Adware Gator Spyware
Adware Gator Spyware
Type: Adware (Previously called Spyware)
Version: 3.2Publisher: Gator Corporation
Systems Affected: Windows 2000, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows XP
Systems Not Affected: DOS, Linux, Macintosh, OS/2, UNIX
This spyware threat can be detected only by free Spyware Scanner software that support expanded threats.
The Spyware's Behavior
Spyware Gator includes an Adware program that downloads and displays advertisements.The spyware files will be able to be detected as Adware under the file name(s) Gator, and an open connection to *.Gator.com (where * can be anything).
This adware program must be manually installed. There are several known programs that have Adware Gator within them and that install it as the program itself is installed.
*Make sure you run a full system spyware scan and delete all the spyware files detected as Adware under the file name Gator.
When Adware Gator is installed, it does the following:
Inserts a spyware file in the System folder. The filename appears to differ depending on which program installs Adware Gator. Some known file names are:Fsg.exe
Fsg_3202.exe
Trickler.exe.
Adware Gator may use other names as well.
Creates the registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Gator.com
There will be several subkeys under this key.
Creates the value:
"Trickler"
in the registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft
\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
...so that the Adware runs when you start Windows.
Other spyware programs, which use Adware Gator to download and display advertisements, most often install Gator's adware. Adware 'Gator' may display advertisements in pop-up windows.
When Gator's Adware is launched, after installation, it will contact the server:
*.gator.com
(where * is anything) on port 80. The spyware submits your Web browsing habits to this server, and then download advertisements from it.
It is not practical to attempt to remove this particular adware, which is a product of the Gator Advertising Network (GAIN), by using the Add/Remove programs applet or by deleting detected files.
GAIN will uninstall itself if the computer does not contain any GAIN-enabled programs.
To find out which programs need to be removed, and for a link to GAIN technical support, go to the GAIN Web page.
Once you know which GAIN enabled adware programs you have installed, you must uninstall them, and GAIN uninstall itself.
Additional information is available on the GAIN Frequently Asked Questions page.
You will find much more on this topic at WorldsLargestNetwork.com
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