Note- you will probably get errors trying to uninstall a quarantined app (The required files aren't where they should be). You should be able to get around this by restoring the app out of quarantine first - and then uninstall.

Yea, your right LG. Spysweeper never picked anything up when it was running... just when I did a system scan. So I don't think it was malicious at all. As you said though.. not that good of a game anyway.

@Michelle - once it's in quarantine, you can just delete it or restore it. If you want to uninstall instead, just go through add/remove programs in your control panel.

It's still in my spysweeper quarantine.

@Michelle, yep it quarantines the whole thing on picking up the dead registry entry. Should have made that more clear. Spysweeper has a fingerprint on that adware and automatically quarantines the program it recognizes as attached. Again, it's best to uninstall if not comfortable fixing it.

It's no big loss. It really isn't that great of a game, on some shots the camera angle has the ball completely out of view and you can't adjust it. Poor design.

Looks like spysweeper quarantined the whole C:\program files\mini golf on my computer.

The program may have been infected at one time but was cleaned. There's one trace left. It's still placing a registry entry for minigolf_affiliate.exe but it's invalid, points to nothing. (That's not the game's executable, it was the affiliate OverPro's adware executable.) Spysweeper's picking up the trace. The actual file minigolf_affiliate.exe is not in the package, neither is it's Wild Media accomplice WildApp.dll. Only placing a dead registry entry for the missing .exe remains.

Other files that sometimes came with that original adware aren't there either, like terabyte.exe, overpro323.exe, fixit.exe, blaster_blocks.exe, and no registry entries for any of those. If it contained any of those they would show up on running processes (CTRL+ALT+DEL, Processes tab) whether the game was running or not, they don't. Even if the game is running they're not there, only minigolf.exe which is the game's executable and is harmless.

I deleted the dead registry entry for minigolf_affiliate.exe, rebooted and reran Spysweeper and it came up clean and the game still runs fine. In the original infected file the game would no longer open once the adware was deleted. Not so in this one because the adware isn't there, just the trace. For some reason Spysweeper picks up the trace but can't clean the dead registry entry, so I did it manually. I am not going to post instructions on how to do that, anybody who already knows how doesn't need instructions. Anybody who needs instructions shouldn't be playing with registry and should just uninstall the game. It isn't that great anyway, bad camera angles.

Just ran a full system scan with my Webroot SpySweeper Version 5.3.2.2361 and I subscribe to the updates.

My sweep also picked up the minigolf program as Wild Media, listed as adware because it may display ads. I quarantined but didn't delete it yet. Nobody else is getting anything except us Spysweeper users?

Yes, actually I probably still have them. I gave them my junk e-mail account. I get a lot of junk e-mail in there anyway, I usually give everyone my junk e-mail account. I think bluesquad and advanquest might be the same company, I can't be too sure about that, but I think maybe they might be.

You may be on the newsletter already.

Noticed they are linked to blue squad, I get emails from them weekly to my spam account, thats one I use that is not too personal.

8th of this month got this one.

Smart PC Pro works in 4 main areas to provide you with a total solution for PC maintenance; :

• Fix your PC. Detect, diagnose & repair all types of PC problems
• Clean up your PC. Reclaim valuable disc space by removing useless files
• Optimise your PC. Speed up start-up and programme loading times.
• Protects your personal data. Cover your tracks when surfing the web.

23rd of last month got this one.

Driver Genius 7 is more comprehensive and easy-to-use than ever before. Features include;

• Compatible with Windows® Vista™
• Improved interface
• Diagnosis tool to identify your driver problems
• Powerful live update functionality to get latest drivers
• New tool to manage driver downloads
•Thousands of new drivers added to the extensive database

Did you receive them also?

Actually they are not trials (full versions). They will send you the key if you need one. Every month they have a new giveaway, this month it was only a trial.

Those are software that you get for free for registering for the newsletter, but they have giveaways every month. This month it was only a trial but other months I was on it since like Jan., it was full software programs.

Not bothered by spyware or it's deviants.

I don't install trials or visit odd sites that promise they will fix your registry so it's super duper fast ha ha.

I see some old favourites there thoug, gator and save now.

I only have one program that has save now keys in it, though I gives you the chance to install save now or not install save now.

The app is cool scrollbars v2.2

I'm a fan of them only because I get a lot of programs you would have to pay for free. If you're on their newsletter every month you get a new program. Sometimes like this month it was only a 30 day trial.

Maybe it is something you want to do. I got a couple programs off them for free.

I believe Ghost Surf is on that site, so you might be right.

______________

According to this site http://home.earthlink.net/~doniteli/index73.htm (the demo version of that software contains spyware). I'm talking about giveawayoftheday yesterday. Mini Golf. Doesn't it say that? Maybe you see something I don't, I don't know.

http://register.bluesquad.com/mailings/2006/US/Launch0306US/bsq_launch.asp (if you want to join the newsletter)

I use GhostSurf 2007 Platinum, I can spoof my own ip without software, which I don't do anyway.

I like the vault and the disk cleaning software.

They offer me huge discounts to buy the suite rather than the single applications, so I got this for $20 about £12 at the time.

I think avanquest may or may not have taken them over, I am not a fan of avanquest.

You can still download spycatcher express for free though.

I use spybot search and destroy.

Used to use SpyCatcher and SpyCatcher would take supposed spyware that was alledged.

Right bugger that app was.

____________

I use to use (Tenebil Spycatcher Express myself, it has a lot of false positives), but I think the company was bought out.

A lot of these spyware threats are myths.

I use spybot search and destroy.

Used to use SpyCatcher and SpyCatcher would take supposed spyware that was alledged.

Right bugger that app was.

I suggest seeing if the app wants internet access. If it does then don't let it.

Then it won't be able to send or receive information.

http://soft.easyhtools.com/22291/details-minigolf.html says it's clean

"I have checked my system with Spybot S&D, AdAware Pro, and the AdAware Pro 2007 Beta. All clean so far. I'll check with Spysweeper - but it looks to me like you picked up WildMedia elsewhere - and spysweeper has seen MiniGolf, added 1 and 1 together and got 3."

There is not one antispyware that detects all spyware. I use a variety of antispyware programs too and Webroot Spysweeper was the only one that caught it. Webroot Spysweeper is not free. It's actually Webroot Spy Sweeper, the program that you used is Arovax Antispyware and that found an infection too.

Bubby that program that you are using to look up the infection does not look like spysweeper. To me it looks like Arovax Antispyware. I am using Spysweeper 5.3 (without sophos antivirus)

JEG88, no i wasn't clicking on that, as always after my activating, then setup, i click on the icon with the arrow on it. Never seen any + sign. No worries, as i don't like golf anyways but thought it looked pretty lol, i just uninstalled. Thanks for the help.

I also got a 'spyware/adware' warning when I tried to install the game from CounterSpy. I let it go through though.

I'll run a scan later and see if it finds anything. I just treated it as a 'false positive'.

Irv

Michelle,

I've had a close look at this - and it is not an infection.

My Spysweeper results for minigolf
http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/9526/20070309235429crmy9.png

Spysweeper seems to treat this "trace" as a positive identification for Wild Media. However the only components it detects are those of the game itself. The Wild Media components are noticably absent.
http://www.intermute.com/spysubtract/researchcenter/WildMedia.html
http://www.intermute.com/spyware/WildMedia.html
http://www.nuker.com/container/details/wildarcade.php

It's important to remember that traces are very different things to positive detections of spyware.
http://www.nowpublic.com/spyware_traces_in_detail

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/spyaudit.html

Run spy audit, it should tell you about the spyware it finds on your computer, but it won't remove the spyware it finds.

A tool by Webroot that can only scan for.

Michelle:

WOW--SCARY! I 'HOPE' GAOTD will comment on what u found & clear things up for us !!!
[-are we all infected ??!!] I'm going to go run a scan now. ! :[

inneedof1 :

Are u clicking on the desktop icon when u do this? Does it look like + says its a file
w/ #'0'gigs? = If so; DON'T use that icon, -its BOGUS, -get rid of it. Then go to 'START/PROGRAMS & find the 'MINI-GOLF' FILE, highlight it & look for
the 'Mini-Golf "ICON". Right-click on that & choose "Send to, Desktop(create short-cut).
Now you have a new 'Working' ICON. You can use that or the file in 'Start/Programs'
to 'LAUNCH' the game!
I hope this helps; that's the problem I & some others had -[a faulty short-cut icon].
If that's not it, you'll have to leave more INFO & maybe someone eles can help. :)

The version downloaded from GOTD yesterday is identical to the version currently available on http://www.robingames.com/games/mini-golf/

You can check your version if you want:

File Name: Setup.exe
File Path: F:\GiveAwayOfTheDay\GAMES\MiniGolf\Setup.exe
Created Date: 8/03/2007 10:55:52 PM
Last Accessed: 8/03/2007 10:55:52 PM
Last Modified: 3/03/2007 11:58:56 PM
File Size: 11198848
CRC32 Digest: FCCC67F0
MD5 Hash: 014C797CD877C8B7EFA1CE34619AB420
SHA-1 Hash: 25EE8240F8FAA7AE13E36CBE7781ADE5C972AB66
SHA-256 Hash: A54F8E9EFCB48D0779A103A7ACF2D62E2C0D367984A4199E9D900081D6F396FB

The above was generated by PinpointLabs Hash (Freeware)
http://www.pinpointlabs.com/free_tools/hash/

I have checked my system with Spybot S&D, AdAware Pro, and the AdAware Pro 2007 Beta. All clean so far. I'll check with Spysweeper - but it looks to me like you picked up WildMedia elsewhere - and spysweeper has seen MiniGolf, added 1 and 1 together and got 3.

If you downloaded it from GOTD you are using the same version I am.

C:\program files\mini golf
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Minigolf\MiniGolf.Ink
C:\ Documents and Settings\all Users\start menu\programs\minigolf\uninstall minigolf.Ink
C:\Program Files\Mini Golf

and it looks like it found over 2000 traces

hold up, I got it installed again and it found 925 traces. I'll post them when the scan is done.

Actually sorry I uninstalled and then ran and it still found traces. I would love to show you, but I uninstalled it before I ran anything because I got a bsod, but it still found traces and I believe two registry entries after I uninstalled and I made a comment about it in the comments section under that giveaway and it appears it was deleted.

Makes you wonder if GOTD is doing it on purpose.

Could you post the log section from Spyware sweeper that shows where it detected it.

I've had a look and found two infection logs posted by other people on the internet, and they seem to have detected a different version to what we have. Minigolf_affiliate.exe seems to be a version that was packed with adware by a third party. Perhaps Spysweeper is also detecting the unmodified version. Also critical adware files are missing and the registry entries are different. (In summary - The version I am running is clean).

http://forums.techguy.org/security/463549-ibm00001-dll.html

7:50 PM: Found Adware: wild media - minigolf
7:50 PM: HKLM\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\moduleusage\c:/windows/wildapp.dll\ (2 subtraces) (ID = 135051)
7:50 PM: HKLM\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\moduleusage\c:/windows/minigolf_affiliate.exe\ (2 subtraces) (ID = 135052)
7:50 PM: HKLM\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\shareddlls\ || c:\windows\wildapp.dll (ID = 135057)
7:50 PM: HKLM\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\shareddlls\ || c:\windows\minigolf_affiliate.exe (ID = 135058)
7:50 PM: HKLM\software\minigolf\ (1 subtraces) (ID = 135062)

http://www.d-a-l.com/help/showthread.php?t=37653

11:12 PM: Found Adware: wild media - minigolf
11:12 PM: HKLM\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\mod uleusage\c:/winnt/minigolf_affiliate.exe\ (2 subtraces) (ID = 135054)
11:12 PM: HKLM\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\sha reddlls\ || c:\winnt\minigolf_affiliate.exe (ID = 135060)
11:12 PM: Found Adware: wildmedia
11:12 PM: HKCR\interface\{851f86c9-d3cc-4574-93f5-40e2d65159e4}\ (8 subtraces) (ID = 146695)
11:12 PM: HKLM\software\classes\interface\{851f86c9-d3cc-4574-93f5-40e2d65159e4}\ (8 subtraces) (ID = 146709)

I believe this file is adware. http://research.spysweeper.com/search.php?serialnumber=mg822

After downloading the file and installing it and trying to run the file I got a blue screen of death so I uninstalled. About a half an hour ago I ran hitman pro. Spysweeper detected adware on my computer http://research.spysweeper.com/search.php?serialnumber=mg822

C:\program files\minigolf