How to Detect & Remove MSNMaker
What's MSNMaker?
MSNMaker is a worm that spreads through your MSN Messenger. When you’re infected with MSNMaker, the worm may replace MSN Messenger’s executable file (msnmsgr.exe) with a copy of itself, and then rename itself msn.exe. A remote attacker may then use MSNMaker to take command of your computer, using your MSN Messenger now to capture messages you receive and send, launch websites, send popup messages, disable your message abilities, log you off from MSN Messenger, change your display name on MSN Messenger, and more. MSNMaker worm may arrive as a file sent by a remote attacker via MSN Messenger, or MSNMaker worm may be downloaded from a URL, http://www.pictu[BLOCKED]entre.com/MsnTricker.zip. MSNMaker is also known as BKDR_MSNMaker.B and W32/MSNMaker.B. When you’re infected with MSNMaker, it’s recommended you delete the worm immediately.
Do I Have MSNMaker?
You can search your computer manually, but it might take hours to find MSNMaker’s hidden files. To save time, I recommend you automatically scan your PC for MSNMaker and other spyware. Why not? It’s free.
Free MSNMaker Scan, with SpyHunter
You can easily detect MSNMaker with SpyHunter’s FREE spyware scanner. And if you’re really infected with MSNMaker, you can buy the full version of SpyHunter to remove MSNMaker and other spyware. Or you can use my instructions below and remove MSNMaker for free.
I’m a big fan of SpyHunter. Here’s why: SpyHunter offers live support on the phone, and if SpyHunter doesn’t automatically remove MSNMaker, you can get a custom fix for your computer.
How to Remove MSNMaker
Your best protection against MSNMaker is to remove MSNMaker processes, registry keys, DLLs, and other files ASAP.
Get Rid of MSNMaker Manually
Manual removal of any spyware can be difficult. When you manually remove MSNMaker, you have to fiddle with your registry and risk destroying your PC. It’s highly recommended you use an automatic spyware scanner to make sure you’re infected with MSNMaker. Also, I recommend you backup your system any time before editing your registry.
To remove MSNMaker manually, you need to delete MSNMaker files. Not sure how to delete MSNMaker files? Click here, and I’ll tell you. Otherwise, go ahead and…
Detect and Remove these MSNMaker files:
MSN.EXE
Note: In any files I mention above, “%System%” is a variable referring to your PC’s System folder. Maybe you renamed it, but by default your System folder is “C:\Windows\System32″ on Windows XP, “C:\Winnt\System32″ on Windows NT/2000,” or “C:\Windows\System” on Windows 95/98/Me.
Relatedly, “%UserProfile%” is a variable referring to your current user’s profile folder. If you’re using Windows NT/2000/XP, by default this is “C:\Documents and Settings\[CURRENT USER]” (e.g., “C:\Documents and Settings\JoeSmith”).
MSNMaker changed your homepage?
Click Windows Start menu > Control Panel > Internet Options. Next, under Home Page, select the General > Use Default. Type in the URL you want as your home page (e.g., “http://www.homepage.com”). Then select Apply > OK. You’ll want to open a fresh web page and make sure that your new default home page pops up.
Recommendation:
To save time and avoid risking destroying your computer, I highly recommend you use a spyware scanner, such as SpyHunter, to detect MSNMaker and other spyware, adware, trojans, viruses, keyloggers, and more that can be hidden in your PC. It’s also recommended before you manually remove MSNMaker you backup your system.
Free MSNMaker Scan, with SpyHunter
Automatically detect MSNMaker and other spyware on your PC with SpyHunter’s FREE spyware scan.
How Do I Remove MSNMaker Files?
Need help figuring out how to delete files, DLLs, and registry keys? While there’s some risk involved, and you should only manually remove MSNMaker files if you’re comfortable and confident editing your system, you’ll find it’s fairly easy to delete MSNMaker files in Windows.
How to delete MSNMaker files in Windows XP and Vista:
- Click your Windows Start menu, and from “Search,” click “For Files and Folders…“
- A speech bubble will pop up asking you, “What do you want to search for?” Click “All files and folders.”
- Type any file name in the search box, and select “Local Hard Drives.”
- Click “Search.” Once the file is found, delete it.
How to stop MSNMaker processes:
- Click the Start menu, select Run.
- Type taskmgr.exe into the the Run command box, and click “OK.” You can also launch the Task Manager by pressing keys ALT + CTRL + DELETE or CTRL + Shift + ESC.
- Click Processes tab, and find MSNMaker processes.
- Once you’ve found the MSNMaker processes, right-click them and select “End Process” to kill MSNMaker.
How to remove MSNMaker registry keys:
Your Windows registry is the core of your Windows operating system, storing information about user settings, system preferences, and software, including which applications automatically launch at start up. Because of this, spyware, malware, and adware will often bury their own files into your Windows registry so that they automatically launch every time your start up your PC.
Because your registry is such a key piece of your Windows system, you should always backup your registry before you make any changes to it. Editing your registry can be intimidating if you’re not a computer expert, and when you change or a delete a critical registry key or registry value, there’s a chance you may need to reinstall your entire Windows operating system. Make sure your backup your registry before editing it.
- Select your Windows menu “Start,” and click “Run.” An “Open” field will appear. Type “regedit” and click “OK” to open up your Registry Editor.
- Registry Editor will open as a window with two panes. The left side Registry Editor’s window lets you select various registry keys, and the right side displays the registry values of the registry key you select.
- To find a registry key, such as any MSNMaker registry keys, select “Edit,” then select “Find,” and in the search bar type any of MSNMaker’s registry keys.
- As soon as MSNMaker registry key appears, you can delete the MSNMaker registry key by right-clicking it and selecting “Modify,” then clicking “Delete.”
Computer acting funny after you’ve edited your registry and deleted MSNMaker registry keys? Just restore your registry with your backup.
How to remove MSNMaker DLL files:
Like most any software, spyware, adware, and malware may also use DLL files. DLL is short for “dynamically linked library,” and MSNMaker DLL files, like other DLLs, carryout predetermined tasks. To manually delete MSNMaker DLL files, you’ll use Regsver32, a Windows tool designed to help you remove DLL and other files.
- First you’ll locate MSNMaker DLL files you want to delete. Open your Windows Start menu, then click “Run.” Type “cmd” in Run, and click “OK.”
- To change your current directory, type “cd” in the command box, press your “Space” key, and enter the full directory where the MSNMaker DLL file is located. If you’re not sure if the MSNMaker DLL file is located in a particular directory, enter “dir” in the command box to display a directory’s contents. To go one directory back, enter “cd ..” in the command box and press “Enter.”
- When you’ve located the MSNMaker DLL file you want to remove, type “regsvr32 /u SampleDLLName.dll” (e.g., “regsvr32 /u jl27script.dll”) and press your “Enter” key.
That’s it. If you want to restore MSNMaker DLL file you removed, enter “regsvr32 DLLJustDeleted.dll” (e.g., “regsvr32 jl27script.dll”) into your command box, and press your “Enter” key.
How Did I Get MSNMaker?
You may be wondering how MSNMaker ended up on your PC. If you’re infected with MSNMaker or other spyware, your system’s and web browser’s security settings may be set too low, you may not follow safe web browsing and email habits, and you may need to regularly use a good anti-spyware application. Unsafe computer behavior that may lead to your PC having MSNMaker includes:
Freeware or Shareware:
Did you download and install shareware or freeware? These low-cost or free software applications may come bundled with spyware, adware, or programs like MSNMaker. Sometimes adware is attached to the free software to “pay” developers for the cost of creating the software, and more often spyware is secretly and maliciously attached to free software to harm your computer and steal your personal and financial information.
Peer-to-Peer Software:
Do you use a peer-to-peer (P2P) program or other application with a shared network? When you use these applications, you put your system at risk for unknowingly downloading an infected file, including applications like MSNMaker.
Questionable Websites: Did you visit a website that’s of questionable nature? When you visit malicious sites that are fishy and phishy, Trojans, spyware, and adware may be automatically downloaded and installed onto your computer, sometimes including applications like MSNMaker.
It’s important to practice safer online habits to prevent being infected with MSNMaker . You may want to scan your computer for the latest version of MSNMaker and other security threats.
Detect MSNMaker & Other Malware
Is your computer infected with malware?
When you’re infected with malware, whether it’s MSNMaker, spyware, adware, trojans, rogue anti-spyware, keyloggers, worms, or viruses, there are a few key symptoms you may experience. If you notice one or more of the symptoms listed below, your PC may be infected with MSNMaker or other malware. Continue reading below, or click here for a free malware scan.
Slow computer performance: It only takes one or two spyware parasites like MSNMaker to cause your computer to slow dramatically. If your PC takes longer than usual to reboot or if your Internet connection is unusually slow, your computer may be infected with malware.
New desktop shortcuts or switched homepage: Malware like MSNMaker may change your Internet settings or redirect your default homepage to another web site. Malware may even add new desktop shortcuts on your PC.
Annoying popups on your PC: Malware may bombard your computer with popup ads, even when you’re not online. Malware may stop your regular Internet activity and track your surfing habits and gather personal information about you, putting your financial and personal information at risk.
Understanding MSNMaker & Spyware
If you’re infected with MSNMaker and spyware, you should know what you’re fighting. I’ll explain some spyware definitions related to MSNMaker.
MSNMaker May Be a Worm
What Are Worms?
Worms are virus-like malware (”malicious software”) with destructive codes. Worms are able to mutate, or replace their own code by automatically, which makes worms very dangerous, difficult to find, and hard to delete. Similar to viruses, worms can spread to the other computers by secretly and automatically emailing themselves to other Internet users in your address book. The main difference between worms and viruses is that a worm wil replace your computer files rather than simply inserting their code into your files.
Some worms may also fall under the category of spyware. Spyware is any software or malware used to spy or track your computer activity. While some spyware is legitimately and intentionally installed by parents or employers to monitor Internet activity on a computer, spyware may be installed maliciously. Often spyware may come bundled with downloads of free software or come in the form of a cookie via a website, and this spyware may track your Internet activity or may steal secret account usernames and passwords, credit card numbers, and other personal and financial information.
You may be able to reduce your chances of getting infected by a worm by using a spam-blocking software, such as SpamEater Pro.
MSNMaker-Related Posts
» No related posts
MSNMaker's Threat Level Explained
MSNMaker Is a Minor Pest 
The parasite isn't a real threat, but MSNMaker may track your Internet activities. MSNMaker may be easily removed with your Windows system "Add/Remove" function.
MSNMaker Is a Pest 
The parasite might profile you web activities and may have installed itself onto your PC via a drive-by download. You can probably manually remove MSNMaker yourself.
MSNMaker Is a Minor Threat 
The parasite might profile you and other users of your PC, and MSNMaker may send this data back to its parent server.
MSNMaker Is a Medium Threat 
The parasite might profile you and other users of your PC, and MSNMaker may send this data back to its parent server. MSNMaker may be impossible to manually remove.
MSNMaker Is a Threat 
The parasite might profile you and other users of your PC, and MSNMaker may send this data back to its parent server. MSNMaker may download and install more malware onto your PC, and MSNMaker may be impossible to manually remove.
MSNMaker Is a Minor Danger 
The parasite may profile you, log every keystroke you make, and take snopshots of your computer activity. MSNMaker may also be difficult to manually remove.
MSNMaker Is a Medium Danger 
The parasite may profile you, log every keystroke you make, and take snopshots of your computer activity. MSNMaker may download more malware and also be very difficult to manually remove.
MSNMaker Is a Danger 
The parasite may profile you, log every keystroke you make, and take snopshots of your computer activity. These logs may be sent to anonymous attacker, and MSNMaker may download more malware. MSNMaker may be very difficult to manually remove.
MSNMaker Is a Major Danger 
The parasite may track all of your computer activity, and MSNMaker may allow a hacker to access your PC. MSNMaker may pipe more malware into your computer, and may disable your anti-spyware or anti-virus software. MSNMaker may be very difficult to manually remove.
MSNMaker Is an Extreme Danger 
The parasite may track all of your computer activity, and MSNMaker may allow a hacker to control your computer. MSNMaker may pipe more malware into your computer, and may disable your anti-spyware or anti-virus software and firewall, and block your access to anti-spyware sites. MSNMaker may be very difficult to manually remove.
Comment on "MSNMaker" - Your Responses Help Us Get Rid of MSNMaker!