Softtunes Search and Toolbar

Posted: December 24, 2013

Threat Metric

The Threat Meter is a malware assessment that SpywareRemove.com's research team is able to give every identifiable malware threat. Our Threat Meter includes several criteria based off of specific malware threats to value their severity, reach and volume. The Threat Meter is able to give you a numerical breakdown of each threat's initial Threat Level, Detection Count, Volume Count, Trend Path and Percentage Impact. The overall ranking of each threat in the Threat Meter is a basic breakdown of how all threats are ranked within our own extensive malware database. The scoring for each specific malware threat can be easily compared to other emerging threats to draw a contrast in its particular severity. The Threat Meter is a useful tool in the endeavor of seeking a solution to remove a threat or pursue additional analytical research for all types of computer users.

The following fields listed on the Threat Meter containing a specific value, are explained in detail below:

Threat Level: The threat level scale goes from 1 to 10 where 10 is the highest level of severity and 1 is the lowest level of severity. Each specific level is relative to the threat's consistent assessed behaviors collected from SpyHunter's risk assessment model.

Detection Count: The collective number of confirmed and suspected cases of a particular malware threat. The detection count is calculated from infected PCs retrieved from diagnostic and scan log reports generated by SpyHunter.

Volume Count: Similar to the detection count, the Volume Count is specifically based on the number of confirmed and suspected threats infecting systems on a daily basis. High volume counts usually represent a popular threat but may or may not have infected a large number of systems. High detection count threats could lay dormant and have a low volume count. Criteria for Volume Count is relative to a daily detection count.

Trend Path: The Trend Path, utilizing an up arrow, down arrow or equal symbol, represents the level of recent movement of a particular threat. Up arrows represent an increase, down arrows represent a decline and the equal symbol represent no change to a threat's recent movement.

% Impact (Last 7 Days): This demonstrates a 7-day period change in the frequency of a malware threat infecting PCs. The percentage impact correlates directly to the current Trend Path to determine a rise or decline in the percentage.

Threat Level:	5/10
Infected PCs:	215

First Seen:	December 30, 2013
Last Seen:	May 2, 2022
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

The Softtunes Search and Toolbar is one of the newer cases of a toolbar that seems to be helping your PC when its real intent is to redirect your traffic to other sites that benefit it – such as the all-too-frequently-promoted Conduit.com search engine. Conduit toolbars like the Softtunes Search and Toolbar typically have little of benefit to offer their host PCs, and the Softtunes Search and Toolbar doesn't make too much effort to detach itself from its pack, in that regard. Malware researchers don't consider the Softtunes Search and Toolbar to be a threat, but deleting a Softtunes Search and Toolbar still should be put under strong consideration for keeping your browser optimized, safe and under your control.

The Toolbar Tune that Lures You to Alternative Search Sites

The Softtunes Search and Toolbar may seem like a program interested in providing your Web browser with musically-inclined features, but the Softtunes Search and Toolbar actually is a basic disguise for a common form of browser hijacker that often is seen in many different brands. Other brands of toolbars that malware researchers have seen implemented in a fashion similar to the Softtunes Search and Toolbar include the Nana10 Toolbar, the BrowserPlus2 Toolbar, the Crizbuzz Toolbar, the Swirlz Toolbar, the Systweak Toolbar and the Oscar Delta Toolbar. Like the Softtunes Search and Toolbar, all of these PUPs are invested in promoting the Conduit website's search engine.

Conduit.com, a search that provides legitimate (but not necessarily superior) search results, often uses affiliated toolbars as a means of getting 'free' traffic. The Softtunes Search and Toolbar and its relatives cause this traffic by making changes to your Web browser's settings to lock your search engine, and sometimes your homepage, to the Conduit website. These changes can be reversed through your Web browser, and malware experts have emphasized that only deleting the Softtunes Search and Toolbar in its entirely will restore normal behavior to your browser.

Why You Shouldn't Go Soft on the Softtunes Search and Toolbar

The Softtunes Search and Toolbar isn't a virus or a Trojan, but the Softtunes Search and Toolbar certainly can be considered a browser hijacker that takes over your browser and manipulates its behavior in ways that aren't beneficial to you. Usually, malware researchers have little hesitation in recommending the deletion of PUPs, particularly toolbar-based hijackers like the Softtunes Search and Toolbar. Any limited features that you may find of value from the Softtunes Search and Toolbar should be available from other sources that aren't inclined to choose your own Web destinations without your own input.

Even though the Softtunes Search and Toolbar isn't a threat, anti-malware products usually are equipped with general databases capable of identifying Potentially Unwanted Programs, allowing for the easy removal of PUPs. Before you rush towards deleting Softtunes Search and Toolbar, you also may want to consider using Safe Mode and other security features that can improve the success rate of your anti-malware tools. Malware researchers particularly recommend this when the Softtunes Search and Toolbar has been installed through methods that haven't requested your consent, which is a typical symptom of a potential infection.

Technical Details

Registry Modifications

The following newly produced Registry Values are:

HKEY..\..\..\..{RegistryKeys}Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Approved Extensions\{5c5adeac-3964-400e-a03e-2ddf16e3dbd1}Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\FeatureControl\FEATURE_BROWSER_EMULATION\tb_Softtunes.exeSOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar\{5c5adeac-3964-400e-a03e-2ddf16e3dbd1}SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\URLSearchHooks\{5c5adeac-3964-400e-a03e-2ddf16e3dbd1}SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar\{5c5adeac-3964-400e-a03e-2ddf16e3dbd1}

Additional Information

The following directories were created:

%APPDATA%\Softtunes%LOCALAPPDATA%\NativeMessaging\CT3309769%LocalAppData%\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default\Extensions\dniehdcacmoackkldhhapdmljohmbcgi%PROGRAMFILES%\Softtunes%PROGRAMFILES(X86)%\Softtunes%Temp%\CT3324187%USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\Softtunes