HijackThis{purestevil}release

HijackThis from Trend micro



About the program:

Malware has gotten more sophisticated at hiding its tracks compared with a few years ago. Adware, it seems, with its pop-ups and unwanted browser toolbars, has taken a backseat to the sly, ever-dangerous, and much more lucrative realm of the botnet, also known as that class of malware that conscripts your computer into an army of spam-spewing zombies, or worse.



If you suspect your Windows computer may be compromised, you should always try running standard adware-removal programs first. Ad-Aware and Avira AntiVir Personal Free are two good starts. If they can't seem to keep the nasties at bay, Trend Micro HijackThis digs deep. For most, HijackThis will be diagnostic software for Windows XP (with high compatibility for Vista) that creates a log of your Windows Registry and file settings. It is not a spyware removal tool. However, its capability to identify commonly abused methods of altering your computer can help you (and the Internet community) determine your next course of action.







File Type:

.exe file



Instructions:

Step 1: Install it



Version 2.0.2 of HijackThis contains an installer, unlike the previous version that launched from a ZIP file or EXE. If you're using that legacy version, be sure to update. You'll find that this build also downloads a desktop icon for quick-launching.



Step 2: Scan your system





If you scan without a log file, you can always create one later on.

Trend Micro HijackThis opens with a simple interface that offers limited instruction. Running the program and interpreting its results can be confusing. Click either of the two "system scan" buttons to bring up a list of registry and file entries. Expect to see a mess of entries--even a Firefox plug-in on a completely healthy computer can produce multiple listings. If you choose to scan the system only, you can still save a record after the scan by selecting the "Save log" button on the bottom left. This will save the log as a plain text document that you'll be able to open in Notepad.



Step 3: Identify problems





Add safe entries to the Ignore List to speed up future scans.

Here's the rub--now that you've got a long list of your computer's contents, how do you determine which results are critical, and which benign?



There are a few determining factors. Some entries may be obviously tied to a legitimate program you installed. A browser helper object like Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper is clearly harmless and installs with the Adobe Reader application. Listings like these you can ignore or can add to the Ignore List to bypass in future scans. To excuse any entry from showing up in the results list in the future, click the adjacent box to add a check mark and choose the button reading "Add checked to ignorelist." See it in action in this video (Note: The video accurately demonstrates using the ignore list on a previous version of HijackThis.)





Click Fix Checked only if you are certain the entry is unsafe.

What if you're less certain about a cryptic Registry entry, DLL, or EXE? You can select an individual item by highlighting it or clicking the check box and hitting the "Info on Selected Item" button. This brings up a short definition of the entry, examples of infected items, and the location of the file should you want to find it on your computer and look at its properties. There's also a description of the action HijackThis takes were you to "fix" the entry with the Fix Checked button. It's a bit of a misnomer in truth, as "fixing" means deleting the entry in one or more locations.



Before obliterating any file from your registry or systems settings, a word to the wise: this is risky business, and one false move could permanently foul up your computer. We recommend that only advanced computer users who are very comfortable with the registry use this feature. Otherwise, searching the Internet for the item's name or number will help you identify the entry and help determine if you can safely ignore the it or if you need to seek out assistance.









please seed