FunWebProducts Removal and detection (aka Fun Web Products)

I noticed more and more users arriving on my server with FunWebProducts in the User Agent, log example below, so I decided to look into it. It appears to be a piece of Adware / Spyware which they deny. It hi-jacks your browser with little warning, and doesn't allow you to easily remove it or change the default settings it insists upon. That in my book is spyware.

Spyware impairs users control over material changes that affect their user experience, privacy or system security; use of their system resources, including what programs are installed on their computers; or collection, use and distribution of their personal or otherwise sensitive information.

Amongst other things FunWebProducts may change your default search engine to MyWebSearch, and it may install a toolbar. You get a "Search Assistant" for when you mistype a URL. You can install it by "upgrading" your smileys in various messengers, cursors for windows, screensavers etc.

Please note I am NOT the author of FunWebProducts, nor am I involved in that company, this page is my attempt to help people who have become "infected" with it.

How to remove

First Your Browser - are you infected?

If you see FunWebProducts in the following text, then you have their software on your machine.

Another way to check is to type the following in the navigation toolbar of your browser:

Removal & Prevention Tools

Firstly try the uninstall information from Fun Web Products. (Copied below)

To remove a FunWebProduct and your My Web Search toolbar, you must do the following:

From your computer's Start button, select "Settings", then select "Control Panel".
Double-click on the "Add/Remove Programs" icon.
Select "My Web Search Bar" and click "Remove". The My Web Search toolbar and the FunWebProduct feature have now been uninstalled.

Outlook, Outlook Express and IncrediMail users: To remove a FunWebProduct and the My Web Search navigation bar from your email system, you must do the following:

From your computer's Start button, select "Settings", then select "Control Panel".
Double-click on the "Add/Remove Programs" icon.
Select "My Web Search (Outlook, Outlook Express, and IncrediMail)" and click "Remove". The My Web Search navigation bar and Smiley Central feature have now been uninstalled from your email system.

To remove Search Assistant (this feature provides you with suggested search listings when you mistype or enter an incomplete word or URL into your browser), you must do the following:

From your computer's Start button, select "Settings", then select "Control Panel".
Double-click on the "Add/Remove Programs" icon.
Select "Search Assistant - My Web Search" and click "Remove".

Looking into other browser hijackers I discovered a wonderful piece of software called "Hijack This log file analysis" that analysed a log and advised on what to remove.

I've found that my Anti Virus software AVG Anti-Virus blocks it, and I use the Firefox browser which doesn't suffer either.

FunWebProducts Detection and Removal

My Browser Security Advice

How to remove

First Your Browser - are you infected?

Removal & Prevention Tools

Further Reading

Example log entry from an infected visitor