Removal instructions for SkyEmoji

[Metallica]

What is SkyEmoji?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that SkyEmoji 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 SkyEmoji?

You may see this entry in your list of installed programs:

this warning during install:

and this Scheduled Task :

How did SkyEmoji get on my computer?

Adware applications use different methods for distributing themselves. This particular one was bundled with other software.

How do I remove SkyEmoji?

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 SkyEmoji?

• No, Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware removes SkyEmoji completely.
• You should be redirected to our Restore Browser page. You can read there how to fix additional browser redirect methods.
• This PUP creates some scheduled tasks. You can read here how to check for and, if necessary, remove Scheduled Tasks.

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 SkyEmoji adware. It would have warned you before the application could install itself, giving you a chance to stop it before it became too late.

Technical details for experts

You will see these signs in a HijackThis log:

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.only-search.com/?babsrc=HP_kms&affID=fhctrO4'>http://www.only-search.com/?babsrc=HP_kms&affID=fhctrO4 - HKCU\..\Run: [skemoji] C:\Program Files (x86)\skemoji\skemoji\1.4.2.4\skemoji.exe

You may see these signs in FRST logs:

 () C:\Program Files (x86)\skemoji\skemoji\1.4.2.4\skemoji.exe HKCU\...\Run: [skemoji] => C:\Program Files (x86)\skemoji\skemoji\1.4.2.4\skemoji.exe [703488 2015-09-24] () HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = hxxp://www.only-search.com/?babsrc=HP_kms&affID=fhctr FF Homepage: hxxp://www.only-search.com/?babsrc=HP_kms&affID=fhctr FF SelectedSearchEngineuser_pref("browser.search.selectedEngine","Search The Web (Only-Search)");: user_pref("browser.search.selectedEngine","Search The Web (Only-Search)"); FF DefaultSearchEngineuser_pref("browser.search.defaultenginename","Search The Web (Only-Search)");: user_pref("browser.search.defaultenginename","Search The Web (Only-Search)"); FF Keyword.URL: user_pref("keyword.URL","hxxp://www.only-search.com/?babsrc=KW_kms&affID=$afltId$&q="); FF NewTab: user_pref("browser.newtab.url","hxxp://www.only-search.com/?babsrc=NT_kms&affID=fhctr"); FF SearchPlugin: C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\searchplugins\skemoji.xml [2015-09-24] C:\Windows\System32\Tasks\skemoji Updater C:\Program Files (x86)\skemojiskemoji (HKCU\...\skemoji) (Version:  - skemoji)Task: {05A2F85F-C5FC-471A-B810-289CDF7D056E} - System32\Tasks\skemoji Updater => Wscript.exe //B "C:\Program Files (x86)\skemoji\skemoji\1.4.2.4\..\updt.js"

Alterations made by the installer:

File system details [View: All details] (Selection)---------------------------------------------------    Adds the folder C:\Program Files (x86)\skemoji\skemoji       Adds the file updt.js"="9/24/2015 4:21 PM, 144 bytes, A    Adds the folder C:\Program Files (x86)\skemoji\skemoji\1.4.2.4       Adds the file app.ini"="9/24/2015 4:21 PM, 712 bytes, A       Adds the file kfPEmfgd.dll"="9/24/2015 4:19 PM, 289280 bytes, A       Adds the file res.dll"="9/24/2015 4:19 PM, 225280 bytes, A       Adds the file skemoji.exe"="9/24/2015 4:19 PM, 703488 bytes, A       Adds the file sksetup.exe"="9/24/2015 4:19 PM, 468480 bytes, A    In the existing folder C:\Windows\System32\Tasks       Adds the file skemoji Updater"="9/24/2015 4:21 PM, 3564 bytes, ARegistry details [View: All details] (Selection)------------------------------------------------    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\keepmysearch\instl\data]       "APPORDR"="REG_SZ", "D29F252596320165"       "chrome-st"="REG_SZ", "[true,true,true]"       "country"="REG_SZ", ""       "ffx-st"="REG_SZ", "[true,true,true]"       "ie-st"="REG_SZ", "[true,true,true]"       "lng"="REG_SZ", ""       "mpvappstart"="REG_SZ", "1443104507240"       "prm1"="REG_SZ", ""       "prm2"="REG_SZ", ""       "prm3"="REG_SZ", ""       "prm4"="REG_SZ", ""       "prm5"="REG_SZ", ""    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\keepmysearch\uninstl]       "skemoji"="REG_SZ", "C:\Program Files (x86)\skemoji\skemoji\1.4.2.4\sksetup.exe"    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\DOMStorage\amusingducks.com]       "NumberOfSubdomains"="REG_DWORD", 1       "Total"="REG_DWORD", 24    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\DOMStorage\cdn.amusingducks.com]       "(Default)"="REG_DWORD", 24    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main]       "Start Page"=REG_SZ, "http://www.only-search.com/?babsrc=HP_kms&affID=fhctr"    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\FeatureControl\FEATURE_BROWSER_EMULATION]       "skemoji.exe"="REG_DWORD", 10000       "sksetup.exe"="REG_DWORD", 10000    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]       "skemoji"="REG_SZ", "C:\Program Files (x86)\skemoji\skemoji\1.4.2.4\skemoji.exe"    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\skemoji]       "DisplayIcon"="REG_SZ", ""C:\Program Files (x86)\skemoji\skemoji\1.4.2.4\sksetup.exe""       "DisplayName"="REG_SZ", "skemoji"       "NoModify"="REG_DWORD", 1       "NoRepair"="REG_DWORD", 1       "Publisher"="REG_SZ", "skemoji"       "UninstallString"="REG_SZ", ""C:\Program Files (x86)\skemoji\skemoji\1.4.2.4\sksetup.exe" /uninstl"

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware log:

Malwarebytes Anti-Malwarewww.malwarebytes.orgScan Date: 9/24/2015Scan Time: 5:07 PMLogfile: mbamSkyEmoji.txtAdministrator: YesVersion: 2.1.8.1057Malware Database: v2015.09.24.03Rootkit Database: v2015.09.22.01License: PremiumMalware Protection: DisabledMalicious Website Protection: DisabledSelf-protection: DisabledOS: Windows 8.1CPU: x64File System: NTFSUser: {username}Scan Type: Threat ScanResult: CompletedObjects Scanned: 352330Time Elapsed: 30 min, 42 secMemory: EnabledStartup: EnabledFilesystem: EnabledArchives: EnabledRootkits: EnabledHeuristics: EnabledPUP: EnabledPUM: EnabledProcesses: 1PUP.Optional.Skemoji, C:\Program Files (x86)\skemoji\skemoji\1.4.2.4\skemoji.exe, 5520, Delete-on-Reboot, [a50e89aa850690a6fbb1bb02da2a5fa1]Modules: 0(No malicious items detected)Registry Keys: 2PUP.Optional.KeepMySearch, HKCU_Classes\keepmysearch, Quarantined, [852e052ef29989ad5eb7a204a55fb44c], PUP.Optional.Skemoji, HKCU\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\UNINSTALL\skemoji, Quarantined, [c3f0da59e4a7a195bce99b8e867dd927], Registry Values: 1PUP.Optional.Skemoji, HKCU\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\RUN|skemoji, C:\Program Files (x86)\skemoji\skemoji\1.4.2.4\skemoji.exe, Quarantined, [a50e89aa850690a6fbb1bb02da2a5fa1]Registry Data: 1PUP.Optional.OnlySearch.ShrtCln, HKCU\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\INTERNET EXPLORER\MAIN|Start Page, http://www.only-search.com/?babsrc=HP_kms&affID=fhctr,'>http://www.only-search.com/?babsrc=HP_kms&affID=fhctr, Good: (www.google.com), Bad: (http://www.only-search.com/?babsrc=HP_kms&affID=fhctr),Replaced,[c3f066cda8e378be17f9b2bb37ced52b]Folders: 3PUP.Optional.Skemoji, C:\Program Files (x86)\skemoji, Delete-on-Reboot, [c3f0da59e4a7a195bce99b8e867dd927], PUP.Optional.Skemoji, C:\Program Files (x86)\skemoji\skemoji, Delete-on-Reboot, [c3f0da59e4a7a195bce99b8e867dd927], PUP.Optional.Skemoji, C:\Program Files (x86)\skemoji\skemoji\1.4.2.4, Delete-on-Reboot, [c3f0da59e4a7a195bce99b8e867dd927], Files: 11PUP.Optional.Skemoji, C:\Program Files (x86)\skemoji\skemoji\1.4.2.4\skemoji.exe, Delete-on-Reboot, [a50e89aa850690a6fbb1bb02da2a5fa1], PUP.Optional.Skemoji, C:\Program Files (x86)\skemoji\skemoji\updt.js, Quarantined, [c3f0da59e4a7a195bce99b8e867dd927], PUP.Optional.Skemoji, C:\Program Files (x86)\skemoji\skemoji\1.4.2.4\app.ini, Quarantined, [c3f0da59e4a7a195bce99b8e867dd927], PUP.Optional.Skemoji, C:\Program Files (x86)\skemoji\skemoji\1.4.2.4\kfPEmfgd.dll, Quarantined, [c3f0da59e4a7a195bce99b8e867dd927], PUP.Optional.Skemoji, C:\Program Files (x86)\skemoji\skemoji\1.4.2.4\res.dll, Quarantined, [c3f0da59e4a7a195bce99b8e867dd927], PUP.Optional.Skemoji, C:\Program Files (x86)\skemoji\skemoji\1.4.2.4\sksetup.exe, Quarantined, [c3f0da59e4a7a195bce99b8e867dd927], PUP.Optional.MyStartTB.ShrtCln, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\prefs.js, Good: (), Bad: (user_pref("browser.search.defaultenginename","Search The Web (Only-Search)"), Replaced,[8c274fe48b0062d443388f1f4bba16ea]PUP.Optional.MyStartTB.ShrtCln, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\prefs.js, Good: (), Bad: (user_pref("browser.search.selectedEngine","Search The Web (Only-Search)"), Replaced,[5d56d3606b20fc3a4d2f199514f12dd3]PUP.Optional.OnlySearch.ShrtCln, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\prefs.js, Good: (), Bad: (user_pref("browser.newtab.url","http://www.only-search.com/?babsrc=NT_kms&affID=fhctr"), Replaced,[61522b08bbd02d096260a509ca3bc33d]PUP.Optional.OnlySearch.ShrtCln, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\prefs.js, Good: (), Bad: (user_pref("keyword.URL","http://www.only-search.com/?babsrc=KW_kms&affID=$afltId$&q="), Replaced,[e5ce85ae8a01171fac175e506f9650b0]PUP.Optional.OnlySearch.ShrtCln, C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{profile}.default\prefs.js, Good: (browser.startup.homepage", "https://www.malwarebytes.org/restorebrowser/), Bad: (browser.startup.homepage", "http://www.only-search.com), Replaced,[4e65ae853b5082b463424c69e81d04fc]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.