BuddyLinks

· Overview ·
· Origins ·
· Distribution ·
· Operation ·
· Risks ·
· Detection and Removal ·
· Research ·

Overview

Vendor Notes:

 'BuddyLinks provides a revolutionary new way for instant messenger users to instantaneously share entertaining content with their entire IM "buddy list" network all at one time. The permission-based software, including interactive games, can be downloaded directly through IM via a URL link. Once the software is downloaded, users can easily and quickly communicate jokes, games and amusing pictures within their entire IM social network. BuddyLinks marks the first entertainment application that can be shared over instant messaging platforms. Before BuddyLinks, users would need to send messages individually with no option for sending to the entire group list, and messages would need to be cut and pasted -- a time-consuming and laborious process. This first-of-its-kind, patent-pending, social networking software is the latest development in peer-to-peer communication and is compatible with various IM platforms. BuddyLinks utilizes technology from instant messaging, newsgroups and social network technologies. BuddyLinks is revolutionizing instant messaging, providing the first social networking component that automatically integrates with IM and offers added enhancement to the existing IM functionality. The software has an industry-standard opt-in and opt-out option and only sends content to its users with their permission. BuddyLinks also has a strict policy for maintaining its users' privacy.' -- http://www.buddylinks.net/service.php

Alias:

 Adware.Buddylinks [Symantec], Adware/PurityScan [Panda]

Category:

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.

Similar Pests:

 Adware

Origins

Group:

 PSD Tools, LLC.

Mailing Address:

 BuddyLinks 1770 Mass. Ave. #213 Cambridge, MA 02140-2808

EMail:

 support@buddylinks.net

URL:

 http://www.buddylinks.net/

Date of Origin:

 February, 2004

Distribution

Prevalence:
  • BuddyLinks: < 0.00005%
    • More Info

    Clot Factor:
  • BuddyLinks: 2

    • 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.

    Growth:
  • BuddyLinks: Insufficient data to report growth
    		•

    Operation

    Platform:

    		 Windows 2000, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT, Windows XP

    Storage Required:
  • BuddyLinks: at least 81 KB
    		•

    Risks

    Privacy Policy:

    		 http://www.buddylinks.net/privacy.php
    www.wgutv.com/osama_capture.php?.

    Detection and Removal

    Automatic Removal:

    PestPatrol detects this.

    PestPatrol removes this.

    Manual Removal:

    		 Try this uninstaller: http://www.buddylinks.net/ext_uninstaller.exe
    Stop Running Processes:

    Kill these running processes with Task Manager:

    Remove AutoRun Reference:

    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\blmessagingintegration, delete it and reboot the machine immediately.
    If you find the value HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\run\psd tools channel, delete it and reboot the machine immediately.



    Unregister DLLs:

    Unregister these DLLs with Regsvr32, then reboot:

    Clean Registry:

    Remove these registry items (if present) with RegEdit:

    Remove Files:

    Remove these files (if present) with Windows Explorer:

    Remove Directories:

    Remove these directories (if present) with Windows Explorer:

    Research

    File Analyses:

    More Info:
  • AllTheWeb, AltaVista, AOL Search, Ask Jeeves, Google, HotBot, Lycos, LookSmart, MSN, Yahoo!
    		•

    Research By:
  • PestPatrol's Pest Research Center
    		•

    Last Revised:

    		 April 15, 2005