HotBar

Hotbar Web Tools is a collection of browser and system enhancements. The primary application is the Hotbar toolbar, which is a 'skinable' browser toolbar for Internet Explorer. It includes Moderate risk threats that are often bundled with functionally unrelated software or installed without adequate notice and consent, and may display unwanted advertising on the user's desktop. Such threats may track users' online browsing habits and transmit non-personally identifying data back to a server in order to target advertising. These threats may be configured to start automatically with the operating system, use an auto-updater that the user cannot control, or install other functionally separate programs without adequate notice and consent.0

General information:

Malware Name:	HotBar
Malware Type:	Toolbar
Company Name:	Hotbar.com, Inc
Company URL:	http://www.hotbar.com
Threat Level:	Moderate Risk
Operating System:	WIN XP
Installation Type:	Installed through EXE
Operation:	Time of After Installation.

Company Description:

Hotbar.com, Inc is a New York city-based internet company dedicated to customizing and maximizing the Web's interactive potential. With two patents granted and four additional patents pending, Hotbar has developed cutting-edge technological advances while attracting a diverse community of over 10 million daily active users. Hotbar's first and leading products are its revolutionary Internet Explorer, Outlook® and Outlook Express® toolbars which combine both beauty and efficiency. With one click the user can personalize his browser with over 80,000 graphical outlays, known as Skins, while enjoying six dynamic buttons that offer contextually relevant links to the sites he visits.

Spyware Description:

Hotbar Web Tools is a collection of browser and system enhancements. The primary application is the Hotbar toolbar, which is a 'skinable' browser toolbar for Internet Explorer. It includes Moderate risk threats that are often bundled with functionally unrelated software or installed without adequate notice and consent, and may display unwanted advertising on the user's desktop. Such threats may track users' online browsing habits and transmit non-personally identifying data back to a server in order to target advertising. These threats may be configured to start automatically with the operating system, use an auto-updater that the user cannot control, or install other functionally separate programs without adequate notice and consent.0

Characteristics/Symptoms:

    -> It has a search function and provides search results for paid advertisers -> Track browsing habits -> Adds a third-party utility bar to the web browser -> Changes browser -> Shows Advertisements0

Additional information might be found here:

	Search at Google for HotBar
	Search at Bing for HotBar
	Search at Yahoo for HotBar

Processes Running:

HbtOEAddOn.exe

File information Created after Installation:

File Location	Size (Bytes)	Type
C:\Program Files\HbTools\Bin\4.8.0.0\HbtAds.dll	73728	Application Extension
C:\Program Files\HbTools\Bin\4.8.0.0\HbtGuard.exe	253952	Application
C:\Program Files\HbTools\HBTV\uninstaller.exe	73545	Application

Folder information Created after Installation:

Folder Location
C:\Program Files\HbTools\Bin
C:\Program Files\HbTools\Bin\4.8.0.0

Registry information Created after Installation: