McAfee > Theat Center > Virus Detail Page

Overview

Characteristics

This software is not a virus or a Trojan. It is detected as a "potentially unwanted program" (PUP). PUPs are any piece of software that a reasonably security- or privacy-minded computer user may want to be informed of and, in some cases, remove. PUPs are often made by a legitimate corporate entity for some beneficial purpose, but they alter the security state of the computer on which they are installed, or the privacy posture of the user of the system, such that most users will want to be aware of them.

This generic detection is for applications that may serve as general purpose tools which may be used with malicious intent. For example, the following types of applications are encompassed:

• key generators
• network tools (those with frequent malicious use)
• local vulnerability testers
• priviledge escalation tools
• file encrypting utilities
• software activation circumvention

This detection is of type application. The applications it covers are not viruses or trojan. Users who would like to check for the presence of this kind of files on their system should configure their products to detect "Potentially unwanted applications" (/PROGRAM switch for the command line scanner).

Symptoms

Method of Infection

Removal

All Users:
Use current engine and DAT files for detection and removal.

Modifications made to the system Registry and/or INI files for the purposes of hooking system startup, will be successfully removed if cleaning with the recommended engine and DAT combination (or higher).

Additional Windows ME/XP removal considerations

Variants

Variants

N/A

All Information

Overview -

Characteristics

Characteristics -

This software is not a virus or a Trojan. It is detected as a "potentially unwanted program" (PUP). PUPs are any piece of software that a reasonably security- or privacy-minded computer user may want to be informed of and, in some cases, remove. PUPs are often made by a legitimate corporate entity for some beneficial purpose, but they alter the security state of the computer on which they are installed, or the privacy posture of the user of the system, such that most users will want to be aware of them.

This generic detection is for applications that may serve as general purpose tools which may be used with malicious intent. For example, the following types of applications are encompassed:

• key generators
• network tools (those with frequent malicious use)
• local vulnerability testers
• priviledge escalation tools
• file encrypting utilities
• software activation circumvention

This detection is of type application. The applications it covers are not viruses or trojan. Users who would like to check for the presence of this kind of files on their system should configure their products to detect "Potentially unwanted applications" (/PROGRAM switch for the command line scanner).

Symptoms

Symptoms -

Method of Infection

Method of Infection -

Removal -

Removal -

All Users:
Use current engine and DAT files for detection and removal.

Modifications made to the system Registry and/or INI files for the purposes of hooking system startup, will be successfully removed if cleaning with the recommended engine and DAT combination (or higher).

Additional Windows ME/XP removal considerations

Variants

Variants -

N/A