Comet Cursor is probably one of the most famous and controversial spyware programs ever invented.  During its time, many of the current definitions of spyware hadn’t been conceived of yet.  The final designation of Comet Cursor as spyware changed what is defined as spyware.
Comet Cursor installs a toolbar for “enhanced searching” and alters your cursor when you go to sites that use Comet Cursor as part of their page design.  You could catch it as a drive-by download, you could manually install it, or it could come bundled with ad-supported freeware, or other software such as RealPlayer.  It tracks your browsing by assigning your copy of Comet Cursor a GUID.  It notes if you see a URL that uses its software and also the page directly after.
Comet Cursor has fallen mostly out of circulation and is no longer supported by Comet Systems.  However, there may still be websites that use Comet Cursor and can drive-by install it on your computer.  SpyZooka can remove it and protect you from further infection.

Also Known As:
Comet Cursor Plus, Spyware. CometCursor, IncrediFind Comet Systems, Comet Systems / Comet Cursor

Associated Files:
%ProgramFiles%\Comet\Bin, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Core, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Data, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Install, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Products, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Products\adzap, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Products\FunButton, ProgramFiles%\Comet\Products\FunCursors, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Products\FunCursors\cursors, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Products\RefButton, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Products\RelatedSearch, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Products\Screensaver, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Products\Shared, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Products\ShopButton, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Products\Smilettown, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Products\TravelButton, ProgramFiles%\Comet\Products\Travel, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Products\WebButton, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Products\WebCursors, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Services, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Services\AddRemove, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Services\License, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Services\Logqueue, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Services\Messaging, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Services\Messaging\Base, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Services\Messaging\Campaigns, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Services\Messaging\Campaigns\AdZap, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Services\Messaging\Listeners, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Temp, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Temp\Uninstall, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Update\, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Bin\comet.exe, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Bin\comutil.dll, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Bin\csapputil.dll, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Bin\csband.dll, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Bin\csbho.dll, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Bin\csbrange.dll, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Bin\cscore.dll, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Bin\csctx.dll, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Bin\cseng.dll, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Bin\csietb.dll, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Bin\csinst.dll, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Bin\csinstall.exe, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Bin\cstray.exe, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Bin\csutil.dll, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Bin\fileutil.dll, %ProgramFiles%\Comet\Bin\unins.ico, %Windir%\inf\CC_43.PNF, %Windir%\inf\CC_43.inf, %UserProfile%\Desktop\Comet Cursor.lnk, %System%\Comet.inf, %Userprofile%\Local Settings\Temp\ccu\comet.cab, %Userprofile%\Local Settings\Temp\comet_install.exe, %Userprofile%\Comet Cursor.lnk
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar\”{FE6BC4EF-5676-484B-88AE-883323913256}” = “”
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar\WebBrowser\”{FE6BC4EF-5676-484B-88AE-883323913256}” = “”
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Accepted Documents\”[RANDOM VALUE]” =”application/x-comet”
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{062EFA85-8BBB-11D3-80D0-00500487B1C5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{0922EC1A-9EC7-11D3-80B9-00500487BDBA}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{0E42926E-96D8-11D3-80D5-00500487B1C5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{0E429272-96D8-11D3-80D5-00500487B1C5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{15940F5D-D8BD-49BC-851D-29DCFB166950}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{1678F7E1-C422-11D0-AD7D-00400515CAAA}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{212B99A1-9CF6-11D3-80B7-00500487BDBA}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{37D026C3-84D7-4AC5-A026-C08B7907CACF}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{39E01E09-2B45-11D4-810D-00500487B1C5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{4320AEEB-2F2A-4F97-B573-232C6576AA3A}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{4AA5D526-44D5-4AF6-AC53-5CE1534CC40B}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{64726B8A-0CBE-4F80-90B7-1CA1BC69FCFB}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{6F2D6A5E-E3E7-4F18-887C-C777650DEF57}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{7BE4E188-DD04-47E4-8C1B-4AA330B18D9F}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{7F0F5DA7-84CB-11D4-8137-00500487B1C5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{827A2ECE-D76F-4BCC-82ED-D6A287C11211}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{8AE68B04-D492-4474-A6E2-FD5FE884F4B1}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{90C61707-C8F8-43DB-A25C-C1F4B18EE41E}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{941228B3-3AD1-4633-A9F5-59154CB362D4}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{A335D52F-D489-472D-9EAA-D72A40AAF7CA}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{A5EA242A-442E-4ecb-9CAC-97037CCD6EC6}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{C38FC998-3B1B-4F59-A710-5A6C9CF8BD92}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{CBE7D5E7-90A2-11D3-80D1-00500487B1C5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{CD74B159-A1D3-11D3-80BC-00500487BDBA}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{D14D6793-9B65-11D3-80B6-00500487BDBA}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{DA0882FB-49A3-4A9E-BB09-5E15347B5647}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{DFA771A5-2138-48EE-A58E-F782C879AF8E}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{E28FCB54-8C8E-11D3-80D1-00500487B1C5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{E3A6E4B2-16B4-4F56-A98A-5F4DE04CA2BE}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{E5C39DB9-9DCC-11D3-80D6-00500487B1C5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{EA5BB125-A227-40A7-BCAA-652D497C2F65}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{EB07A6D4-8E36-11D4-8138-00500487B1C5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{EDC4193F-34AD-4D07-AA87-E3FDB89E3E76}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{EDEE4CCB-0913-4CC9-8EA9-3DDD87AB8BDE}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{F147AE85-1855-4182-BE3A-174160995A40}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{FE6BC4EF-5676-484B-88AE-883323913256}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{3C0C31A2-70A2-11D1-B69E-444553540000}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{012B0571-2CD6-11D4-810D-00500487B1C5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{062EFA84-8BBB-11D3-80D0-00500487B1C5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{0922EC19-9EC7-11D3-80B9-00500487BDBA}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{0E42926F-96D8-11D3-80D5-00500487B1C5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{0E429271-96D8-11D3-80D5-00500487B1C5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{1348E05A-21C7-4134-B4A4-3C12234FCA3F}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{1E587528-41AA-4F19-97E8-BB75ACC3035C}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{212B99A0-9CF6-11D3-80B7-00500487BDBA}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{29089B98-AF05-4769-B627-86A745D4B672}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{2DA93E50-9D08-11D3-80D5-00500487B1C5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{2FCFB3FD-7184-4C42-AED3-30FFF0119964}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{34FDD882-5530-4A90-89CD-416612C8855E}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{43F1B4AD-92EF-4DB3-BDA9-12335B012DD0}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{50D7C4AB-3C82-11D4-8111-00500487B1C5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{58C59F56-CA66-4B5D-9132-ECEA5193BE5A}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{665ABE65-2C16-4341-B4B8-01FF799E8F4C}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{788E0D0E-CAF7-473B-9183-76BE6D30DC9A}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{7AA7D1C3-F0F8-460C-936D-B5886D0928EB}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{7F0F5DA6-84CB-11D4-8137-00500487B1C5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{832786EC-9632-4919-8972-59F79D621C87}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{899BE974-D575-48BB-A9C7-1D24E8042BE4}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{8BEE173B-C006-4F0E-ACD2-84A882BEBCFF}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{910E67A6-BD53-46DF-8434-41498B7D22F7}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{9464C98E-B5F1-4C6A-BD3F-9696E3BD081E}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{97284959-A553-4576-859C-B3B3FF283DE0}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{A0CA55A0-A112-11D3-80D6-00500487B1C5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{A0CA55A1-A112-11D3-80D6-00500487B1C5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{A4B977F5-1EFC-4DA0-B9C2-67C53CBA140F}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{A9E67CBE-7A42-47BE-962A-C07E73C34FBA}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{AEB17FC4-2A52-4945-9866-81CC343A59E3}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{B0DB6360-8D7F-11D4-8137-00500487B1C5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{B0E9399E-FE6F-43B0-98D3-2F47080DDE4A}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{BFCBF73B-6EB2-49C1-ADCA-CF0CD589B140}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{C0CAD17E-00A3-4F40-9015-D569C3114BA3}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{C4D86DC8-B73B-4470-9914-3DAC14EE6F95}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{C7291310-3C8C-11D4-8111-00500487B1C5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{C81B4B57-B06B-409D-AED0-028051683796}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{CBE7D5E6-90A2-11D3-80D1-00500487B1C5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{CBE7D5E8-90A2-11D3-80D1-00500487B1C5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{CD74B15B-A1D3-11D3-80BC-00500487BDBA}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{CE2EAB19-E31D-43CA-A860-F95A2CA50040}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{D14D6792-9B65-11D3-80B6-00500487BDBA}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{DC86768F-5ADF-4D84-9DE8-FD047B1FE8F5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{DDD1E8CA-678D-4C9A-A472-CE9578B14DC5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{E28FCB53-8C8E-11D3-80D1-00500487B1C5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{EA3B6C62-70A6-11D1-B69E-444553540000}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{EB07A6D3-8E36-11D4-8138-00500487B1C5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Interface\{FFE56921-248B-4C75-9EEE-01706310E371}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Typelib\{3C0C31A2-70A2-11D1-B69E-444553540000}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{062EFA78-8BBB-11D3-80D0-00500487B1C5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{07FA131E-2EB2-446F-93D2-9F877320010B}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{3F4386E5-2FBE-44A8-81CF-4B792490605F}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{5D2D50F6-6BE2-41A0-B827-1ACCD3E2E2F7}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{74232635-A013-49F2-B869-1B1AB932D944}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{7F0F5D9A-84CB-11D4-8137-00500487B1C5}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{878ACE1B-8DB0-4D75-9034-504756AD4215}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{BF986691-7F7B-4F94-85E0-20E75350701F}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{BFA2C963-FC24-4770-8C19-0D5A1CD58DF9}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{C09FB84D-B9ED-43EB-AFED-F145C26CB839}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\TypeLib\{D14D6786-9B65-11D3-80B6-00500487BDBA}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\BHO.CSBHO
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\BHO.CSBHO.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CSBRange.ByteRange
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CSBRange.ByteRange.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CSBand.HorizontalIEBand
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CSBand.HorizontalIEBand.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CSBand.VerticalIEBand
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CSBand.VerticalIEBand.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CSEng.CSEngine
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CSEng.CSEngine.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CSEng.CSHost
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CSEng.CSHost.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CSEng.EvHandler
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CSEng.EvHandler.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CSIP.CSCollection
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CSIP.CSCollection.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CSIP.CSIPDispatch
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CSIP.CSIPDispatch.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CSIP.CSIPPacket
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CSIP.CSIPPacket.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ComUtil.FCParam
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ComUtil.FCParam.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ComUtil.FctCall
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ComUtil.FctCall.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CometAppUtil.CometUIEvents
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CometAppUtil.CometUIEvents.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CometIEToolbar.CometToolbar
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CometIEToolbar.CometToolbar.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ContextParser.CSRegExp
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ContextParser.CSRegExp.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ContextParser.ContextProxy
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ContextParser.ContextProxy.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ContextParser.ContextProxyMgr
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ContextParser.ContextProxyMgr.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ContextParser.URLContextParser
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ContextParser.URLContextParser.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Core.BHO1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Core.BHO1.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Core.BrowserAppProxy
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Core.BrowserAppProxy.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Core.CS15Cursor
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Core.CS15Cursor.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CometCursor.CometCursor
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CometCursor.CometCursor.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Core.CometCursor
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Core.CometCursor.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Core.CometFrame
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Core.CometFrame.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Core.CometWindow
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Core.CometWindow.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Core.FileInfo
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Core.FileInfo.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Core.HttpComm
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Core.HttpComm.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Core.MyBrowser1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Core.MyBrowser1.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Core.SelfUpdater
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Core.SelfUpdater.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Core.System
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Core.System.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Core.WindowProxy
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Core.WindowProxy.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Puk.PukBHO
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Puk.PukBHO.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SkinUI.ActiveWindow
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SkinUI.ActiveWindow.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SkinUI.CSkinUI
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SkinUI.CSkinUI.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SkinUI.WebBrowserSink
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SkinUI.WebBrowserSink.1
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SkinUI.WindowsHelper
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SkinUI.WindowsHelper.1
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Comet Systems
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Code Store Database\Distribution Units\{D14D6793-9B65-11D3-80B6-00500487BDBA}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\{D14D6793-9B65-11D3-80B6-00500487BDBA}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\cc2k
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Comet
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\CCAR
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\PUK
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchAssistant