Malware problem (like everyone else!)

Welcome to Major Geeks!

Just in case you have not done this yet, 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.



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.
• 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.


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.

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.

Now run Ccleaner!

You can fix your clock from Control Panel ->Regional and Language Options and then on the Regional Options tab click the Customize button then on the next form click the Time tab. Then change the Time format to what you want. It explains there what the lower case and upper case letters will do. Upper case H is giving you 24 hour clock settings.


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!

 

Since you were not able to get ComboFix to run properly with the CFScript.txt file, the fix did not work. Simply running ComboFix does not apply the fix. We will use another method.



Now download The Avenger by Swandog46, and save it to your Desktop.

• Extract avenger.exe from the Zip file and save it to your desktop
• Run avenger.exe by double-clicking on it.
• Do not change any check box options!!
• Copy everything in the Quote box below, and paste it into the Input script here: part of the window:

• Now click the Execute button.
• Click Yes to the prompt to confirm you want to execute.
• Click Yes to the Reboot now? question that will appear when Avenger finishes running.
• Your PC should reboot, if not, reboot it yourself.
• A log file from Avenger will be produced at C:\avenger.txt and it will popup for you to view when you login after reboot.

Now run Ccleaner!

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:\avenger.txt
• C:\MGlogs.zip

Make sure you tell me how things are working now!

 

Are you sure that you are just not getting valid security warnings from Windows Security Center. What does the popup say exactly? Is you antivirus working and up to date? Is your firewall working? ( The Windows firewall will have to be replaced by a proper firewall when we finish up anyway. )


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:
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [DbSh] C:\WINDOWS\system32\itmrcdcl.exe

After clicking Fix, exit HJT.

Let's remove a left over driver from SpyNoMore.

• Run avenger.exe by double-clicking on it.
• Do not change any check box options!!
• Copy everything in the Quote box below, and paste it into the Input script here: part of the window:

• Now click the Execute button.
• Click Yes to the prompt to confirm you want to execute.
• Click Yes to the Reboot now? question that will appear when Avenger finishes running.
• Your PC should reboot, if not, reboot it yourself.
• A log file from Avenger will be produced at C:\avenger.txt and it will popup for you to view when you login after reboot.

After reboot look for all of the above files we had Avenger attempt to delete. If you still see them, delete them yourself.

Now run Ccleaner!

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:\avenger.txt
• C:\MGlogs.zip

Make sure you tell me how things are working now!

 

Have you gotten anymore since posting your last message? Your logs are clean.

Without exact detail information (like a log), we cannot comment. It may not even be real problems. It could just be things in quarantines from the cleanup or things in System Restore.

While this is normal part of final instructions, let's get a proper firewall installed on your PC now. Download and install the below:

PC Tools Firewall Plus <-- make sure you uncheck the options to install Google Toolbar and Threatfire free edition. There's is no sense in installing excess baggage.

Make sure you have followed the fix instructions properly. Also disable your protection software first since it could be blocking the changes.

This is too vague an explanation for me too think of possible issues. Please explain what operations are slow! For example answer the below:

• Is boot up slow?
• Is shutdown slow?
• Is browsing/surfing slow?
• Is downloading slow?
• Is running any application?
• Is it also slow in safe boot mode?
• Also are any process showing in Task Manager to be using a lot of CPU time?
• Anything else slow?

How ever based on your somewhat slow PC speed about 1196 Mhz ) and small amount of RAM (only 512 MB), you are more than likely experiencing issues due to Norton + Pest Patrol + Spyware Doctor.

 

SAS should not have too much of any effect on startup time. It does load (and you can disable that in the preferences) but it is other protection software that will have the greatest effect as they take time properly hook into your system during startup. You cannot compare startup times from an unprotected system to a protected system. They will be dramatically different. You should be more concered with how things run after startup of all applications has finished.

You should be okay but there are never any guarantees after a PC has been infected. I do suggest that you use another PC (one that has not been infected) and access your accounts and change all passwords first.

In reality, with proper protection and proper surf habits you can be just fine with IE. While it would be better to use FF, it can still get infected too. You will see in my final instructions that we do suggest a lot of tips and one includes using FF. But many sites ( including Microsoft ) still require use of IE.


If you are not having any other malware problems, it is time to do our final steps:

1. We recommed 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.
3. 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" /u
     • Notes: The space between the combofix" and the /u, it must be there.
     • This will uninstall ComboFix and also reset hidden files and folders settings back to Windows defaults.
   • Delete the C:\combofix folder from combofix (if it exists)
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. You can delete the C:\MGtools folder and the C:\MGtools.exe file. You can also delete the C:\MGlogs.zip
9. If you are running Vista, Windows XP or Windows ME, do the below:
   • Refer to the cleaning steps in the READ ME for your Window version and see the steps 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!