Member Avatar for hexstar

I recently realized that I appear to have WinPcap 3.0 installed on my computer, I have not removed it in fear that one of my applications may be using it. What I would like to know is what is it? Is it harmful (i.e. spyware/adware)? And last but not least, if possible, what apps use it? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

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Dani AI

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Short version for (and anyone who finds this thread years later): WinPcap is a legitimate Windows port of the libpcap packet-capture library used by network tools — it installs a kernel driver and user DLLs that let programs capture/send raw packets. Popular tools (Wireshark, Nmap and similar analyzers) historically depend on it. This alone is not spyware, but files with the same names have sometimes been dropped by malware, so verify whether the install looks legitimate before assuming everything is benign. (winpcap.org)

If the goal is to discover what (if anything) is using WinPcap on a running machine, use tools that identify loaded modules rather than blindly renaming files. Two safe options that work on XP-era and newer Windows:

Run these from an elevated prompt:

tasklist /m wpcap.dll
sc query npf
sc qc npf

Or run Process Explorer (Sysinternals) as Administrator and use Find → “Find Handle or DLL...” and search for wpcap or packet. These show which process has the capture DLL loaded or which driver (npf) is active. (learn.microsoft.com)

About ’s rename test and ’s uninstall: renaming the DLLs is a quick live test but can crash programs that expect the library. Uninstalling is fine if you can reinstall later; many modern users now install Npcap instead (WinPcap is no longer actively maintained and tools recommend Npcap for current Windows). If you find DLLs/drivers present but no Add/Remove entry or odd file locations/versions, treat that as suspicious and run up-to-date AV/anti-malware and check file properties (version/date). (wireshark.org)

Quick checklist

  • Check Add/Remove Programs for WinPcap.
  • Use tasklist /m or Process Explorer to find live users.
  • Check C:\Windows\System32\drivers\npf.sys and DLL locations and version info.
  • If suspicious, run full AV/malware scans and consider reinstalling a supported capture driver (Npcap) only from its official source. (winpcap.org)

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Member Avatar for bentkey

Hmmm...well WinPcap is a packet capture library for network analysis and such. If it's your machine and you didn't install it then I might be concerned. It's a legitimate program, but could be installed for devious purpose. You might just try renaming it's library files and see if any applications complain.

Member Avatar for hexstar

would I HiJack This log help? If so, here you go:

Logfile of HijackThis v1.97.7
Scan saved at 6:00:21 PM, on 8/12/2004
Platform: Windows XP (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 (6.00.2600.0000)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\System32\gearsec.exe
c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsrte.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS7Debug\mdm.exe
C:\Program Files\RealVNC\VNC4\WinVNC4.exe
C:\Program Files\2Wire\Gateway\2PortalMon.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsshld.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\agent\mcagent.exe
c:\progra~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsescn.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\taskswitch.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger Plus! 3\MsgPlus.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\WhatPulse\WhatPulse.exe
C:\Program Files\WinZip\WZQKPICK.EXE
C:\PROGRA~1\Yahoo!\PARENT~1\ypc.exe
c:\progra~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsftsn.exe
C:\Program Files\Crazy Browser\Crazy Browser.exe
C:\Program Files\MSN Messenger\msnmsgr.exe
C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\notepad.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\GetRight\getright.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\GetRight\getright.exe
C:\Downloads\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = http://g.
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page =
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page =
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar =
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL =
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyServer =
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: Yahoo! Companion BHO - {13F537F0-AF09-11d6-9029-0002B31F9E59} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common\ycomp5,0,8,0.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {249A7517-8A86-9272-9884-347A9D825506} - (no file)
O3 - Toolbar: Yahoo! Companion - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Common\ycomp5,0,8,0.dll
O3 - Toolbar: McAfee VirusScan - {BA52B914-B692-46c4-B683-905236F6F655} - c:\progra~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsshl.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\msdxm.ocx
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [2wSysTray] C:\Program Files\2Wire\Gateway\2PortalMon.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VSOCheckTask] "c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcmnhdlr.exe" /checktask
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [VirusScan Online] "c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\vso\mcvsshld.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MCAgentExe] c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\agent\mcagent.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MCUpdateExe] C:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\agent\mcupdate.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IPInSightMonitor 01] "C:\Program Files\SBC Yahoo!\Connection Manager\IP Insight\IPMon32.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [CoolSwitch] C:\WINDOWS\System32\taskswitch.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MessengerPlus3] "C:\Program Files\Messenger Plus! 3\MsgPlus.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [McRegWiz] c:\PROGRA~1\mcafee.com\agent\mcregwiz.exe /autorun
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\System32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [AIM] C:\Program Files\AIM\aim.exe -cnetwait.odl
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [WhatPulse] C:\Program Files\WhatPulse\WhatPulse.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MessengerPlus3] "C:\Program Files\Messenger Plus! 3\MsgPlus.exe" /WinStart
O4 - Startup: LetterBox.lnk = C:\Program Files\LetterBox\LetterBox.exe
O4 - Global Startup: GetRight - Tray Icon.lnk = C:\Program Files\GetRight\getright.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\OSA.EXE
O4 - Global Startup: WinZip Quick Pick.lnk = C:\Program Files\WinZip\WZQKPICK.EXE
O8 - Extra context menu item: Download with GetRight - C:\Program Files\GetRight\GRdownload.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O8 - Extra context menu item: Open with GetRight Browser - C:\Program Files\GetRight\GRbrowse.htm
O9 - Extra button: Yahoo! Login (HKLM)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Yahoo! Login (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: Run WinHTTrack (HKLM)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Launch WinHTTrack (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: Messenger (HKLM)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Yahoo! Messenger (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: Research (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: AIM (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: Messenger (HKLM)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger (HKLM)
O9 - Extra button: Messenger Addon (HKLM)
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: &Messenger Addon (HKLM)
O10 - Broken Internet access because of LSP provider 'ypclsp.dll' missing
O12 - Plugin for .bcf: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Plugins\NPBelv32.dll
O16 - DPF: Yahoo! Chat -
O16 - DPF: {01A88BB1-1174-41EC-ACCB-963509EAE56B} (SysProWmi Class) - http://support.dell.com/systemprofiler/SysPro.CAB
O16 - DPF: {2253F320-AB68-4A07-917D-4F12D8884A06} (ChainCast VMR Client Proxy) -
O16 - DPF: {2917297F-F02B-4B9D-81DF-494B6333150B} (Minesweeper Flags Class) -
O16 - DPF: {4A01A151-E350-4839-A2B8-03DC39D6C8E5} (YPCXWizard Class) - http://download.yahoo.com/dl/ypc/ypcxwizard2003080601.cab
O16 - DPF: {8E0D4DE5-3180-4024-A327-4DFAD1796A8D} (MessengerStatsClient Class) -
O16 - DPF: {9F1C11AA-197B-4942-BA54-47A8489BB47F} -
O16 - DPF: {A17E30C4-A9BA-11D4-8673-60DB54C10000} (YahooYMailTo Class) - http://download.yahoo.com/dl/installs/ymail/ymmapi.dll
O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab

please let me know if you have any leads as to what may be using it or if you need anymore info....

Thanks!

Member Avatar for bentkey

Sorry,
I don't know much about reading hijackthis logs, and it wouldn't tell you what applications may use the winPcap library anyway. These files (packet.dll and wpcap.dll) constitute the winPcap library. Do a file search on your drive for these files and rename them like I suggested. Run all the applications you can think of that might do any kind of packet capturing. If something needs either of these files you'll get an error message. If not, you can just leave them renamed and they'll do no harm.. just in case you discover something that needs them later. Take your hijack log to the security forum I think there may be a thing or two that could use fixing.

Member Avatar for hexstar

ok thanks I'll do that

EDIT: I decided to uninstall WinPcap 3.0 as I can easily reinstall it if a program I use needs it, I'll post here any apps that complain if any for other peoples reference who may be wondering the same thing as me

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