Adware.HungryHands

SUMMARY

Behavior

Adware.HungryHands installs itself as a browser helper object, redirecting your browser to a pornographic Web site instead of the Web site to which you wish to go.

Symptoms

Your Symantec program detects this threat as Adware.HungryHands.

Transmission

This program can be manually installed, or as part of another program.

Protection

• Virus Definitions (LiveUpdate™ Weekly) April 4, 2004
• Virus Definitions (Intelligent Updater) April 4, 2004

TECHNICAL DETAILS

When Adware.HungryHands is executed, it does the following:

1. Copies itself to the %Windir% or %System% folder as one of the following:
   
   • hh.dll
   • hu.dll
   • hhu.dll
     
     

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     Notes:
   • %Windir% is a variable. The adware locates the Windows installation folder (by default, this is C:Windows or C:Winnt) and copies itself to that location.
   • %System% is a variable. The adware locates the System folder and copies itself to that location. By default, this is C:WindowsSystem (Windows 95/98/Me), C:WinntSystem32 (Windows NT/2000), or C:WindowsSystem32 (Windows XP).

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2. Adds the following keys to the registry:
   
   • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTappidhungryhands.dll
   • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTappid{03f8822f-8877-4002-8bcd-b532d53d8471}
   • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTclsid{bcf96fb4-5f1b-497b-aecc-910304a55011}
   • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOThungryhands.hungrybho
   • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOThungryhands.hungrybho.1
   • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTinterface{f8fb4ea2-6c05-4de5-8cd0-625b03f48e22}
   • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTsoftwaremicrosoftwindowscurrentversionexplorer
     rowser helper objects{bcf96fb4-5f1b-497b-aecc-910304a55011}
   • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT ypelib{03f8822f-8877-4002-8bcd-b532d53d8471}
   • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEclsid{bcf96fb4-5f1b-497b-aecc-910304a55011}
   • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEsoftwareclassesclsid
     {bcf96fb4-5f1b-497b-aecc-910304a55011}
   • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEsoftwaremicrosoftwindowscurrentversionexplorer
     rowser helper objects{bcf96fb4-5f1b-497b-aecc-910304a55011}
     
     
3. Redirects your browser to a pornographic Web site, instead of the Web site to which you wish to go.

REMOVAL

The following instructions pertain to all Symantec antivirus products that support Security Risk detection.

1. Update the definitions.
2. Run a full system scan and record the names of any files detected as Adware.HungryHands.
3. Unregister the .dll file.
4. Run a full system scan and delete all the files detected as Adware.HungryHands.
5. Delete the value that was added to the registry.
   

For specific details on each of these steps, read the following instructions.

1. To update the definitions
To obtain the most recent definitions, start your Symantec program and run LiveUpdate.

2. To scan for and record the file names

1. Start your Symantec antivirus program, and then run a full system scan.
2. If any files are detected as Adware.HungryHands, write down the path and file name.

3. To unregister the .dll file

1. Click Start, and then click Run. (The Run dialog box appears.)
2. Type, or copy and paste, the following text:
   
   regsvr32 /u "<dllname>"
   
   where <dllname> is the path and file name recorded in step 2.
   
   
3. Click OK.
   
   
4. If a dialog box confirming this action appears, click OK.

4. To scan for and delete the files

1. Start your Symantec antivirus program, and then run a full system scan.
2. If any files are detected as Adware.HungryHands, click Delete.
   
   

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   Note: If your Symantec antivirus product reports that it cannot delete a detected file, write down the path and file name. Then use Windows Explorer to locate and delete the file.

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5. To delete the value from the registry

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WARNING: Symantec strongly recommends that you back up the registry before making any changes to it. Incorrect changes to the registry can result in permanent data loss or corrupted files. Modify the specified keys only. Read the document, "How to make a backup of the Windows registry," for instructions.

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Note: This is done to make sure that all the keys are removed. They may not be there if regsvr32 removed them.

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1. Click Start, and then click Run. (The Run dialog box appears.)
2. Type regedit
   
   Then click OK. (The Registry Editor opens.)
   
   
3. Navigate to and delete the keys:
   
   • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTappidhungryhands.dll
   • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTappid{03f8822f-8877-4002-8bcd-b532d53d8471}
   • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTclsid{bcf96fb4-5f1b-497b-aecc-910304a55011}
   • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOThungryhands.hungrybho
   • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOThungryhands.hungrybho.1
   • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTinterface{f8fb4ea2-6c05-4de5-8cd0-625b03f48e22}
   • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTsoftwaremicrosoftwindowscurrentversionexplorer
     rowser helper objects{bcf96fb4-5f1b-497b-aecc-910304a55011}
   • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT ypelib{03f8822f-8877-4002-8bcd-b532d53d8471}
   • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEclsid{bcf96fb4-5f1b-497b-aecc-910304a55011}
   • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEsoftwareclassesclsid
     {bcf96fb4-5f1b-497b-aecc-910304a55011}
   • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEsoftwaremicrosoftwindowscurrentversionexplorer
     rowser helper objects{bcf96fb4-5f1b-497b-aecc-910304a55011}
     
     
4. Exit the Registry Editor.