eGames Toolbar

Posted: September 1, 2010

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.

Ranking:	8,056
Threat Level:	1/10
Infected PCs:	37,741

First Seen:	September 1, 2010
Last Seen:	October 12, 2023
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

The eGames Toolbar is an adware program that usually is installed along with gaming applications from the Egames.com website, which was one of the first software websites to use adware-bundling tactics. Since adware like the eGames Toolbar may cause performance and security problems that are net drawbacks for your Web browser, regardless of their other features, malware experts have categorized the eGames Toolbar as a Potentially Unwanted Program. Because of the obfuscation of normal uninstallation routines common to most PUPs, removing the eGames Toolbar and other PUPs should use appropriate software with adware-detecting features.

The Games that Come with a Little Something Extra

Egames.com may have gone down in history as one of the pioneers of adware-bundling free gaming downloads, but that hasn't stopped Egames.com from continuing to have a healthy traffic stream – whether that traffic is from automatic redirects or other, more legitimate sources than a browser hijack. The eGames Toolbar is the current format of the Egames.com website's adware, which is used as a means of monetizing its otherwise 'free' gaming downloads. Interestingly, malware researchers were able to verify that Egames.com's gaming products are legitimate, although the website makes wholly inadequate mention of the additional software that Egames.com installs with these products.

Some anti-malware products may identify the eGames Toolbar as a threat, but malware researchers find that the eGames Toolbar best fits in the classification of a Potentially Unwanted Program that is a net disadvantage to your PC, but doesn't attempt any illegal or aggressive actions. Although the eGames Toolbar may slow your browser's loading times, inject additional advertisements into other Web pages or even hijack your homepage/search engine, the eGames Toolbar doesn't attack your PC in the same fashion as a Trojan or other type of truly threatening software. Nevertheless, removing an eGames Toolbar generally is recommended, even if you do happen to enjoy the games that come with the eGames Toolbar.

Getting Your Games without Getting Your Browser Hijacked by Egames

Software companies with less than stellar reputations for respecting their customers may use the route of providing high-value freeware, such as games, while making little to no mention of the adware, like the eGames Toolbar and other PUPs, that so often are bundled with them. A trivial amount of research about any website claiming to offer free downloads usually will allow you to distinguish between safe ones and adware-riddled ones. However, anti-malware and anti-adware programs also are capable of identifying the software bundles that install the eGames Toolbar and similar toolbars.

If, once upon a time, you want to remove an eGames Toolbar from your Web browser by using normal uninstall methods, you do have the risk of allowing some browser changes to stay intact, even after the toolbar's apparent removal. To clean your browser as thoroughly as possible of the eGames Toolbar and similar pests, malware researchers suggest using general PC security products with system-scanning features. Using these tools will provide the easiest, quickest and most complete deletion of an eGames Toolbar without any other procedures being required, letting you get back to gaming without suffering from Web-browsing problems in the bargain.

Technical Details

File System Modifications

Tutorials: If you wish to learn how to remove malware components manually, you can read the tutorials on how to find malware, kill unwanted processes, remove malicious DLLs and delete other harmful files. Always be sure to back up your PC before making any changes.

The following files were created in the system:

C:\Program Files (x86)\eGames\egamestoolbar.dll

File name: egamestoolbar.dll
Size: 81.92 KB (81920 bytes)
MD5: c45d9686bb734d0133f06ffca5fe1009
Detection count: 16,006
File type: Dynamic link library
Mime Type: unknown/dll
Path: C:\Program Files (x86)\eGames\egamestoolbar.dll
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: August 9, 2023

%SYSTEMDRIVE%\System Volume Information\_restore{45B5E8B9-949A-471E-999D-F381DA56A2D3}\RP953\A1194009.dll

File name: A1194009.dll
Size: 86.01 KB (86016 bytes)
MD5: 138a6869c9dd5ee1be6eb880316ec8f2
Detection count: 5,169
File type: Dynamic link library
Mime Type: unknown/dll
Path: %SYSTEMDRIVE%\System Volume Information\_restore{45B5E8B9-949A-471E-999D-F381DA56A2D3}\RP953\A1194009.dll
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: August 9, 2023

%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\egamestoolbar\egamestoolbar.dll

File name: egamestoolbar.dll
Size: 1.98 MB (1988096 bytes)
MD5: 39dc2cb74f029f98f46a0676c6478d86
Detection count: 1,440
File type: Dynamic link library
Mime Type: unknown/dll
Path: %PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\egamestoolbar\egamestoolbar.dll
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: January 14, 2023

C:\Program Files (x86)\eGames\uninstall.exe

File name: uninstall.exe
Size: 131.77 KB (131774 bytes)
MD5: d8f80c08a3d1de9fd0afdb38ab9f93e3
Detection count: 124
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: C:\Program Files (x86)\eGames\uninstall.exe
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: August 9, 2023

C:\Program Files (x86)\eGames\egames.dll

File name: egames.dll
Size: 524.28 KB (524288 bytes)
MD5: 8139f579c6eb8051c4d3df5457497f6b
Detection count: 115
File type: Dynamic link library
Mime Type: unknown/dll
Path: C:\Program Files (x86)\eGames\egames.dll
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: August 9, 2023

C:\Program Files\egames\egamestoolbar.dll

File name: C:\Program Files\egames\egamestoolbar.dll
File type: Dynamic link library
Mime Type: unknown/dll
Group: Malware file

C:\Program Files\egames\uninstall.exe

File name: C:\Program Files\egames\uninstall.exe
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Group: Malware file

C:\Program Files\egames\egames.dll

File name: C:\Program Files\egames\egames.dll
File type: Dynamic link library
Mime Type: unknown/dll
Group: Malware file

Registry Modifications

The following newly produced Registry Values are:

HKEY..\..\..\..{RegistryKeys}Software\AppDataLow\Software\egamesSoftware\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Approved Extensions\{4E7BD74F-2B8D-469E-85B2-BC27FE9AAE2E}Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\DOMStorage\egames.comSOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Low Rights\ElevationPolicy\{b2b46577-0217-4ec5-a467-7a1e8d0d7b71}Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Settings\{4E7BD74F-2B8D-469E-85B2-BC27FE9AAE2E}Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Ext\Stats\{4E7BD74F-2B8D-469E-85B2-BC27FE9AAE2E}SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Low Rights\ElevationPolicy\{b2b46577-0217-4ec5-a467-7a1e8d0d7b71}HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\[APPLICATION]\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall..{Uninstaller}egames

Additional Information

The following directories were created:

%APPDATA%\egames%PROGRAMFILES%\egames\auxi%PROGRAMFILES%\egames\chrome%PROGRAMFILES%\egames\components%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\egames\auxi%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\egames\chrome%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\egames\components%USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\egames

The following URL's were detected:

Toolbar.egames.com