Remove Masterbar. Description and removal instructions

 
Title: Masterbar

Type: Browser Plugins
Severity scale:Masterbar severity is 45  (45 / 100)
 
Masterbar is an Internet Explorer toolbar providing a web search service. It tracks user browsing habits, changes the web browser's default home and search pages to undesirable web sites and displays unsolicited commercial advertisements. Masterbar has the ability to silently update itself via the Internet. The threat can get into the system while visiting some insecure web sites. It can also be manually installed. Masterbar runs every time the user launches Internet Explorer.


Masterbar properties:
• Changes browser settings
• Shows commercial adverts
• Connects itself to the internet
• Hides from the user
• Stays resident in background

Automatic Masterbar removal:

remover for Masterbar

Masterbar manual removal:

Kill processes:
stcloader.exe
Delete registry values:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\stcloader
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\SearchURL=[site address]
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Search Bar=[site address]
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Search Page=[site address]
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Default_Search_URL=[site address]
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Search Page=[site address]
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Default_Search_URL=[site address]
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search\CustomizeSearch=[site address]
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search\SearchAssistant=[site address]
Unregister DLLs:
masterbar.dll, qi32.dll

Delete files:
stcloader.exe, masterbar.dll, qi32.dll
Misc:
[site address] is an address of a web site on the masterbar.com domain.

The stcloader.exe file can be found in the default system directory C:\Windows\System, C:\Windows\System32 or C:\Winnt\System32.

Other programs to remove Masterbar:

• SUPERAntiSpyware - Review - Download
• CounterSpy - Review - Download
• Windows Defender - Review - Download

Information added: 19/03/04
Information updated: 01/10/05

Additional resources related to Masterbar:

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Comments from visitors:


1. by Woody. 2004-03-03 19:16:43
- Has auto-update functionality
- Seems to be related to 'Pugi' according to some reports and code references.


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