PUP.Optional.WinNetSvc

Short bio

PUP.Optional.WinNetSvc is Malwarebytes’ detection name for a potentially unwanted program (PUP) that displays advertisements on affected Windows systems.

Symptoms

Affected systems will run this service:

Windows Net Proxy Auto Service

with these properties:

service properties

Type and source of infection

PUP.Optional.WinNetSvc is usually installed silently by bundlers. The installer for PUP.Optional.WinNetSvc is downloaded from the domain gamegogle.com.

Protection

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

Malwarebytes blocks PUP.Optional.WinNetSvc

and by blocking the domain that provides the installer:

Malwarebytes blocks the domain gamegogle.com

Remediation

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

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

Malwarebytes removal log

A Malwarebytes log of removal will look similar to this:

Malwarebytes
www.malwarebytes.com

-Log Details-
Scan Date: 5/29/18
Scan Time: 8:45 AM
Log File: ea972a15-630b-11e8-b7bb-080027235d76.json
Administrator: Yes

-Software Information-
Version: 3.3.1.2183
Components Version: 1.0.262
Update Package Version: 1.0.5286
License: Premium

-System Information-
OS: Windows 7 Service Pack 1
CPU: x64
File System: NTFS
User: {computername}\{username}

-Scan Summary-
Scan Type: Threat Scan
Result: Completed
Objects Scanned: 240509
Threats Detected: 4
Threats Quarantined: 4
Time Elapsed: 2 min, 48 sec

-Scan Options-
Memory: Enabled
Startup: Enabled
Filesystem: Enabled
Archives: Enabled
Rootkits: Enabled
Heuristics: Enabled
PUP: Detect
PUM: Detect

-Scan Details-
Process: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Module: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Key: 1
PUP.Optional.WinNetSvc, HKLM\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVICES\WINNETSVC, Quarantined, [717], [185516],1.0.5286

Registry Value: 1
PUP.Optional.WinNetSvc, HKLM\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVICES\WINNETSVC|IMAGEPATH, Quarantined, [717], [185516],1.0.5286

Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Data Stream: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folder: 0
(No malicious items detected)

File: 2
PUP.Optional.WinNetSvc, C:\USERS\{username}\DESKTOP\WNSINS.EXE, Quarantined, [717], [104935],1.0.5286
PUP.Optional.WinNetSvc, C:\DOWNLOADS\WNSINS.EXE, Quarantined, [717], [104935],1.0.5286

Physical Sector: 0
(No malicious items detected)


(end)

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 these entries in FRST logs:

S2 WinNetSvc; "C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\WinNetSvc\WinNetSvc.exe" [X]
C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\WinNetSvc