PUP.Optional.WinNetSvc is Malwarebytes’ detection name for a potentially unwanted program (PUP) that displays advertisements on affected Windows systems.
Affected systems will run this service:
with these properties:
PUP.Optional.WinNetSvc is usually installed silently by bundlers. The installer for PUP.Optional.WinNetSvc is downloaded from the domain gamegogle.com.
Malwarebytes protects users from PUP.Optional.WinNetSvc by using real-time protection.
and by blocking the domain that provides the installer:
Malwarebytes can detect and remove PUP.Optional.WinNetSvc without further user interaction.
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)
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:
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
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