Help...Kontiki spyware/adware on system.

[XMG5]

I am having problems running a STEAM game (Half-Life 2: Episode 1) and after contacting Valve and using their on-line system checking application it has identified a piece of spyware/adware running as a background process (C:\Windows\kdx\KHost.exe) A.K.A. Kontiki - Severity low.

I am already using Norton Internet Security (up to date) and it didn't find it. I used to use MS Defender until a few weeks ago and took it off my system as it was blamed for install crashes by another software company.

Any advice would be welcomed. I know that simply deleting the .exe file isn't enough, but not sure if I am confident about delving through the Registry keys and settings.

I am using Windows XP Home (SP1 + SP2)
1Gb RAM and DirX 9.0c

[Jinx]

You need to use a spyware/adware finder/remover such as adaware, spybot search and destroy, avg spyware etc (all free). Download one or all of those, install, boot into safe mode (make sure your system restore is turned off) and run each one.

[recalluk]

You could try Spybot : http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html

It cleans and if you run immunise helps to protect and it is free.


Mind you the Wiki states it isnt spyware .. you dont use Sky Video on Demand to your PC do you ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kontiki

EDIT to add .. specific removal tool here :
http://www.pcdoctor-guide.com/wordpress/?p=2487/

Edited by recalluk on Wednesday 3rd October 09:11

[XMG5]

recalluk said:

You could try Spybot : http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html

It cleans and if you run immunise helps to protect and it is free.


Mind you the Wiki states it isnt spyware .. you dont use Sky Video on Demand to your PC do you ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kontiki

EDIT to add .. specific removal tool here :
http://www.pcdoctor-guide.com/wordpress/?p=2487/

Edited by recalluk on Wednesday 3rd October 09:11

Thanks peeps.

Recalluk,Yes I do have Sky on Demand on my PC is Kontiki part of that??? If so, is it an innocent application being mistaken for malware and do I really need to remove it/Sky on Demand from my system?? Have you had similar problems with this 'malware'?

Edited to say I have read the WiKi article and will remove said Programme from my system using the link you've kindly provided..

Edited by XMG5 on Wednesday 3rd October 10:00

[Road2Ruin]

Kontiki, from what I read in pcpro just recently, is used by many companys that use V.O.D. ie, sky, BBC and probably others. I belive is something to do with the software that enables you to view it so I wouldnt delete it just yet.

[SaTTaN]

Kontiki is a private peer to peer client used by all the major VoD systems that manages the download of the videos you watch.

It's a bit like BitTorrent but over a private set of peers (private in the sense that the content allowed on it is managed by the content provider) - all the content you view on SkyOD and 4oD actually comes from other users of the services, rather than from Sky/BBC/C4 themselves.

It's used by the BBC, Sky, and I think 4oD, so yeah if you remove it - it will break it.

HTH

[XMG5]

SaTTaN said:

Kontiki is a private peer to peer client used by all the major VoD systems that manages the download of the videos you watch.

It's a bit like BitTorrent but over a private set of peers (private in the sense that the content allowed on it is managed by the content provider) - all the content you view on SkyOD and 4oD actually comes from other users of the services, rather than from Sky/BBC/C4 themselves.

It's used by the BBC, Sky, and I think 4oD, so yeah if you remove it - it will break it.

HTH

Thanks for the information folks. I understand the principles now that i've read the posts here and the WiKi article.

The thing that concerns me now is, if others are effectively accessing my Sky on Demand downloads, and therefore my HD, then is there not the risk that a good hacker could access more than my Sky folder and use the access to send a virus/trojan.worm et al onto my system by proxy?

Edited by XMG5 on Thursday 4th October 07:57