Chrome - software_reporter_tool.exe

SnQQpyDog · 23 Aug 2018

OK it might appear like I have this in the wrong section/thread but please read on...

So I run Chrome, I like the browser but I don't like SWRT [software_reporter_tool.exe] and I want to stop it from running, so this is a windows system issue for me.

...\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\SwReporter

Every so often when I'm at my PC but usually writing something on my pad - I hear my CPU fan kick into overdrive. It irritates me so I check Task Manager and there you have it SWRT hogging 30% resources, sometimes with several instances of it whirring away! I'm generally not a conspiratorial sort of guy but this has really started to grind my gears and it has made me wonder what the hell they're up to.

I have tried several solutions to prevent SWRT from updating/running.
First and often banded solution is disable inherited permissions. Works only until they do an update which is often. Then the whole folder gets deleted and replaced with the exe sitting in a new (version) named folder.

So then I create a Group Policy deny and yet SWRT still runs
Even Applocker Rules don't seem to prevent it from running.

Now I accept I may have missed something fundamentally obvious

but a guaranteed step by step solution would be most welcome? Then I can compare with methods I've used and see if I missed a step!

Yes I know I could just simply remove Chrome but despite this I still like (or am familiarly comfortable with) this browser.

PS If a mod still thinks this is in the wrong location please feel free to relocate it.

PPS I did search for this across the forums and was really surprised that no topic on SWRT menace existed.

Anak · 28 Aug 2018

Hi SnQQpyDog, welcome to 7F!

You've probably seen this: How to block the Chrome Software Reporter Tool (software_reporter_tool.exe) it has the steps I believe you were mentioning, you can check your steps against them, but the swrt comes back like you said after a new update.

What interests me though is have you read through the responses below Martin's article? There's a few variants on adding a reg key to stop swrt from running. You still have a fresh swrt, but the key stops it from running.

This first one uses systray its about half way down:

Code:

Here’s a more permanent way to stop software_reporter_tool.exe from running:

————————snip—————-
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Image File Execution Options\software_reporter_tool.exe]
“Debugger”=”systray.exe”

————————snip—————-

Save the text between the snips to a file, and name it BadChrome.reg

Import BadChrome.reg into the registry, and every time software_reporter_tool.exe attempts to run, systray.exe will run instead. Running systray.exe will then silently and harmlessly exit.


Then there's one right below it


Here's another at the bottom:

:: Block Google Chrome Software Reporter Tool

reg add “HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer” /v “DisallowRun” /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

reg add “HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\DisallowRun” /v 1 /t REG_SZ /d software_reporter_tool.exe
>>
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There's the usual grousing about using chrome, but you might want to read through the responses in case I missed something.