contact information and also you should contact their credit card provider to dispute the charges. They even have their own support center.



OPTIONAL: In case you can't boot your PC in Safe Mode with Networking or you can't delete the malicious files manually, you can use this code U2FD-S2LA-H4KA-UEPB to register the rogue application in order to stop the fake security alerts. Once this is done, you are free to install anti-malware software and remove the rogue anti-virus program from your computer properly. If you need help in removing Personal Shield Pro from your computer, please leave a comment below.

Anti-Malware Lab is not a virus and it can't log you keystrokes or delete your files. It's a low risk threat but you should uninstall this fake anti-virus program from your computer as soon as possible because it may download additional malware onto your computer and this is especially true if it comes bundled with Trojan downloaders. Last, but not least, may configure Internet Explorer to use a proxy over a LAN connection, so it pretty much hijacks the default web browser. To remove Anti-Malware Lab from from your computer, please follow the removal instructions below. If you need help removing this scarware, you can leave a comment below. Good luck and safe online!


Anti-Malware Lab removal instructions:

1. Reboot your computer is "Safe Mode with Networking". As the computer is booting tap the "F8 key" continuously which should bring up the "Windows Advanced Options Menu" as shown below. Use your arrow keys to move to "Safe Mode with Networking" and press Enter key. Read more detailed instructions here: http://www.computerhope.com/issues/chsafe.htm


NOTE: Login as the same user you were previously logged in with in the normal Windows mode.

2. Launch Internet Explorer. In Internet Explorer go to: Tools->Internet Options->Connections tab. Click Lan Settings button and uncheck the checkbox labeled Use a proxy server for your LAN. Click OK. You may have to repeat steps 1-2 if you will have problems downloading malware removal programs.



3. Download free anti-malware software from the list below and run a full system scan.
NOTE: in some cases the rogue program may block anti-malware software. Before saving the selected program onto your computer, you may have to rename the installer to iexplore.exe or winlogon.exe With all of these tools, if running Windows 7 or Vista they MUST be run as administrator. Launch the program and follow the prompts. Don't forget to update the installed program before scanning.

4. New threats appear every day. In order to protect your PC from such (new) infections we strongly recommend you to use ESET Smart Security.


Alternate Anti-Malware Lab removal instructions using HijackThis or Process Explorer (in Normal mode):

1. Launch Internet Explorer. In Internet Explorer go to: Tools->Internet Options->Connections tab. Click Lan Settings button and uncheck the checkbox labeled Use a proxy server for your LAN. Click OK.



2. Download Process Explorer.
3. Rename procexp.exe to iexplore.exe and run it. Look for similar process in the list and end it:
  • DMg4a_358.exe
OR download iexplore.exe (NOTE: iexplore.exe file is renamed HijackThis tool from TrendMicro).
Launch the iexplore.exe and click "Do a system scan only" button.
If you can't open iexplore.exe file then download explorer.scr and run it. Search for similar entries in the scan results:

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyServer = http=127.0.0.1:24525
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Anti-Malware Lab] "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\b3a2c8\DMg4a_358.exe" /s /d
Select all similar entries and click once on the "Fix checked" button. Close HijackThis tool.

4. Download free anti-malware software from the list below and run a full system scan.
NOTE: in some cases the rogue program may block anti-malware software. Before saving the selected program onto your computer, you may have to rename the installer to iexplore.exe or winlogon.exe With all of these tools, if running Windows 7 or Vista they MUST be run as administrator. Launch the program and follow the prompts. Don't forget to update the installed program before scanning.

5. New threats appear every day. In order to protect your PC from such (new) infections we strongly recommend you to use ESET Smart Security.


Associated Anti-Malware Lab files and registry values:

Files:

Windows XP
  • C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\b3a2c8\
  • C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\b3a2c8\DMg4a_358.exe
  • C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\b3a2c8\PSGSys
  • C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\b3a2c8\Quarantine Items
  • C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\b3a2c8\PSG.ico
  • C:\Documents and Settings\[UserName]\Application Data\Anti-Malware Lab\
Windows Vista/7
  • C:\ProgramData\b3a2c8
  • C:\ProgramData\b3a2c8\PSGSys
  • C:\ProgramData\b3a2c8\Quarantine Items
  • C:\ProgramData\b3a2c8\DMg4a_358.exe
  • C:\ProgramData\b3a2c8\PSG.ico
Registry values:
  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Anti-Malware Lab
  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run "Anti-Malware Lab"
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options "Debugger" = "svchost.exe"
  • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchScopes\URL http://findgala.com/?&uid=247&q={searchTerms}
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