EZDownloader

Posted: November 18, 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.

Ranking:	7,438
Threat Level:	1/10
Infected PCs:	26,377

First Seen:	November 18, 2013
Last Seen:	October 15, 2023
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

EZDownloader, also identified as PUP.Optional.EZDownloader.A, is a Potentially Unwanted Program that often bundles other third party PUPs, potentially including adware and browser hijackers, with its download-managing features. Since the download features provided by EZDownloader also may be found through preferable alternatives and since EZDownloader installs unrelated PUPs that may endanger your PC, malware researchers find it necessary to recommend EZDownloader's deletion, under most circumstances. Especial caution should be had while removing EZDownloader to use anti-malware tools that also can detect and remove software related to EZDownloader that's likely to have been installed.

EZDownloader: Making Downloads Even Easier Than You Should Want

EZDownloader is a general file-downloading utility that also includes some entirely unwarranted 'features' with its download accessibility options. Besides being an advertisement-supported program that can be considered adware, EZDownloader also installs multiple third party applications automatically, with an emphasis on other Potentially Unwanted Programs, including homepage hijackers, adware and toolbars. This function can't be disabled, and malware experts consider it a major breach of security that never should be tolerated as a necessary evil for accessing EZDownloader's limited positive features.

Current reports haven't indicated that EZDownloader is being exploited as a means of distributing threats. However, that easily could change in the near future, and malware researchers emphasize that allowing EZDownloader to install new programs arbitrarily is very likely to cause other undesired problems, such as pop-ups, browser redirects and poor system performance. In no situation should you consider EZDownloader's policy of installing partnered software automatically to be an acceptable loss in exchange for the ability to manage your downloads conveniently.

Easy Ways to Escort an Overly Enthusiastic Downloader out of Your PC

By definition, EZDownloader rarely may be the only PUP that's on your computer. Other applications installed by EZDownloader may include variable symptoms and degrees of resistance to being removed, and any prolonged use of EZDownloader is likely to exacerbate these issues. However, malware researchers still suggest the usual means of removing EZDownloader and its partnered programs: by using anti-malware products that can scan your entire computer and remove EZDownloader along with other PUPs, as they're detected.

EZDownloader may be installed consensually, but, like the other programs EZDownloader is happy to put on your PC, often is installed with 'help' from unrelated software. To keep your PC safe from all of the usual ways EZDownloader is likely to be installed, malware researchers would bring up many common sense security protocols, such as avoiding suspicious sites, scanning files before launching them and, of course, refusing downloads from sources that aren't confirmed for safety.

As a bottom line, although you may find some of EZDownloader's download features to be helpful, safe alternatives exist that can provide similar functions without compromising your ability to choose exactly what gets installed on your PC.

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:

%SYSTEMDRIVE%\AdwCleaner\Quarantine\C\Program Files (x86)\EZDownloader\EZDownloader.exe.vir

File name: EZDownloader.exe.vir
Size: 292.35 KB (292352 bytes)
MD5: 644d6bd82b1bfbd4cfb44288bbd518e5
Detection count: 3,745
Mime Type: unknown/vir
Path: %SYSTEMDRIVE%\AdwCleaner\Quarantine\C\Program Files (x86)\EZDownloader\EZDownloader.exe.vir
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: October 7, 2023

D:\Documents and Settings\Admin\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\9FKQW20I\ezdownloader[1].exe

File name: ezdownloader[1].exe
Size: 1.72 MB (1722581 bytes)
MD5: 71f784969d24240764d5e5d752d55a41
Detection count: 1,876
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Path: D:\Documents and Settings\Admin\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\9FKQW20I\ezdownloader[1].exe
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: September 24, 2023

ezdownloader.exe

File name: ezdownloader.exe
Size: 1.72 MB (1726992 bytes)
MD5: 292b53b745e3fc4af79924a3c11fcff0
Detection count: 5
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: August 17, 2022

Download.exe

File name: Download.exe
Size: 320.64 KB (320640 bytes)
MD5: ebd73e1ddd381cccf5e2b2e2a8398349
Detection count: 5
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Group: Malware file
Last Updated: August 17, 2022

C:\Program Files\EZDownloader\

File name: C:\Program Files\EZDownloader\
Group: Malware file

C:\Program Files\EZDownloader\unins000.exe

File name: C:\Program Files\EZDownloader\unins000.exe
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Group: Malware file

C:\Program Files\ezdownloader\ezdownloader.exe

File name: C:\Program Files\ezdownloader\ezdownloader.exe
File type: Executable File
Mime Type: unknown/exe
Group: Malware file

Registry Modifications

The following newly produced Registry Values are:

File name without pathEZDownloader.lnkhttp_lp.ezdownloadpro.info_0.localstoragehttp_lp.ezdownloadpro.info_0.localstorage-journalHKEY..\..\..\..{RegistryKeys}Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\StartPage\NewShortcuts\C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\EZDownloader\EZDownloader.lnk Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\StartPage\NewShortcuts\C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\EZDownloader\EZDownloader.lnkSOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{0F44DC3A-6E62-4961-A14B-95323C512F9B}_is1SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{0F44DC3A-6E62-4961-A14B-95323C512F9B}_is1

Additional Information

The following directories were created:

%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\EZDownloader%APPDATA%\EZDownloader%PROGRAMFILES%\EZDownloader%PROGRAMFILES(X86)%\EZDownloader