Removal instructions for Comet Arcade

[Metallica]

What is Comet Arcade?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that Comet Arcade is adware. These adware applications display advertisements not originating from the sites you are browsing.

How do I know if my computer is affected by Comet Arcade?

This is how the startpage looks:

And you may see these warnings:

or this entry in your list of installed programs:

How did Comet Arcade get on my computer?

Browser hijackers use different methods for distributing themselves. This particular one was offered as a game.

How do I remove Comet Arcade?

Our program Malwarebytes Anti-Malware can detect and remove this potentially unwanted program.

• Please download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to your desktop.
• Double-click mbam-setup-version.exe and follow the prompts to install the program.
• At the end, be sure a check-mark is placed next to the following:
  • Enable free trial of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Premium
  • Launch Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
• Then click Finish.
• If an update is found, you will be prompted to download and install the latest version.
• Once the program has loaded, select Scan now. Or select the Threat Scan from the Scan menu.
• When the scan is complete , make sure that everything is set to "Quarantine", and click Apply Actions.
• Reboot your computer if prompted.

Is there anything else I need to do to get rid of Comet Arcade?

• No, Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware removes Comet Arcade completely.

How would the full version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware help protect me?

We hope our application and this guide have helped you eradicate this adware application.

As you can see below the full version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware would have protected you against the Comet Arcade adware. It would have warned you before the adware could install itself, giving you a chance to stop it before it became too late.

Technical details for experts

Signs in a HijackThis log:

O23 - Service: CometArcade - Acute Angle Solutions - C:\ProgramData\CometArcade\CometArcadeService.exe

Alterations made by the installer:

File system details  ---------------------------------------------    Adds the folder C:\ProgramData\CometArcade       Adds the file app.dat"="8/10/2014 9:51 AM, 767538 bytes, A       Adds the file CometArcade.dll"="8/10/2014 9:52 AM, 1184120 bytes, A       Adds the file CometArcade.exe"="8/10/2014 9:52 AM, 50040 bytes, A       Adds the file CometArcade.exe.config"="8/10/2014 9:52 AM, 190 bytes, A       Adds the file CometArcade.ico"="7/7/2014 4:44 AM, 132198 bytes, A       Adds the file CometArcadeService.exe"="8/10/2014 9:51 AM, 2319736 bytes, A       Adds the file CometArcadeService.exe.config"="8/10/2014 9:51 AM, 189 bytes, A       Adds the file data.dat"="8/10/2014 9:51 AM, 2048 bytes, A       Adds the file info.dat"="8/10/2014 9:51 AM, 64 bytes, A       Adds the file Uninstall.exe"="8/5/2014 3:20 AM, 523128 bytes, A    Adds the folder C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\CometArcadeRegistry details  ------------------------------------------    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{051E9166-B275-4683-907B-372FAE22BC7C}]       "ad"="REG_SZ", "comet-arcade.com"       "id"="REG_SZ", "9fba0e0c438c49829c86f79d2c599b73"       "ip"="REG_SZ", "152971"       "ns"="REG_SZ", "COMA"       "p"="REG_SZ", "152971"       "v"="REG_SZ", "2.7.31"       "vp"="REG_SZ", "2.7.31152971"    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{9C4EFBD5-1ADF-41E6-BE26-AF44326E30E4}]       "(Default)"="REG_DWORD", 1       "v"="REG_DWORD", 1       "vs"="REG_SZ", "1"    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{af955bf4-c671-7972-1518-397a02051bf5}]       "ik"="REG_SZ", "{3a705830-5f70-a96b-d77b-e1a97087dfae}"    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{c3b23df8-78bb-7e7d-25c6-b6498b7f5214}]       "id"="REG_SZ", "9fba0e0c438c49829c86f79d2c599b73"       "p"="REG_SZ", "152971"    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{E5A7A645-8318-4895-B85C-EDC606B80DB6}]       "id"="REG_SZ", "9fba0e0c438c49829c86f79d2c599b73"    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Tracing\CometArcadeService_RASAPI32]       "ConsoleTracingMask"="REG_DWORD", -65536       "EnableConsoleTracing"="REG_DWORD", 0       "EnableFileTracing"="REG_DWORD", 0       "FileDirectory"="REG_EXPAND_SZ, "%windir%\tracing"       "FileTracingMask"="REG_DWORD", -65536       "MaxFileSize"="REG_DWORD", 1048576    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Tracing\CometArcadeService_RASMANCS]       "ConsoleTracingMask"="REG_DWORD", -65536       "EnableConsoleTracing"="REG_DWORD", 0       "EnableFileTracing"="REG_DWORD", 0       "FileDirectory"="REG_EXPAND_SZ, "%windir%\tracing"       "FileTracingMask"="REG_DWORD", -65536       "MaxFileSize"="REG_DWORD", 1048576    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\CometArcade]       "DisplayIcon"="REG_SZ", "C:\ProgramData\CometArcade\CometArcade.ico"       "DisplayName"="REG_SZ", "Comet Arcade"       "DisplayVersion"="REG_SZ", "2.7.31"       "EstimatedSize"="REG_DWORD", 3655       "HelpLink"="REG_SZ", "http://www.comet-arcade.com/about.html"       "InstallDate"="REG_SZ", "20140810"       "Publisher"="REG_SZ", "Acute Angle Solutions"       "UninstallString"="REG_SZ", "C:\ProgramData\CometArcade\uninstall.exe /kb=y /ic=1"    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\CometArcade]       "DependOnService"="REG_MULTI_SZ, "Winmgmt CryptSvc "       "DisplayName"="REG_SZ", "CometArcade"       "ErrorControl"="REG_DWORD", 1       "FailureActions"="REG_BINARY, <.....................       "ImagePath"="REG_EXPAND_SZ, ""C:\ProgramData\CometArcade\CometArcadeService.exe""       "ObjectName"="REG_SZ", "LocalSystem"       "Start"="REG_DWORD", 2       "Type"="REG_DWORD", 16    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\AppDataLow\Software\DynConIE]       "id"="REG_SZ", "9fba0e0c438c49829c86f79d2c599b73"

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware log:

Malwarebytes Anti-Malwarewww.malwarebytes.orgScan Date: 8/10/2014Scan Time: 9:58:29 AMLogfile: mbamCometArcade.txtAdministrator: YesVersion: 2.00.2.1012Malware Database: v2014.08.10.01Rootkit Database: v2014.08.04.01License: FreeMalware Protection: DisabledMalicious Website Protection: DisabledSelf-protection: DisabledOS: Windows 7 Service Pack 1CPU: x86File System: NTFSUser: MalwarebytesScan Type: Threat ScanResult: CompletedObjects Scanned: 252415Time Elapsed: 3 min, 42 secMemory: EnabledStartup: EnabledFilesystem: EnabledArchives: EnabledRootkits: DisabledHeuristics: EnabledPUP: EnabledPUM: EnabledProcesses: 1PUP.Optional.CometArcade.A, C:\ProgramData\CometArcade\CometArcadeService.exe, 304, Delete-on-Reboot, [5e8b09bbc6b5f3432972158e12ef51af]Modules: 0(No malicious items detected)Registry Keys: 7PUP.Optional.CometArcade.A, HKLM\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVICES\CometArcade, Quarantined, [5e8b09bbc6b5f3432972158e12ef51af], PUP.Optional.WebSteroids.A, HKLM\SOFTWARE\CLASSES\CLSID\{051E9166-B275-4683-907B-372FAE22BC7C}, Quarantined, [1fca8e36cead0c2a035db8b320e216ea], PUP.Optional.DynConIE.A, HKLM\SOFTWARE\CLASSES\CLSID\{E5A7A645-8318-4895-B85C-EDC606B80DB6}, Quarantined, [f9f0992bc9b2f244a08fc2a9a45eb44c], PUP.Optional.CometArcade.A, HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\UNINSTALL\CometArcade, Quarantined, [9d4cd1f358238da9c5067a5e17ebc739], PUP.Optional.GlobalUpdate.A, HKLM\SOFTWARE\MOZILLAPLUGINS\@staging.google.com/globalUpdate Update;version=10, Quarantined, [559482422358a98d588483bae51fda26], PUP.Optional.GlobalUpdate.A, HKLM\SOFTWARE\MOZILLAPLUGINS\@staging.google.com/globalUpdate Update;version=4, Quarantined, [bb2eedd779026bcb32abdb62e91bf808], PUP.Optional.MultiIE.A, HKU\S-1-5-21-4016700205-1717049133-1125222536-1001-{ED1FC765-E35E-4C3D-BF15-2C2B11260CE4}-0\SOFTWARE\APPDATALOW\SOFTWARE\DynConIE, Quarantined, [9d4cae16a9d2f343aa62b18708fc50b0], Registry Values: 0(No malicious items detected)Registry Data: 0(No malicious items detected)Folders: 2PUP.Optional.CometArcade.A, C:\ProgramData\CometArcade, Delete-on-Reboot, [9d4cd1f358238da9c5067a5e17ebc739], PUP.Optional.CometArcade.A, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\CometArcade, Quarantined, [0fdaf7cd0972082ee3ed8e44867c2cd4], Files: 12PUP.Optional.CometArcade.A, C:\ProgramData\CometArcade\CometArcadeService.exe, Delete-on-Reboot, [5e8b09bbc6b5f3432972158e12ef51af], PUP.Optional.CometArcade.A, C:\ProgramData\CometArcade\CometArcade.dll, Quarantined, [3eaba42016656bcb45348637877d7c84], PUP.Optional.CometArcade.A, C:\ProgramData\CometArcade\CometArcade.exe, Quarantined, [8168e0e40d6e8aac8d0ef0b3ba476c94], PUP.Optional.CometArcade.A, C:\Users\{username}\Desktop\Comet Arcade.exe, Quarantined, [7574556f81fafe3822566e4f55af1ae6], PUP.Optional.CometArcade.A, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Local\Temp\nspD5A.tmp\Helper.dll, Quarantined, [faef34903942082ec6b28a33ea1ad927], PUP.Optional.CometArcade.A, C:\ProgramData\CometArcade\app.dat, Quarantined, [9d4cd1f358238da9c5067a5e17ebc739], PUP.Optional.CometArcade.A, C:\ProgramData\CometArcade\CometArcade.exe.config, Quarantined, [9d4cd1f358238da9c5067a5e17ebc739], PUP.Optional.CometArcade.A, C:\ProgramData\CometArcade\CometArcade.ico, Quarantined, [9d4cd1f358238da9c5067a5e17ebc739], PUP.Optional.CometArcade.A, C:\ProgramData\CometArcade\CometArcadeService.exe.config, Quarantined, [9d4cd1f358238da9c5067a5e17ebc739], PUP.Optional.CometArcade.A, C:\ProgramData\CometArcade\data.dat, Quarantined, [9d4cd1f358238da9c5067a5e17ebc739], PUP.Optional.CometArcade.A, C:\ProgramData\CometArcade\info.dat, Delete-on-Reboot, [9d4cd1f358238da9c5067a5e17ebc739], PUP.Optional.CometArcade.A, C:\ProgramData\CometArcade\Uninstall.exe, Quarantined, [9d4cd1f358238da9c5067a5e17ebc739], Physical Sectors: 0(No malicious items detected)(end)

As mentioned before the full version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware could have protected your computer against this threat.

We use different ways of protecting your computer(s):

• Dynamically Blocks Malware Sites & Servers
• Malware Execution Prevention

Save yourself the hassle and get protected.