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F-Secure Malware Information Pages: LinkOptimizer
[Summary] | [Detailed Description]

Name : LinkOptimizer
Alias:LinkOptimizer
Type:Trojan-Spy, Adware, Rootkit, Trojan-Downloader
Category:Malware
Platform:W32
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Summary
LinkOptimizer is an Adware/Spy application with active rootkit technology. LinkOptimizer copies itself to a windows directory. LinkOptimizer disables certain features of the operating system and downloads files from several websites and executes them.
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Detailed Description
LinkOptimizer is an adware program that generates pop-up windows at random intervals while connected to the internet. LinkOptimizer adds itself to a Browser Helper Object list in the registry to maintain control of Internet Explorer instances. It also hijacks the default search page.

Recently, LinkOptimizer was bundled with a powerful rootkit named Gromozon. Gromozon's main purpose was hiding its own presence along with the LinkOptimzier component, using numerous techniques, such as:

  • Special user account
  • Undocumented NTFS features
  • Blocking anti-rootkit programs
  • Windows API hooking
  • Removing the user's administrator rights
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F-Secure Corporation

Last Modified: May 09, 2007