Help with IExplorer.exe. malware needed please JD

Discussion in 'Malware Help (A Specialist Will Reply)' started by banjoblue, Jul 6, 2010.

  1. banjoblue

    banjoblue Private E-2

    Hello Geek Lords

    I have the following symptoms
    - IEXPLORE.exe starts in the background as soon as I boot into Windows XP
    - I get random sound-ads playing in the background. These ads stop when I open the task manager and stop the IEXPLORE.exe process. However, the IEXPLORE.exe process re-appears just seconds later.
    - I hear occasional clicking sounds in the background (the sound is that of clicking a link in Internet Explorer)
    - My wave control is muted every few minutes, sometimes seconds. I'm guessing this is done so I don't hear the clicking sounds made in the background
    - Occasionally an Internet Explorer window would open with an ad.

    I've followed all the steps in the sticky malware removal thread.

    Could someone please help?
     

    Attached Files:

  2. banjoblue

    banjoblue Private E-2

    More logs
     

    Attached Files:

  3. banjoblue

    banjoblue Private E-2

    yet another log
     

    Attached Files:

  4. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    Welcome to Major Geeks!

    Please download bootkit_remover.rar
    • Click the underlined DOWNLOAD text to download the file and save it to your Desktop.
    • You then need to extract the remover.exe file from the RAR using a program capable of extracing RAR compressed files. If you don't have an extraction program, you can use 7-Zip
    • After extracing remover.exe to your Desktop, double click the remover.exe file to run the program.
    • Attach or post inline here, the output from remover.exe
    NOTE: The Command Prompt window text can be copied to the clip board by right clicking on the top bar of the window and using the Edit commands to Mark, Copy, and Paste.
     
  5. banjoblue

    banjoblue Private E-2

    Bootkit Remover version 1.0.0.1
    (c) 2009 eSage Lab
    www.esagelab.com

    Hi - thanks for helping. For some reason I'm not able to save to my desktop - I'm getting messages that the drive isn't available or something like that. I'm running bootkit_remover from my C: drive. THis is the output I got.


    \\.\C: -> \\.\PhysicalDrive0
    MD5: aac7d8a98e39dfde27285ef395e66821

    Size Device Name MBR Status
    --------------------------------------------
    54 GB \\.\PhysicalDrive0 Unknown boot code

    Unknown boot code has been found on some of your physical disks.
    To inspect the boot code manually, dump the master boot sector:
    remover.exe dump <device_name> [output_file]
    To disinfect the master boot sector, use the following command:
    remover.exe fix <device_name>


    Press any key to quit...
     
  6. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    Do you have all important data backed up? You really should do this before continuing since we will need to rewrite your MBR to fix this and while most times this can be done without any problem, these infections can react badly and that could result in a PC not being bootable. We have used this fix many times without a problem but there is always a risk. You really don't have much choice though since these infections are too dangerous to your security to leave on a PC.

    Also note that since you have a Dell PC which uses a non-standard MBR, fixing the mbr may prevent access the the Dell Restore Utility, which allows you to press a key on startup and revert your computer to a factory delivered state. There are a couple of known fixes for said condition, though the methods are somewhat advanced. If you are unwilling to take such a risk, you should not continue but you risk serious problems leaving this infection in place and thus your only other option would be to try using the Dell Restore Utility to return a factory ship state which will remove everything you additional you have put onto the PC.




    Now if you wish to try to fix this and have observed the above warnings and have backed up important data, please do the following:
    • Click Start, Run then copy and paste the below into the Run box and click OK.
    "%userprofile%\Desktop\remover.exe" fix \\.\PhysicalDrive0
    • Now reboot your PC and after reboot continue with the below instructions.
    • Disable System Restore on all drives.
    • Look for the below folder and if if it sill exists, delete it.
      • C:\System Volume Information\Microsoft
    • 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
    Make sure you tell me how things are working now! You do have some other infections besides the MBR infection that need to be fixed.
     
  7. banjoblue

    banjoblue Private E-2

    Hello again!

    Ok - I folllowed the steps you suggested - I couldn't delete the folder:

    C:\SystemVolume Information\Microsoft

    But everything else seemed to go ok. The log is attached.

    I really am very grateful for your help. I'll let you know if things are working OK tomorrow if that's ok - the symptoms were ppearing intermittently.

    regards

    Tony
     

    Attached Files:

  8. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    Did you do this first?
     
  9. banjoblue

    banjoblue Private E-2

    Yes, but I've just realised I can't see a folder called:

    C:\System Volume Information\Microsoft

    Ony a folder called:

    C:\System Volume Information

    When I click on that I get the message:

    C:\System Volume Information is not accessible
    Access is denied

    It won't let me delete it.
     
  10. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    You don't want to delete C:\System Volume Information. You only want to delete the C:\System Volume Information\Microsoft folder if it exists. And the only way to access that folder in order to delete it is if you have first turned off system restore and rebooted.
     
  11. banjoblue

    banjoblue Private E-2

    Yes, have checked that system restore is off and have rebooted. I'm still denied access to C:\System Volume Information. When I look at its properties it says its size is 0 bytes and it contains 0 Files and 0 Folders.
     
  12. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    Are you still having any malware issues?
     
  13. banjoblue

    banjoblue Private E-2

    I thought it had all gone away but I've just had a repeat of the "funny" website come up. It has been suggested that its a pop-under and that it appeared after visiting a local newspaper site. I don't know if its going to reappear now I've left the site.

    Chaslang said I had other infections that needed seeing to?
     
  14. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    Yes.


    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:

    O2 - BHO: (no name) - {02478D38-C3F9-4efb-9B51-7695ECA05670} - (no file)
    O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {CD67F990-D8E9-11d2-98FE-00C0F0318AFE} - (no file)

    After clicking Fix, exit HJT.

    Now we need to use ComboFix to remove a bunch of malware files.
    • 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 has expired or need to be updated to a new version, make sure you allow it to update.
    • 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.

    Now run Ccleaner. Only use the Run Cleaner button. Do not run anything else on any other forms.

    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:\ComboFix.txt
    • C:\MGlogs.zip
    Make sure you tell me how things are working now!
     
  15. banjoblue

    banjoblue Private E-2

    Hello. Logs attached - will see if errors reappear and get back to you.

    Regards

    Tony
     

    Attached Files:

  16. banjoblue

    banjoblue Private E-2

    Hello

    The symptoms of infection have dissapeared. I am extremely grateful for your time and support. Is there any indication of how I picked up this malware? I run Avira anti-viral software and superantispyware - is there anything further I should do to protect myself?

    Tony
     
  17. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    Not specifically. You would know better than us where you have been surfing and what you may have been downloading. ;)

    The free version of SUPERAntiSpyware does not protect you. It is just an after the fact scanner. You need to purchase it if you want full time antispyware protection.

    You also need a real firewall since you are using only the inadequate Windows firewall. See my final instructions since 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.)
      • 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 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, 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:
     
  18. banjoblue

    banjoblue Private E-2

    Thank you very much for your continuing help. I'm away from my pc for the next couple of days so I'll need to do this when I return. Does Majorgeeks have any kind of fund I could make a contribution to as a way of saying thank you?

    Tony
     
  19. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    You're welcome.

    We have no specific fund to contribute but you could purchase Major Geeks teashirts or other items. See the below link:

    http://www.jinx.com/majorgeeks/
     

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