CoolWebSearch (also known as CoolWWWSearch or abbreviated as CWS) first appeared in May 2003 and is well known as a spyware program which installs itself on Windows based computers.

Effects

CoolWebSearch has numerous effects when it is successfully installed on a user's computer. The program can change an infected computer's web browser homepage to coolwebsearch.com, and although originally thought to only work on Internet Explorer, recent variants affect Mozilla Firefox as well as others. It can also create pop-up ads that redirect to other websites including pornography sites, collect private information about users and slow the speed of infected computers. Coolwebsearch uses innovative techniques to evade detection and removal, and as such many common spyware removal programs fail to properly remove the software.

Some versions of CoolWebSearch can be installed through drive-by installation, in which a computer browsing a webpage automatically installs CWS. CWS itself attempts to evade others by not labelling its ads, not providing an EULA, not providing any data about itself and not having a website. Certain variants insert links on random text, leading to advertiser websites. Other attempts to access websites are redirected to pay-per-click search engines that may install more malware display ads. Some variants of CWS also add links to pornography and gambling sites to the user's Desktop, Internet Explorer's bookmarks and history. Certain versions attempt to edit users' trusted sites and modify security settings as well as to hide from removal programs. Variants are often named for the effects they have such as msconfig, Msoffice, Mupdate, Msinfo and Svchost32.

Possible creators

The website claims that they are not accountable for the browser hijacking. They run an affiliate program which pays affiliates to direct others to their site which has paid advertising links. Coolwebsearch.com's terms of service use the laws of Quebec, whilst their DNS registration lists an address in the British Virgin Islands, and their web server appears to be run by HyperCommunications in Massachusetts. CoolWebSearch is also linked to CoolWebSearch.org and appears to be related to webcoolsearch.com. The names of the creators currently remain unknown.

Removal

There are programs such as CWShredder and McAfee's Beta Command-Line Scanner that can be used to remove the vast majority of CoolWebSearch variants from infected computers. Windows' System Restore can reportedly remove some, but possibly not all, variants of CoolWebSearch. However, due to the fact that CoolWebSearch can hide in the System Restore files, this is not a recommended solution, and it is probably wiser to clear System Restore than to use it.

"About:blank" is the generic name for different variants (CWS.Hiddendll, se.dll, CWS.Homesearch) which hijack the browser, cause pop-ups and reduce computer speed. These are some of the most common but hardest variants to remove.

Variants

CWS.Aboutblank

CWS.Addclass

CWS.Alfasearch

CWS.Bootconf

CWS.CameUp

CWS.Cassandra

CWS.Control

CWS.Ctfmon32

CWS.Datanotary

CWS.Dnsrelay

CWS.Dreplace

CWS.Gonnasearch

CWS.Googlems

CWS.Hiddendll

CWS.Homesearch

CWS.Loadbat

CWS.Msconfd

CWS.Msconfig

CWS.Msinfo

CWS.Msoffice

CWS.Msspi

CWS.Mupdate

CWS.Oemsyspnp

CWS.Olehelp

CWS.Oslogo

CWS.Qttasks

CWS.Q-url3

CWS.Realyellowpage

CWS.Searchx

CWS.Smartfinder

CWS.Smartsearch

CWS.Sounddrv

CWS.Svchost32

CWS.Svcinit

CWS.Systeminit

CWS.Systime

CWS.Tapicfg

CWS.Therealsearch

CWS.Vrape

CWS.Xmlmimefilter

CWS.Xplugin

CWS.Xxxvideo

CWS.Yexe

CWS.Winproc32

CWS.Winres

CWS.Xmlmimefilter

CWS.Aboutblank

CWS.Systeminit

CWS.Sounddrv

CWS.Searchx

CWS.Realyellowpage

CWS.SysTime

CWS.HomeSearch

CWS.Look2Me

CWS.MSFind

CWS.Cassandra

Affiliate variants

CWS.Aff.iedll

CWS.Aff.Madfinder

CWS.Aff.Tooncomics

CWS.Aff.Winshow