Overview
Summary:
Adware. Brings targeted ads to your computer, after you provide initial consent for this task. Track your browsing habits and reports this info to a central server.
ConsumerWebWatch refers to BonziBuddy as a "Backdoor Santa": a stand-alone program that have no links to adware networks or no ad-serving, per se, but that collect information from users.
Serves adds, frequently prompts users for personal information, tracks all usage, deposits icons in the startup folder, system tray and on the desktop, repeatedly resets the browser homepage to BONZI.COM without asking permission, and leaves components behind after users use its uninstall program.
See Also:
Category:
Spyware: Any product that employs a user's Internet connection in the background without their knowledge, and gathers/transmits info on the user or their behavior. Many spyware products will collect referrer info (information from your web browser which reveals what URL you linked from), your IP address (a number that is used by computers on the network to identify your computer), system information (such as time of visit, type of browser used, the operating system and platform, and CPU speed.) Spyware products sometimes wrap other commercial products, and are introduced to machines when those commercial products are installed. See also Adware.
Adware: Software that displays popup/popunder ads when the primary user interface is not visible or which do not appear to be assocaited with the product.
Browser Helper Object: (BHO). A component that Internet Explorer will load whenever it starts, shares IE's memory context, can perform any action on the available windows and modules. A BHO can detect events, create windows to display additional information on a viewed page, monitor messages and actions. Microsoft calls it "a spy we send to infiltrate the browser's land." BHOs are not stopped by personal firewalls, because they are seen by the firewall as your browser itself. Some exploits of this technology search all pages you view in IE and replace banner advertisements with other ads. Some monitor and report on your actions. Some change your home page.
Toolbar: A group of buttons which perform common tasks. A toolbar for Internet Explorer is nomally located below the menu bar at the top of the form. Toolbars may be created by Browser Helper Objects.
Similar Pests:
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Clot Factor:
The "Clot Factor" is a measure of how much a pest "gums up" a machine by adding registry entries, files, and directories. As more objects are placed in a machine, manual removal becomes more difficult and more error-prone.
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Detection and Removal
Automatic Removal:
PestPatrol detects this.
PestPatrol removes this.
Manual Removal:
- Close the Bonzi Buddy Program. Click on Bonzi and say "Goodbye" to close him. Next, Right-click on the dollar sign icon next to your clock and choose "Exit."
- Close the little dollar sign icon on the system tray.
- Now click on Start > Programs > BonziBUDDY > Uninstall BonziBUDDY Bargain Hunting Tool and allow the uninstall program to finish. Let the uninstall program remove the shared files.
- Go to Start > Programs > BonziBUDDY > Uninstall BonziBUDDY and allow the uninstall program to complete. Let the uninstall program remove the shared files.
- Do a file search, and type bonzi. Delete all files that show up.
- Run a registry cleaner and remove all references to Bonzi Buddy.
- Restart your computer.
If the uninstall fails, you might try re-installing from here and then following steps 1-7 for uninstalling.
Kill these running processes with Task Manager:
Go To the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run.
If you find the value HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\run\bonzi buddy, delete it and reboot the machine immediately.
If you find the value HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\run\bonzibuddy, delete it and reboot the machine immediately.
If you find the value HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\run\clickthebutton, delete it and reboot the machine immediately.
Unregister these DLLs with Regsvr32, then reboot:
Remove these registry items (if present) with RegEdit:
Remove these files (if present) with Windows Explorer:
Remove these directories (if present) with Windows Explorer:
Research
File Analyses:
- BonziBuddy: agentsvr.exe-002e45ab.pf · agentsvr.exe-2e0b3a35.pf · bbsetupad1.exe · bbsetuphom.exe · bbsetuphom.exe-29ffd054.pf · bbsetupmss.exe · bbsmar~2.exe-07e9ade6.pf · bbsmartsetup.exe · bbsmartstubfal.exe · bbuddy~1.exe-13d276bc.pf · bbuddymini.exe · bonzi.acs · bonzi.url · bonzibdy.exe · bonzibdy.exe-2603b754.pf · bonzibuddy.lnk · bonzibuddy.txt · bonzibuddyuninstall.exe · bonzictb.dll · bonzitapfilters.dll · glb2.tmp-0890585f.pf · glba.tmp-259e75b5.pf · gljc.tmp-3189723e.pf · grpconv.exe-111cd845.pf · install.log · msagent.exe-2fa66abe.pf · restart.exe-0fff213d.pf · spchapi.exe-28f57ba4.pf · speed up my computer.url · tv_enua.exe-2ee94b5f.pf · uninstall bonzibuddy.lnk · webcompass.dll · webcompassbar.dll