"Redirected Searches", "Advertising Pop-Ups", "Fake Anti-Virus Pop-Ups"

Discussion in 'Malware Help - MG (A Specialist Will Reply)' started by beetlebuggy, Oct 24, 2010.

  1. beetlebuggy

    beetlebuggy Private E-2

    Please help review my HijackThis File. My computer has problems with "Redirected Searches", "Advertising Pop-Ups", "Fake Anti-Virus Pop-Ups".

    Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.4
    Scan saved at 11:46:28 PM, on 10/24/2010
    Platform: Windows XP SP3 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
    MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16876)
    Boot mode: Normal

    Edit by chaslang: Inline HJT log removed. READ & RUN ME FIRST. Malware Removal Guide sticky not followed.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 25, 2010
  2. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    Welcome to Major Geeks!

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

    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:
    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:
    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.
     
  3. beetlebuggy

    beetlebuggy Private E-2

    A week ago I started being redirected during searches, receiving unwanted advertising pop-ups and getting fake anti-virus offers. In addition, my system would freeze and become unresponsive. I also got messages that a Generic Host Process for Win32 Services had encountered an error and needed to close. An error that svchost.exe had encountered an error and needed to close. An error that PEV.cfxxe encountered a problem. An error that asks me to debug Miscellaneous File script errors for trusearch.net and ui.mevio.com.

    I ran Microsoft's Onecare Online scan in both Normal Boot and Safe Mode. It reported fixing a variety of issues, but the problems continued. I ran Microsoft's Security Essentials and found nothing in both Normal Boot and Safe Mode.

    I uninstalled both of the above programs and downloaded AVG's 2011 Trial Software. It found an array of viruses and quarantined them, but the problems continued.

    So I've followed your directions, the problems continue and am submitting the required log files. Malwarebytes didn't find any errors and didn't produce a report, so it isn't attached.
     

    Attached Files:

  4. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    Download TDSSKiller from Kaspersky to your directly onto your Desktop
    • Now double click the TDSSkiller.exe file to run it ( if using Vista or Windows 7 do not double click on it but rather, right click and select Run As Administrartor. )
    • Allow the application to run if prompted by Windows or any security programs you have installed
    • It will start the scan and run rather quickly and will notify you of whether anything is found or not.
    • Follow the instructions to delete/quarantine if asks you what to do when if finds something.
    • Whether an infection is found or not, a log file should be created on your C: drive ( or whatever drive you boot from) in the root folder named something like TDSSKiller.2.1.1_27.12.2009_14.17.04_log.txt which is based on the program version # and date and time run. Please attach this log to your next reply. (See: HOW TO: Attach Items To Your Post )


    Now run the C:\MGtools\GetLogs.bat file by double clicking on it (Note: if using Vista or Win7, don't double click, use right click and select Run As Administrator).

    Then attach the below logs:
    • the log from TDSSkiller
    • C:\MGlogs.zip
    Make sure you tell me how things are working now!
     
  5. beetlebuggy

    beetlebuggy Private E-2

    So far the problem seems to have been fixed. No redirects, no fake virus ads, no debugging svchost.exe errors. That might have cleared things up. The logs are attached. I'll update if things change.

    Thanks for your help.
     

    Attached Files:

  6. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    You're welcome. Your logs are clean.


    If you are not having any other malware problems, it is time to do our final steps:
    1. We recommend you keep SUPERAntiSpyware and Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for scanning/removal of malware. Unless you purchase them, they provide no protection. They do not use any significant amount of resources ( except a little disk space ) until you run a scan.
    2. If we had you use ComboFix, uninstall ComboFix (This uninstall will only work as written if you installed ComboFix on your Desktop like we requested.)
      • Click START then RUN and enter the below into the run box and then click OK. Note the quotes are required
      • "%userprofile%\Desktop\combofix" /uninstall
        • Notes: The space between the combofix" and the /uninstall, it must be there.
        • This will uninstall ComboFix and also reset hidden files and folders settings back to Windows defaults.
    3. Go back to step 6 oof the READ ME and renable your Disk Emulation software with Defogger if you had disabled it.
    4. Any other miscellaneous tools we may have had you install or download can be uninstalled and deleted.
    5. If we had you download any registry patches like fixme.reg or fixWLK.reg (or any others), you can delete these files now.
    6. If running Vista, it is time to make sure you have reenabled UAC by double clicking on the C:\MGtools\enableUAC.reg file and allowing it to be added to the registry.
    7. Go to add/remove programs and uninstall HijackThis.
    8. Goto the C:\MGtools folder and find the MGclean.bat file. Double click on this file to run this cleanup program that will remove files and folders
      related to MGtools and some other items from our cleaning procedures.
    9. If you are running Win 7, Vista, Windows XP or Windows ME, do the below:
      • Refer to the cleaning procedures pointed to by step 7 of the READ ME
        for your Window version and see the instructions to Disable System Restore which will flush your Restore Points.
      • Then reboot and Enable System Restore to create a new clean Restore Point.
    10. After doing the above, you should work thru the below link:
     

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