How to remove WNAD
Please give me details on the Trojan WNAD.exe. What harm can it can do, and how can it be deleted (we now have it in isolation via Norton)?

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This is not exactly a Trojan, but more a case of adware that gets you annoyed. Adware is software that has a hidden advertising module inside it to connect to a server to download new ads and report back what sites have been visited by the user.

There is an adware removal tool at http://www.rankyou.com/wnad/wnad_uninstall.exe.

Or, try these instructions to remove it manually:

1) Press the CTRL-ALT-DEL keys at the same time, and select WNAD.EXE on the Close Program dialog box. Then click END TASK.

2) Click on START | RUN, and type %WINDIR%, then hit the ENTER key. A window will appear and you may have to click on a link to Show Files.

3) Delete the following files (if they appear):
WNAD.EXE
WNAD.DAT
WNAD-UPDATE.EXE

4) Click on START | RUN, type REGEDIT, and hit the ENTER key.

5) Click on the plus sign next to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.

6) Click on the plus sign next to Software.

7) Click on the plus sign next to Microsoft.

8) Click on the plus sign next to Windows.

9) Click on the plus sign next to CurrentVersion.

10) Click on the Run folder.

11) Click on "WNAD" on the RIGHT window.

12) Press the DELETE key, and hit the ENTER key.

13) Close the REGISTRY EDITOR WINDOW.


This was first published in November 2001