Control panel missing from start menu, possible malware?

Discussion in 'Malware Help (A Specialist Will Reply)' started by aceshye, Oct 31, 2007.

  1. aceshye

    aceshye Private E-2

    Hi I think I may have some sort of malware on my computer but after using all of the resourses I have at hand, adaware, spybot S&D, spyhunter, etc. I still get a windows security alert popping up about potential spywear operation. I have no access to my control panal at all when I go to my start menu. In it's place I have a selection called" set program access and defaults" which when I click it gives me this response..."this operation has been cancelled due to restrictions in effect on this computer. please contact your system administrator." There are other funny things that are happening such as when i go to my favorites and select a subfolder, I cannot get to this list when I try to click on it, it just disapears.
    Can anyone help me with this. I am stumped. I also am unable to run quicktime getting an error when I try and start it.

    Greg
     
  2. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    Welcome to Majorgeeks!

    Download this file - Combofix.exe
    Double click combofix.exe & follow the prompts.
    When finished, it will produce a log for you. Attach this log to your next reply

    Note:

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

    Then:
    Please follow our standard cleaning procedures which are necessary for us to provide you support. Also there are steps included for installing, running, and posting HijackThis logs as attachments.
    • Run ALL the steps in this Sticky thread READ & RUN ME FIRST Before Asking for Support
    • Make sure you check version numbers and get all updates.
    • Very Important: Make sure you tell us the results from running the tutorial...was anything found? Were you unable to complete any of the scans?...Were you unable to download any of the tools?...Did you do the on-line scans as suggested? etc.
    • After doing ALL of the above you still have a problem make sure you have booted to normal mode and run the steps in the below link to properly use HijackThis and attach a log:
    Make sure you also rename HijackThis.exe as suggested in the procedures. Use analyse.exe for the new name. This is very important due to some new infections going around.
    • When you return to make your next post, make sure you attach the following logs and that you have run these scans in the following order too:
      • CounterSpy
      • AVG Antispyware log - ONLY IF NEEDED you were not able to run CounterSpy
      • Bitdefender - from step 6
      • Panda Scan - from step 6
      • runkeys.txt - the log from GetRunKey.bat
      • newfiles.txt - the log from ShowNew.bat
      • HijackThis
    NOTE: You can only attach 3 files in a single message so it will require that you use two messages to attach all of these logs!
     
  3. aceshye

    aceshye Private E-2

    Hi,
    I Have just finished running the combo fix and have attached the log file. I will now proceed to complete the other steps as listed in your response.

    Greg
     

    Attached Files:

  4. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    While you are working on that....please do the following:

    Now 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.
    Attach the logs when you are ready.
     
  5. aceshye

    aceshye Private E-2

    Ok, here is what happened when i ran the requested programs and the attached files. First off i was not able to boot into safe mode, that was not possible so all programs were run in normal mode. I could not run Counterspy due to having run it before and the trial was up. i did run the AVG antispyware but when i went to create a report there was noe. all setting were set as required. No report was given. Bitfinder and pandascan both found problems but were not fixed.

    I am still getting the same popup as i was before about malware being on my computer but i do have my control panel icon back so i can get there.

    See attached files in this and the next post.

    Thanks,


    Greg
     

    Attached Files:

  6. aceshye

    aceshye Private E-2

    Here are the other reports.

    Greg
     

    Attached Files:

  7. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    Please use add/remove programs to uninstall:
    J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 Update 10"
    J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 Update 11"
    J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 Update 5"
    J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 Update 6"
    J2SE Runtime Environment 5.0 Update 9"
    Java 2 Runtime Environment, SE v1.4.2"
    Java(TM) 6 Update 2
    Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment 6 Update 1
    Viewpoint Media Player"
    Viewpoint Toolbar

    Run 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:

    After clicking fix, exit HJT.

    Now 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.
    Now download The Avenger by Swandog469, 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.
    * Check the 'Input script manually' box.
    * Click on the magnifying glass icon.
    * Copy everything in the Quote box below, and paste it in the box that opens:

    * Now click the 'Done' button.
    * Click on the traffic light icon and OK the prompt.
    * You will be prompted to restart, OK the prompt and your PC should reboot, if not, reboot it yourself.
    * A log file from Avenger will be produced at C:\avenger.txt

    Attach new logs for:
    ShowNew
    GetrunKeys
    HJT
    Avenger
     
  8. aceshye

    aceshye Private E-2

    OK, I have followed all steps and am attaching the requested files to this reply. So far I have not gotten the popup that I was getting.

    Greg
     

    Attached Files:

  9. aceshye

    aceshye Private E-2

    here is the Hijackthis file.

    Greg
     

    Attached Files:

  10. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    Please use add/remove to uninstall:
    Viewpoint Manager (Remove Only)

    Download ATF Cleaner by Atribune. This program does not require an installation. The executable actually runs the program.

    NOTE: This program is for Windows XP and Windows 2000 only. ATF Cleaner will remove all files from the items that are checked so if you have some cookies you'd like to save. Please move them to a different directory first.

    * Double-click ATF-Cleaner.exe to run the program.
    * Under Main choose: Select All
    * Click the Empty Selected button.

    If you use Firefox browser

    * Click Firefox at the top and choose: Select All
    * Click the Empty Selected button.
    o NOTE: If you would like to keep your saved passwords, please click No at the prompt.

    If you use Opera browser

    * Click Opera at the top and choose: Select All
    * Click the Empty Selected button.
    o NOTE: If you would like to keep your saved passwords, please click No at the prompt.

    Click Exit on the Main ATF Cleaner menu to close the program.


    Your logs look clean. You may uninstall any programs we had you download (including CounterSpy, etc).

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

    1. If we used Pocket Killbox during your cleanup, do the below
    * Run Pocket Killbox and select File, Cleanup, Delete All Backups
    2. If we used ComboFix you can delete the ComboFix.exe file and associated C:\combofix.txt log that was created.
    3. If we user SDFix you can delete all the SDFix related files and folders from your Desktop or whereever you installed it.
    4. If we used VundoFix, you can delete the VundoFix.exe file and the C:\VundoFix Backups folder and C:\vundofix.txt log that was created.
    5. If we had your run FixWareOut, you can delete the Fixwareout.exe file and the C:\fixwareout folder.
    6. If we had you download any registry patches like fixme.reg or fixWLK.reg (or any others), you can delete these files now.
    7. You can delete the ShowNew.Zip and GetRunkey.Zip files and the files that you extracted from the ZIP files. You can also delete the C:\newfiles.txt and C:\runkeys.txt logs that were created
    8. If you are running Windows XP or Windows ME, do the below:
    * go back to step 8 of the READ & RUN ME to Disable System Restore which will flush your Restore Points.
    * Then reboot and Enable System Restore to create a new clean Restore Point.
    9. After doing the above, you should work thru the below link:
    * How to Protect yourself from malware!
     
  11. aceshye

    aceshye Private E-2

    Thanks much. All is working fine now. You have been a great help. I appreciate it.

    Thanks,

    Greg
     
  12. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    You're welcome ...safe surfing..:)
     

MajorGeeks.Com Menu

Downloads All In One Tweaks \ Android \ Anti-Malware \ Anti-Virus \ Appearance \ Backup \ Browsers \ CD\DVD\Blu-Ray \ Covert Ops \ Drive Utilities \ Drivers \ Graphics \ Internet Tools \ Multimedia \ Networking \ Office Tools \ PC Games \ System Tools \ Mac/Apple/Ipad Downloads

Other News: Top Downloads \ News (Tech) \ Off Base (Other Websites News) \ Way Off Base (Offbeat Stories and Pics)

Social: Facebook \ YouTube \ Twitter \ Tumblr \ Pintrest \ RSS Feeds