Alias

• The About Blank virus is also referred to as the HomeOldSP hijacker and is a variant of the Cool Web Search hijacker. Moreover, the About Blank virus closely resembles the HomeSearch hijacker.
  
  

Purpose

• The About Blank virus is designed to change your Internet homepage and redirect your Internet searches to international and pornographic websites.
  
  

Symptoms

• The About Blank virus slows your computer. In addition, it may add icons to your desktop and flood your computer with pop-up advertisements.
  
  

Registry Entries

• The About Blank creates the following registry entries in your system registry.
  
  "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\microsoft\internet explorer\toolbar {06abaa2d-34ab-4902-a326-409bd9b9a7a5}"
  "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\explorer\browser helper objects\{b664647f-efd5-4837-a810-a807139107e5}"
  "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\run network service"
  "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\clsid\{06abaa2d-34ab-4902-a326-409bd9b9a7a5}"
  "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\clsid\{b664647f-efd5-4837-a810-a807139107e5}"
  "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\clsid\{ce6a1268-9cc9-4ba3-8657-fe1132906cc4}"
  "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\internet explorer\toolbar\webbrowser {06abaa2d-34ab-4902-a326-409bd9b9a7a5}"
  "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\run network service"
  
  

Removal

• Removing the About Blank virus requires removing the aforementioned registry entries. In addition, the following processes, DLLs and files must be removed.
  
  "phafxfa.exe"
  "svhost.exe"
  "smbdins.exe"
  "sethcd.exe"
  "tsmsetup.exe"
  "wdm.dll"
  "achpjba.dll"
  "cbme.dll"
  "se.dll"
  "iesp1.dll"
  "ld[X].tmp"
  "syg.db"
  "spyfalcon.url"
  "blacklist.txt"
  "english.ini"
  "spyfalcon 2.0.lnk"
  "uninstall spyfalcon 2.0.lnk"
  "spyfalcon 2.0.lnk"
  "spyfalcon 2.0 website.lnk"
  "spyfalcon.lnk"
  "spyfalcon 2.0.lnk"
  
  

Warning

• Removing the About Blank virus requires removing certain entries from the Registry Editor. Removing the wrong registry entries can cause significant errors. Thus, you should only attempt to remove the About Blank virus if you feel comfortable using the Registry Editor.