HelpAssistant Virus

Welcome to Major Geeks!

If you already properly ran fixmbr from the Recovery Console, then you should no longer have the MBR infection that can sometimes cause a rogue HelpAssistant user account.



Please read ALL of this message including the notes before doing anything.

Warning!!!! ComboFix.exe MUST be directly on your Desktop.

Please follow the instructions in the below link:

READ & RUN ME FIRST. Malware Removal Guide



and attach the requested logs when you finish these instructions.

• **** 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. MGtools will frequently run even when all other tools will not.

• After completing the READ & RUN ME and attaching your logs, make sure that you tell us what problems still remain ( if any still do )!

Helpful 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 the 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:
   
   • Starting your computer in Safe mode
2. If you have problems downloading on the problem PC, download the tools and the manual updates for SUPERAntiSpyware and Malwarebytes ( links are given in the READ & RUN ME) onto another PC and then 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.
3. If you cannot seem to login to an infected user account, try using a different user account (if you have one) in either normal or safe boot mode and running only SUPERAntiSpyware and Malwarebytes while logged into this other user account. Then reboot and see if you can log into the problem user account. If you can then run SUPERAntiSpyware, Malwarebytes, ComboFix and MGtools on the infected account as requested in the instructions.
4. To avoid additional delay in getting a response, it is strongly advised that after completing the READ & RUN ME you also read this sticky:
   • Don't Bump! It Only Hurts You!!!

Any additional post is a bump which will add more delay. Once you attach the logs, your thread will be in the work queue and as stated our system works the oldest threads FIRST.
​

 

Run this Disable/Remove Windows Messenger to remove Windows Messenger. Do not confuse Windows Messenger with MSN Messenger because they are not the same. Windows Messenger is a frequent cause of popups.

Uninstall the below old versions of software:
J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0
Symantec Technical Support Web Controls

Run C:\MGtools\analyse.exe by double clicking on it (Note: if using Vista, don't double click, use right click and select Run As Administrator). This is really HijackThis (select Do a system scan only) and select the following lines but DO NOT CLICK FIX until you exit all browser sessions including the one you are reading in right now:

R3 - URLSearchHook: (no name) - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {02478D38-C3F9-4EFB-9B51-7695ECA05670} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {7E853D72-626A-48EC-A868-BA8D5E23E045} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: Google Dictionary Compression sdch - {C84D72FE-E17D-4195-BB24-76C02E2E7C4E} - (no file)
O24 - Desktop Component 0: (no name) - http://www.portel.pl/fotki/duze/r52/z1369.jpg

After clicking Fix, exit HJT.

Now we need to use ComboFix

• Make sure that combofix.exe that you downloaded while doing the READ & RUN ME is on your Desktop but Do not run it!
  • If it is not on your Desktop, the below will not work.
• Also make sure you have shut down all protection software (antivirus, antispyware...etc) or they may get in the way of allowing ComboFix to run properly.
• If ComboFix tells you it has expired or need to be updated to a new version, make sure you allow it to update.
• Open Notepad and copy/paste the text in the below quote box into it:

• Save the above as CFscript.txt and make sure you save it to the same location (should be on your Desktop) as ComboFix.exe
• At this point, you MUST EXIT ALL BROWSERS NOW before continuing!
• You should have both the ComboFix.exe and CFScript.txt icons on your Desktop.
• Now use your mouse to drag CFscript.txt on top of ComboFix.exe
• Follow the prompts.
• When it finishes, a log will be produced named c:\combofix.txt
• I will ask for this log below

Note:

Do not mouseclick combofix's window while it is running. That may cause it to stall.


After reboot, now install the current version of Sun Java from: Sun Java Runtime Environment

Now run Ccleaner. Only use the Run Cleaner button. Do not run anything else on any other forms.

Now run the C:\MGtools\GetLogs.bat file by double clicking on it (Note: if using Vista, don't double click, use right click and select Run As Administrator).

Then attach the below logs:

• C:\ComboFix.txt
• C:\MGlogs.zip

Make sure you tell me how things are working now!

 

You did not say how things are working. Also I notice that the 2 folders for the HelpAssistant accounts were not deleted. Do you have a HelpAssistant account appearing in Control Panel -> User Accounts? If you do, then these are likely valid Help Assistant accounts.

 

You need to answer questions that are asked. In my last message I asked the below:

You need to answer this.

Exactly what virus are you referring to? Are you actually having real problems? Having HelpAssistant folders does not necessarily mean you are infected. As my question above and in my last message implies, they could be valid.

Answer my questions.

 

Run the below tool from Prevx

Prevx 3.0 use the button that says Download Prevx 3.0


After running the Prevx scan, reboot and then continue with the below.

• Right Click on My Computer and select Manage
• If System Tools is not already expanded, double click it to expand.
• Now double click on Local Users and Groups
• Now click on the Users folder
• In the right side of the window, you will see all of the available user accounts within your computer. Right Click on the HelpAssistant user account and select Properties
• In the HelpAssistant Properties window, you will see a check box where you can select Account is disabled. Make sure a check mark is in the box next to this option.
• Click Apply (or just OK in the next line if it was disabled already).
• Click OK to close the HelpAssistant Properties form.
• Close the Computer Management window
• Restart the computer

After reboot run the below:

• click Start, Run and enter the below into the run box and click OK.

net user HelpAssistant /delete


Now download the current version of MGtools and save it to your root folder. Overwrite your previous MGtools.exe file with this one.

Run MGtools.exe ( Note: If using Vista make sure UAC is still disabled. Also don't double click on it, use right click and select Run As Administrator )

Now attach the below log:

• C:\MGlogs.zip

Make sure you tell me how things are working now!