Google searches redirected to bogus sites

Discussion in 'Malware Help (A Specialist Will Reply)' started by kenobings, Aug 12, 2010.

  1. kenobings

    kenobings Private E-2

    Dear Geeks (and I mean that with utmost respect ;) ),
    I've been having trouble with my google searches which keep getting redirected to bogus sites. It's almost certainly malware, I presume, and no amount of scans have managed to flush it out my system. General browser processing/loading times also seem to have increased recently.

    FYI, in the process of redirecting, I notice the urls such as "clickshield" and "154clicks" popping up in the address bar.

    Attached are the logs as requested in the Read Me sticky. I'm new to this forum so I hope I've managed to provide all necessary info.

    Many thanks in advance!
     

    Attached Files:

  2. kenobings

    kenobings Private E-2

    And here's the remainder MGTools log
     

    Attached Files:

  3. Kestrel13!

    Kestrel13! Super Malware Fighter - Major Dilemma Staff Member

    Did you rename this to include a .old extension?

    Go to TDSSKiller and Download TDSSKiller.zip to your Desktop

    • Extract its contents to your Desktop so that you have TDSSKiller.exe directly on your Desktop and not in any subfolder of the 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 and a window will open showing that it is TDSSkiller from Kaspersky
    • Click Start scan
    • It will 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 )


    Please double-click the RootRepeal.exe previously downloaded.

    • Select File then Scan
    • On the Select Drives form select drive C by "ticking" the box for drive C and click OK
    • When the scan is complete - highlight each of the following file(s) (one at a time if more then one is listed) by left clicking it. Then use right mouse click and select the Wipe File option only for each file.
    • After Wiping all files, immediately reboot your pc!

    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.
    • Also make sure you have shut down all protection software (antivirus, antispyware...etc) or they may get in the way of allowing ComboFix to run properly.
    • If ComboFix tells you it needs to update to a new version, make sure you allow it to update.
    • Open Notepad and copy/paste the text in the below quote box. Ensure you scroll down to select ALL the lines:
    Code:
    KILLALL::
    
    DirLook::
    C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch
    C:\_backupD
    c:\windows\replaces
    
    Folder::
    c:\windows\system32\regdacl
    
    File::
    c:\windows\system32\eRLog.ini
    c:\windows\system32\reboot.exe
    c:\windows\system32\restart.exe
    c:\windows\system32\regdacl.exe
    
    • 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

      http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v666/sUBs/CFScriptB-4.gif

    • 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.

    Now run the C:\MGtools\GetLogs.bat file by double clicking on it. Then attach the new C:\MGlogs.zip file that will be created by running this. Also answer any questions I may have asked.

    Tell me how the machine is behaving now, please.
     
  4. kenobings

    kenobings Private E-2

    Yes, earlier this week I renamed win32k.sys, winlogon.exe and csrss.exe all to include .old extensions. These files were replaced using working ones obtained from another laptop I have. I did so to 'repair' a BSOD I was getting during the Windows log on process (I took a gamble in following those suggestions found online). It's worth noting that the Google search redirects were occuring a week or so before the BSOD problem.

    My system seems to be working fine at the moment. No redirects experienced in recent sessions. I did encounter a brief 'healthy patch' a couple of days ago but the problem returned, so this time around I'll be keeping my fingers crossed it all stays fine!
     

    Attached Files:

  5. kenobings

    kenobings Private E-2

    Scratch that, the Google search redirects are back. Same old. :(
     
  6. Kestrel13!

    Kestrel13! Super Malware Fighter - Major Dilemma Staff Member

    • What browser are you using when you get redirected?
    • Does it occur in safe mode with networking?
     
  7. kenobings

    kenobings Private E-2

    Firefox is prone to redirects and the occasional crash lately. IE looks okay. The redirects tend to occur sporadically; it either happens to every search or none at all in a session.

    Safe mode with networking is working alright, barring just one redirect in about 50 searches.
     
  8. Kestrel13!

    Kestrel13! Super Malware Fighter - Major Dilemma Staff Member

  9. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    A question for clarification. Are you going to Google to do the search or are you searching from the google toolbar?
     
  10. kenobings

    kenobings Private E-2

    TimW, both the Firefox toolbar search and Google website search are getting redirected.

    This has got me stumped.


    PS Last night, I googled Major Geeks. Clicking on the result redirected me to the url ......154clicks.info/go.php?p=0 and the page only showed the text "ERROR: No P parameter".
     

    Attached Files:

    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 14, 2010
  11. Kestrel13!

    Kestrel13! Super Malware Fighter - Major Dilemma Staff Member

    It very well could be your router. There is a little button on the bottom ( on most models ) to reset it to factory settings. Do that. You may then need to go back into it to set any special setting that you may have set up originally. But do that first and see if that doesn't take care of it.

    You can test this theory by connecting directly to your modem and if the redirects stop, then you know it is the router that is infected.
     
  12. kenobings

    kenobings Private E-2

    Will give that a crack later today. Time difference means it's about 3am here now. :tired

    There's another laptop connected to the router and that system's working fine. Would you say it's normal for only one user on the network to experience such symptoms?
     
  13. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    Did you hardwire connect through the modem? Did you still get redirected? We need to see an updated MGLog.zip. --> 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).
     
  14. kenobings

    kenobings Private E-2

    Connecting directly to the router did not stop the redirects. I have since then reinstalled Firefox and IE and both have been working okay for a day already. :)

    Attached is the MGLog.
     

    Attached Files:

  15. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    That probably did the trick, as I am not seeing any malware in your logs. Do let me know if the issue returns.

    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 real time 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 of 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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