fixing files modified by malware

Discussion in 'Malware Help - MG (A Specialist Will Reply)' started by Bauhaus, Nov 18, 2008.

  1. Bauhaus

    Bauhaus Private E-2

    Two days ago my computer suffered a malware attack, but it seems to be working again. Yet there are unresolved issues, perhaps critical ones, and I really need some expertise now. This is what happened:

    While reading a blog two days ago, I got sudden and repeated screen messages about saving changes to files that were closing down. This all happened rather quickly, but I did briefly see a message that something was trying to install some software.

    The system rebooted on its own, then showing a bogus, misspelled message -- "Your computer is infected..." -- coming from a red tray icon with a white X. Over the course of the evening I lost control of both of my browsers (IE and FireFox) - either I would get redirected to an arbitrary website or, when trying to get anti-virus software updates, the browser could not locate the requested page.

    Yesterday I looked at the files that had been modified during and after the attack, and did some research on my husband's uninfected computer. Below is an overview of modified files: I have inserted questions about some files and would appreciate advice about what to do next. It looks like the malware attack started on 11/16/2008 at 9:05 PM.

    9:05 PM - - something generated C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\svchost.exe (34KB) -- I later renamed this file
    >>>QUESTION - MBAM ignores this renamed file - should I manually delete it?
    9:06 PM - - something modified C:\WINDOWS\system32\termsrv.dll (289KB) -- and saved the original as C:\WINDOWS\system32\termsrv.old
    >>>QUESTION - how do I return to the original termsrv.dll file?
    9:06 PM - - something modified C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe (496KB) -- and saved the original as C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.old
    >>>QUESTION - how do I return to the original winlogon.exe file?
    9:06 PM - - something modified C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\beep.sys (28KB) -- somehow I was able to restore the original file with the XP install disk
    9:08 PM - - something modified C:\WINDOWS\wiadebug.log (1KB) -- this file was removed when I ran CCleaner
    9:08 PM - - something modified C:\WINDOWS\system32\wpa.dbl (14KB) - I suppose this is not a problem
    9:09 PM -- something generated C:\WINDOWS\system32\TDSSblat.dat - there was a series of TDSS files that I overlooked at the time - Ad-Aware and MBAM removed all but this one, which I renamed
    >>>QUESTION - MBAM ignores this renamed file - should I manually delete it?
    9:10 PM - - something modified C:\WINDOWS\system32\perfc009.dat (62KB) - this files appears to be explanatory text
    9:10 PM - - something modified C:\WINDOWS\system32\perfh009.dat (62KB) - this files appears to be explanatory text
    9:10 PM - - something modified C:\WINDOWS\system32\PerfStringBackup.INI - I suppose this could be a problem, since it contains so many settings
    >QUESTION - should I be concerned about changes to this INI file?
    1>>2:25 AM - - something modified C:\install.dat (1KB) when I installed SpySweeper - I don't know why this 10-line text file is just hanging out by itself in C:\ directory
    12:32 AM - - something modified C:\WINDOWS\setupapi.log (553 KB) when I installed SpySweeper -- this file was removed when I ran CCleaner

    In the morning I scanned with ewido_micro.exe, which identified C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\svchost.exe as a problem. However, when I tried to remove it with ewido_micro.exe, I got a blue screen and the computer rebooted. This perhaps generated the next set of file changes:

    9:33 AM - - something modified C:\pagefile.sys (2,095,104KB) -- I set the system so that no paging file is used
    >>>QUESTION - should I reset my system to use a paging file? How do I know that this file is okay?
    9:33 AM - - something modified C:\WINDOWS\bootstat.dat (2KB) - I suppose this is okay
    9:33 AM - - something modified C:\WINDOWS\0.log (0KB) -- this file was removed when I ran CCleaner
    9:33 AM - - something generated C:\WINDOWS\brastk.exe (10KB) - - I later renamed this _brastk.exe
    >>>QUESTION - MBAM ignores this renamed file - should I manually delete it?
    9:33 AM - - something generated C:\WINDOWS\karna.dat (6KB) - I later renamed this _karna.dat and later MBAM removed it
    9:33 AM - - something generated C:\WINDOWS\system32\brastk.exe (10KB) - - I renamed this _brastk.exe
    >>>QUESTION - MBAM ignores this renamed file - should I manually delete it?
    9:33 AM - - something generated C:\WINDOWS\system32\karna.dat (6KB) - I renamed this _karna.dat and later MBAM removed it
    9:33 AM - - something generated or modified C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvapps.xml (178KB) -- I renamed this _nvapps.xml - later something generated a NvApps.xml file, perhaps when I rebooted the computer
    9:33 AM - - something modified C:\WINDOWS\WindowsUpdate.log (1,632KB) - I suppose this is okay
    9:44 AM - - something generated C:\WINDOWS\system32\KGyGaAvL.sys (2KB) -- I later renamed this
    >>>QUESTION - MBAM ignores this renamed file - should I manually delete it?

    In the afternoon I discovered that I could use a scheduled recovery point from a program called Fix-It 7. I selected a recovery point from last week and rebooted. This got rid of the irritating red icon and I was able to use my browsers. Nonetheless, this step did NOT fix everything. I ran Adware, which had previously found squat, and identified and deleted two big, fat malware dlls:
    WINDOWS\system32\TDSSkfkl.dll
    WINDOWS\system32\TDSSurkv.dll

    I was surprised that I had missed these files when I had looked earlier for changed files. I also noticed other files in this folder with TDSS in their names. I later downloaded and ran MBAM, which found a slew of probelms, including the TDSS files. I have run MBAM twice since then and got clean reports. I also ran CCleaner, which eliminated three of the log files described above.

    HOWEVER, I am still concerned about some of the files that got modified, especially winlogon.exe and termsrv.dll. What should I do about the modified files?

    I appreciate all feedback and advice! Please let me know if you need more information. (Also, does anyone know how reliable the tasklist.org website is?)

    Thanks!
     
  2. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    Welcome to Major Geeks!

    Please follow the instructions in the below link and attach the requested logs when you finish these instructions.


    READ & RUN ME FIRST. Malware Removal Guide
    • If something does not run, write down the info to explain to us later but keep on going.
    • Do not assume that because one step does not work that they all will not.
    Notes:
    1. If you run into problems trying to run the READ & RUN ME or any of the scans in normal boot mode. You can run steps in safe boot mode but make sure you tell us what you did later when you post logs. See the below if you do not know how to boot in safe mode:
    2. If you have problems downloading on the problem PC, download the tools on another PC and burn to a CD. Then copy them to the problem PC. You will have to skip getting updates if (and only if) your internet connection does not work. Yes you could use a flash drive too but flash drives are writeable and infections can spread to them.
     

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