Adware.Ting

SUMMARY

Behavior

Adware.Ting is an adware program that changes the Internet Explorer home page to www.78ting.com, for advertising purposes.

Symptoms

Your home page is changed to www.78ting.com.

Transmission

This adware component must be manually installed or installed as a component of another program that you install.

Protection

• Virus Definitions (LiveUpdate™ Weekly) October 8, 2003
• Virus Definitions (Intelligent Updater) October 6, 2003

TECHNICAL DETAILS

When Adware.Ting is executed, it performs the following actions:

1. Copies itself as %System%internet.exe.
   
   
2. Adds the value:
   
   "internet"="%System%internet.exe"
   
   to the registry key:
   
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun
   
   so that Adware.Ting runs when you start Windows.
   
   
3. Adds the value:
   
   "DisableRegistryTools"="1"
   
   to the registry key:
   
   HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPoliciesSystem
   
   so that you cannot run Regedit on the computer.
   
   
4. Changes the Internet Explorer home page to www.78ting.com.

REMOVAL

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Note: Removing this adware component from the system will likely cause the program that installed it to not function as intended. The uninstaller generally identifies the programs that will not work after uninstallation.

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1. Update the virus definitions.
2. Run a full system scan and delete all the files detected as Adware.Ting.
3. Delete the value that was added to the registry.
4. Restore the Internet Explorer settings.
   

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

1. Updating the virus definitions
Symantec Security Response fully tests all the virus definitions for quality assurance before they are posted to our servers. There are two ways to obtain the most recent virus definitions:

• Running LiveUpdate, which is the easiest way to obtain virus definitions: These virus definitions are posted to the LiveUpdate servers once each week (usually on Wednesdays), unless there is a major virus outbreak. To determine whether definitions for this threat are available by LiveUpdate, refer to the Virus Definitions (LiveUpdate).
• Downloading the definitions using the Intelligent Updater: The Intelligent Updater virus definitions are posted on U.S. business days (Monday through Friday). You should download the definitions from the Symantec Security Response Web site and manually install them. To determine whether definitions for this threat are available by the Intelligent Updater, refer to the Virus Definitions (Intelligent Updater).
  
  The Intelligent Updater virus definitions are available: Read "How to update virus definition files using the Intelligent Updater" for detailed instructions.

2. Scanning for and deleting the infected files

1. Start Norton AntiVirus and make sure that it is configured to scan all the files. For more information, read the document, "How to configure Norton AntiVirus to scan all files."
2. Run a full system scan.
3. If any files are detected as infected with Adware.Ting, click Delete.
   
   

3. Deleting 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 the uninstaller removed them.

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1. Click Start, and then click Run. (The Run dialog box appears.)
   
   
2. Type:
   
   notepad
   
   and click OK. (Notepad opens a text file.)
   
   
3. Type, or copy and paste, the following text into the text file:
   
   REGEDIT4
   
   [HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionPoliciesSystem]
   "DisableRegistryTools"=dword:00000000
   
   
4. Save the file as:
   
   repair.reg
   
   in the root folder (usually C:).
   
   
5. Click Start, and then click Run.
   
   
6. Type:
   
   regedit -s epair.reg
   
   and then click OK.
   
   
7. Click Start, and then click Run. (The Run dialog box appears.)
   
   
8. Type:
   
   regedit
   
   Then click OK. (The Registry Editor opens.)
   
   
9. Navigate to the key:
   
   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun
   
   
10. In the right pane, delete the value:
    
    "internet"="%System%internet.exe"
    
    
11. Exit the Registry Editor.

4. Restoring the Internet Explorer settings

a. Start Microsoft Internet Explorer.
b. Connect to the Internet and go to the page that you want to set as your home page.
c. Click Tools > Internet Options.
d. In the Home page section of the General tab, click Use Current >OK.
e. On the Programs tab, click Reset Web Settings.