PUP.Optional.DNSUnlocker

Short bio

PUP.Optional.DNSUnlocker is Malwarebytes’ detection name for a family of adware programs that change the victim’s DNS settings on Windows systems.

Type and source of infection

PUP.Optional.DNSUnlocker redirects users to sites of its choosing by changing the DNS settings on the user’s machine. The potentially unwanted programs (PUPs) in this family are usually included in bundlers.

Protection

Malwarebytes protects users from PUP.Optional.DNSUnlocker by using real-time protection.

Malwarebytes blocks PUP.Optional.DNSUnlocker

Remediation

Malwarebytes can detect and remove PUP.Optional.DNSUnlocker without further user interaction.

1. Please download Malwarebytes to your desktop.
2. Double-click mb3-setup-consumer-{version}.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
3. Then click Finish.
4. Once the program has fully updated, select Scan Now on the Dashboard. Or select the Threat Scan from the Scan menu.
5. If another update of the definitions is available, it will be implemented before the rest of the scanning procedure.
6. When the scan is complete, make sure that all Threats are selected, and click Remove Selected.
7. Restart your computer when prompted to do so.

In some cases you may be prompted for a second reboot. This is necessary to restore your Internet connection.

Add an exclusion

Should users wish to keep this program and exclude it from being detected in future scans, they can add the program to the exclusions list. Here’s how to do it.

The Exclusions tab includes a list of items to be excluded from scans. The items may include files, folders, websites, or applications that connect to the Internet, as well as previously detected exploits.

To access the exclusions in Malwarebytes:

• Click on the Settings tab in the left pane.
• Click on the Exclusions tab.
• Click the Add Exclusion button.
• Select the exclusion type Exclude a File or Folder and use the Browse button to select the main folder for the software that you wish to keep.
• Repeat this for any secondary folder(s) that belong to the software.
• If you want to allow the program to connect to the Internet, for example to fetch updates, add an exclusion of the type Exclude an application that Connects to the Internet and use the Browse button to select the file you wish to grant access.

Traces/IOCs

You may see this type of entries in FRST logs:

Tcpip\..\Interfaces\{GUID for the internet connection}: [NameServer] 82.163.143.153,82.163.142.155