Help needed remove Zero Access trojan

[echappee]

Dear Major Geeks,

I need help removing the Zero Access trojan from my computer. McAfee recognized it today, but fails to remove the problem. It has also made the Windows Firewall inoperative.

The logo files for the scan tools are attached.

Please help!

Thanks,
Ed

[chaslang]

Welcome to Major Geeks!

Looks like you either made your own MGlogs.zip and attached it or you had some issue running MGtools. It is missing many log files and I can see the files do exist. Please either attach the correct log file from C:\MGlogs.zip or rerun MGtools.exe after shutting down all protection software. Make sure UAC has also been disabled as requested and then you use right click and Run As Administrator to run MGtools.exe


Also please do the below so that we can boot to System Recovery Options to run a scan.

For 32-bit (x86) systems download Farbar Recovery Scan Tool and save it to a flash drive.
For 64-bit (x64) systems download Farbar Recovery Scan Tool x64 and save it to a flash drive.

Plug the flashdrive into the infected PC.

Enter System Recovery Options from the Advanced Boot Options:

• Restart the computer.
• As soon as the BIOS is loaded begin tapping the F8 key until Advanced Boot Options appears.
• Use the arrow keys to select the Repair your computer menu item.
• Select US as the keyboard language settings, and then click Next.
• Select the operating system you want to repair, and then click Next.
• Select your user account an click Next.

On the System Recovery Options menu you will get the following options:

Startup Repair
System Restore
Windows Complete PC Restore
Windows Memory Diagnostic Tool
Command Prompt

• Select Command Prompt
• In the command window type in notepad and press Enter.
• The notepad opens. Under File menu select Open.
• Select "Computer" and find your flash drive letter and close the notepad.
• In the command window type e:\frst.exe (for x64 bit version type e:\frst64) and press Enter
  Note: Replace letter e with the drive letter of your flash drive.
• The tool will start to run.
• When the tool opens click Yes to disclaimer.
• Press Scan button.
• It will make a log (FRST.txt) on the flash drive. Please attach this file to your next reply. (See: How to attach)

[echappee]

Thank you for your help!

I did have trouble running MGtools yesterday - it looks like it ran ok this morning as the file is much larger than yesterday's. I was also able to run the Farbar scan, but ended up having to do it through the command prompt in Safe Mode as the computer did not give me the recovery options you listed. Both files are attached.

[echappee]

Dear Chaslang,

Attached is the FRST.txt file that has been run from the recovery environment. I missed the part about having to chose the "Repair Computer" option the first time. Sorry about that!

[chaslang]

Sorry! Your thread slipped by me. Working on your logs now.

[chaslang]

Download this >> fixlist.txt


Save fixlist.txt to your flash drive.

• You should now have both fixlist.txt and FRST64.exe on your flash drive.

Now reboot back into the System Recovery Options as you did previously.
Run FRST64 and press the Fix button just once and wait.
The tool will make a log on the flashdrive (Fixlog.txt).
Please attach this to your next message. (See how to attach)

Now boot into normal Windows can continue with the below.

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:

• Fixlog.txt
• C:\MGlogs.zip

Make sure you tell me how things are working now!

[echappee]

Dear Chaslang,

Looks like we (You!) are making progress. The logs are attached. However, I am still unable to turn on the Widows Firewall. When I try to turn on the firewall, I get the following error:

0x80070424 The ordinal 1108 could not be located in the dynamic link library WSOCK32.

Thank you again for all your help!

Ed

[chaslang]

You're welcome.

Originally Posted by echappee

However, I am still unable to turn on the Widows Firewall.

Let's take a shot at fixing it.

Be patient while doing the below. The fixes can take quite awhile to run. Especially the permissions repairs. It may be best to kick it off and goto bed or do something else. It is better not to run anything while the repairs are going on.

Download Windows Repair by Tweaking.com and unzip the contents into a newly created folder on your desktop.

• Now run Repair_Windows.exe by double clicking on it ( if you are running Vista or Win 7, use right click and select Run As Administrator)
• Now select the Start Repairs tab.
• The click the Start button.
• Create a System Restore point if prompted.
• On the next screen, click the Unselect All button to first deselect all repairs.
• Now select the following repair options:
  • Reset Registry Permissions
  • Reset File Permissions
  • Register System Files
  • Repair WMI
  • Repair Windows Firewall
  • Remove Policies Set By Infections
  • Repair Winsock & DNS Cache
  • Repair Proxy Settings
  • Repair Windows Updates
  • Set Windows Services To Default Startup
• Now on the lower right side check the box to Restart/Shutdown System When Finished
• Then make sure the Restart System radio button is enabled.
• Shutdown any other programs that you are running now before continuing.
• Now click the Start button.
• Be patient while the tool repairs the selected items.
• It should reboot automatically when finished.

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:

• C:\MGlogs.zip

[echappee]

Hi Chaslang,

The firewall is now working! The only thing that I can see now that has changed is that some of the USB ports on the computer are not working. I believe this was a result of the virus, but I am not 100% sure this was the cause. Is this something that is common with this virus?

The new MGlogs.zip file is attached.

Thanks!

[chaslang]

You're welcome.

Originally Posted by echappee

The only thing that I can see now that has changed is that some of the USB ports on the computer are not working. I believe this was a result of the virus, but I am not 100% sure this was the cause. Is this something that is common with this virus?

Perhaps we have seen people remark about this a couple times, but sometimes it was due to other issues with Windows. Since some ports work and some do not, it seems a little strange. Almost like the hardware interfaces are disabled and just need to be reenabled. You may want to ask about this in the Hardware Forum. Also check out the below:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-vista/Tips-for-solving-problems-with-USB-devices


http://support.microsoft.com/kb/817900

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.)
   • Press and hold the Windows key and then press the letter R on your keyboard. This opens the Run dialog box.
   • Copy and paste 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 or Win 7, 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:
    • How to Protect yourself from malware!

[echappee]

Dear Chaslang,

I have a couple of outer strange things still going on that may me related to the malware:

1. I am now unable to see my home network with the Windows Firewall enabled. The network appears correctly with the firewall disabled. Prior to the malware issue, the network visible with the firewall enabled.

2. Whenever I re-boot my computer, the desktop icons re-arrange themselves along the left of the screen. If I set the "Auto Arrange Icons" and "Align Icons to Grid" to off (disabled) and reboot, the "Align Icons to Grid" is turning itself back on. It will not stay off...

I have not performed the "Final Steps" yet.

Again, thank you for your assistance!
Regards,
Ed

[chaslang]

Originally Posted by echappee

1. I am now unable to see my home network with the Windows Firewall enabled. The network appears correctly with the firewall disabled. Prior to the malware issue, the network visible with the firewall enabled.

Have you tried making sure that your network info appears in the firewall correctly?

Originally Posted by echappee

2. Whenever I re-boot my computer, the desktop icons re-arrange themselves along the left of the screen. If I set the "Auto Arrange Icons" and "Align Icons to Grid" to off (disabled) and reboot, the "Align Icons to Grid" is turning itself back on. It will not stay off...

You are the second person to recently have this problem after malware removal. At first I thought it is likely registry hive corruption to the user account which is quite often not fixable. The work around would typically be to create a new user account and start using it instead. Now after reading your comment, I wonder if it is still possible that a fix could be applied. The problem is where though! Because if you are changing it, it should already be saving the info into the registry. So somewhere the must be a default setting that is overriding your change.

I'll have to think about this some more but try the below and make sure all protection software is disable before doing this.

Copy the bold text below to notepad. Save it as fixme.reg to your desktop. Be sure the "Save as" type is set to "all files" Once you have saved it double click it and allow it to merge with the registry.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\1\Desktop]
"FFlags"=dword:00000220

Make sure that you tell me if you receive a success message about adding the above
to the registry. If you do not get a success message, it definitely did not work.

If it merged in okay, reboot your PC and see if there is any change.