SurfSideKick is that rare, ultra-excitable type of adware that will show pop-up and pop-under ads on your computer—even when you don’t have your browser open!

It will change Mircrosoft Internet Explorer’s error settings so that 404 and other errors will be redirected to a web page of SurfSideKick’s choice.  It will modify your search settings so that it hijacks your browser when you look for something, taking you away from your preferred search engine and using its own instead.  It may also direct the user to marketing and advertising websites, regardless of what address you type into the address bar!

SurfSideKick starts automatically every time Windows starts up.  It does not ask user permission to do this, but simply eats up system resources such as RAM and processor speed.  It may also send your browsing information to a home server.

This program can be difficult to remove because it hides multiple respawning files in various Windows directories and subdirectories.  Unless you use a professional anti-spyware program, you may delete its files one night, only to find it back on your computer when you start it up again the next morning.

SurfSideKick has also been known to download other applications onto infected computers.  Its presence on your system may indicate the presence of other spyware, adware, or other security threats.  A free scan with SpyZooka will let you know what else has infected your stystem.

SurfSideKick file contents:

Directories:
VCClient
SurfSideKick
SurfSideKick 2
Surf SideKick 3 (in the program files directory)

All files in these directories should be deleted.  SurfSideKick may also create “resuscitator” files under random names.

Registry Keys:
SurfSideKick
SurfSideKick2
SurfSideKick3
SSK_B5.EXE

Registry Values:
actx1.exe
SurfSideKick
SurfSideKick 2
SurfSideKick 3
XXXXSideKick 3
ZQInContextactx1.exe
ACTX1
ntdll.dll
CU1
CU2
Contextual Tool
SurfSideKick
SurfSideKick 2
SurfSideKick 3