about:blank, HSA, and others

Copy the contents of the below Quote Box to Notepad. Then click File and then Save As. Change the Save as Type to All Files. Name the file fixhsa.reg and then click save. (make sure you save it somewhere you can find it. Saving it to your Desktop may make that easy.) Then double-click on the fixhsa.reg file on your desktop (or locate it with Windows Explorer and double click on it if not saved to the Desktop) and when it prompts to Add in to the registry, say yes.

- Download HijackThis 1.99.1

- Unzip the hijackthis.exe file to a folder you create named C:\Program Files\HJT

- Do NOT run Hijack This from the Desktop, a temp folder, or a sub-folder of C:\Documents and Settings, or choose to run it directly from the downloaded ZIP file.

- Before running HijackThis: You must close each of the following:your web browser, e-mail client, instant messenger, and programs like notepad, wordpad, MS Word etc. And any other unnecessary running programs.

- Run HijackThis and save your log file.

- Post your log as an ATTACHMENT to your next message. (Do NOT copy/paste the log into your post).

 

Please download the following tool: Pocket KillBox

Extract Pocket Killbox to its own folder but do not run it yet. We will need it later.

ou're OS and IE versions are way out of date and represent a major security risk. After we fix your current problems, you must get updated. We will cover this later.
Let's try a simple approach to fixing you HSA infection. This may or may not work. Depends on whether there are other hidden processes that we are not seeing right now.
If you are using WinXP or WinMe, make sure you have system restore disabled (per the tutorial).
For all OS types, make sure viewing of hidden files is enabled (per the tutorial).

Please run HijackThis and click on the "Open the Misc Tools Section" button on the open page. Then select "Open process manager" on the left-hand side. Look for the following process (or processes) and one at a time kill them by selecting it and then click "Kill process". Then click yes.
C:\WINDOWS\system32\d3ao.exe

After killing all the above processes, click "Back".
Then please click "Scan" 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:
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = res://C:\WINDOWS\system32\shvhq.dll/sp.html#37049
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = res://C:\WINDOWS\system32\shvhq.dll/sp.html#37049
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = about:blank
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = res://C:\WINDOWS\system32\shvhq.dll/sp.html#37049
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = res://C:\WINDOWS\system32\shvhq.dll/sp.html#37049
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = res://C:\WINDOWS\system32\shvhq.dll/sp.html#37049
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = res://C:\WINDOWS\system32\shvhq.dll/sp.html#37049
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,Default_Search_URL = http://www.searchv.com/search.html
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = res://C:\WINDOWS\system32\shvhq.dll/sp.html#37049
R3 - Default URLSearchHook is missing
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {A8E7B594-A8F4-ED83-5441-DD6D3199367D} - C:\WINDOWS\sysau.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [d3ao.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\d3ao.exe

After clicking Fix, exit HJT.

Now we need to Reset Web Settings:
1) If you have an Internet Explorer icon on your Desktop, goto step 2. If not, skip to step 3.
2) Now right click on your desktop Internet Explorer icon and select Properties. Then click the Programs tab and then click "Reset Web Settings". Now go back to the General tab and set your home page address to something useful like www.majorgeeks.com. Click Apply. Click Delete Cookies, Click Delete Files and select Delete all Offline content too, Click OK. When it finishes Click OK. Then skip step 3.
3) If you do not have an Internet Explorer icon on your Desktop, click Start, Control Panel (for some systems it may be Start, Settings, Control Panel), Internet Options, Programs tab and then click "Reset Web Settings". Now go back to the General tab and set your home page address to something useful like www.majorgeeks.com. Click Apply. Click Delete Cookies, Click Delete Files and select Delete all Offline content too, Click OK. When it finishes Click OK.

Now run Pocket Killbox.

Now, Copy and Paste C:\WINDOWS\sysau.dll into the box – If it exists, it will show up in Blue. Check the option to Delete on Reboot and Click the Red X and Yes to the confirmation message. A message will ask if you want to reboot now – Click NO.

Now, Copy and Paste C:\WINDOWS\system32\d3ao.exe into the box – If it exists, it will show up in Blue. Check the option to Delete on Reboot and Click the Red X and Yes to the confirmation message. A message will ask if you want to reboot now – Click YES and allow your PC to reboot.

If you get an error message about Pending Operations, just reboot your PC yourself.

Now get a new HJT log and post it here. And tell us how these steps went and how things are working.

PLEASE DO NOT REBOOT after posting your log. If you are still infected, it could mutate making the next steps I would post ineffective.

 

Run the registry patch I gave you in message # 3 again. Let me know it that fixes the items in Add/Remove programs.