Note that many websites have their own advertising, unrelated to adware.
Adware is any software application in which advertising is displayed while the program is running. The authors of these applications include additional code that delivers the ads, which can be viewed through pop-up windows or through a bar that appears on a computer screen and sometimes through text links or in integrated search results. Adware may or may not track personal information. It may also gather information anonymously or in aggregate only. Users should check the EULA and Privacy policy to ensure if the adware on their machines conforms to their standards.
Comment:
When you enter something into the address bar, IGetNet checks to see whether it includes keyword they have sold to one of their advertisers. If so, it redirects you to that site; if not it forwards you to a search engine using an IGetNet affiliate code. searchresult.net, qcksearch.com (which is apps.webservicehost.com) and overture.com have been seen to be used.
Also plays tricks with the "hosts" file on the users machine to redirect traffic directed to the microsoft network site to their own.
From their website:
"If you would like an easier way to drive business to your website, IGN Keywords are the perfect solution. Instead of one long URL linking to your site, your customers can simply type IGN Keywords directly into their Browser address bar and go right to your site!"
There seems to be some relationship with "SubSearch".
Uses also domains:
www.clearsearch.net
www.globe-finder.com
Information
URL:
http://www.igetnet.com/
Manual
removal:
Before you can delete the software you must deregister its DLLs and stop it running at startup. Open a DOS command window (from Start->Programs->Accessories) and enter the commands:
cd "%WinDir%\System"
regsvr32 /u BHO.DLL
regsvr32 /u rsp.dll
Then open the registry (Start->Run->regedit), find the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Run and delete the 'WinStart' value. Reboot the machine and you can delete 'BHO.DLL', 'rsp.dll' and 'WinStart.exe' in the Windows\System folder.
Next open the 'real' System folder (that is, Windows\System under Win95/98/Me or System32 under WinNT/2K/XP) and go to drivers\etc. Open the file 'hosts' in a text editor such as Notepad and remove the lines:
216.41.185.18 auto.search.msn.com
216.41.185.18 search.netscape.com
then save.
For the clearsearch variant:
Kill any process called "loader.exe".
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