Protectservice.exe - by XTab System.
What is protectservice.exe?
Protectservice.exe belongs to the XTab software. Multiple anti-virus scanners have detected possible malware in protectservice.exe. Some anti-virus scanners may detect it as Search Protect but this browser hijacker works in a slightly different way, so it's not a very accurate detection. TrendMicro, for example, detects it simply as a suspicious file. Malwarebytes as PUP.Optional.XTab.A. Despite different detection it's obvious that it should be removed from the system as soon as possible. Once installed, this malware hijacks your web browser and replaces your default new tab page with its own. It may replace your home page as well. As the name suggests, protectservice.exe runs in the background and constantly checks for possible changes made to your web browser settings. It will block all attempts to restore default settings and get your home page back. Even if you succeed the changes will last until you restart your computer. This malware will hijack your web browser once again after a reboot. What is more, it adds a background Windows Service ProtectSvc.exe. It runs every time Windows starts and uses a lot of system resources. Needless to say, it's not essential for Windows and may cause serious problems. Protectservice.exe is delivered through a thrid-party offer which means that you got it after installing some other programs on your computer. The bad news is that it's usually bundled with adware and PUPs. Download anti-malware program and scan your computer for malware.
File name: Protectservice.exe
Publisher: XTab System
File Location Windows XP: C:\Program Files\XTab\
File Location Windows 7: C:\Program Files\XTab\
Startup file: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run → protectservice.exe