I may have had this. A google search on popureb shows an MS site which says it “displays advertisments”. That was my problem, plus of course I couldn’t get rid of it. After various consultations, I installed Norton Antivirus from a purchased CDROM, which seemed to get rid of it. I’ve been running for some time now without being bothered. The Norton software impressed me as some serious s**t. It didn’t just do a sweep, but asked if you still had a problem and escalated. It even had explicitly designated anti-Rootkit software, which I invoked. Well, who knows, but as I say, it certainly seems to have worked.
Since about 2005, Norton has gone from a must have program to probably the most common virus on computers today, IMHO. It constantly surprises people how much of their awesome multicore computer was occupied just to make Norton happy. I get done uninstalling it (in some cases an hour long process), and they’re frankly shocked at how fast their computer operates now.
Avira is one of my favorite replacements, as it’s very light weight and is frequently updated, though the propensity to put up pop ups of it’s own once per day is also pretty annoying... Buy it, of course, and those popups go away.
Another reasonably lightweight and quickly updated anti-virus program is Microsoft Security Essentials, which I really think is a must have for small businesses. Up to ten stations can be installed (assuming they’re all properly licensed Windows machines) and it’s pretty transparent to the average user. Both pieces of software are free, and both prevent this rootkit infection.
It seems to me that we should be able to file suit against the benefactors of the root kit who paid to advertise their goods on OUR machines without our permission! Sue those who advertise through the authors of the root kit malware! Hit them at the source of their income for treble damages for the time lost, data lost, and productivity lost in being forced to watch, locate removal tools, and removing their ads from our computers! It won't take too many successful tort cases before the advertisers get the message!