Malware Problem

Welcome to Major Geeks!

At a minimum, we need the MGtools log to even attempt to get started.

Also a question: Have you tried running any of the scanners in safe boot mode and what exactly happens?

 

Okay let's make the first round fix. There will be more after this but we need to do this step to uncover some other hidden files.


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.

Also delete all files in the below folders except ones from the current date (Windows will not let you delete the files from the current day).
C:\Windows\Temp
C:\Users\Kevin\AppData\Local\Temp

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, 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!

 

Actually it did not find anything except what we had already removed and quarantined. Symantec was unable to find and remove the infection while it was active. Once we actually deactivated the infection, it just detected the files and registry entries we already removed which is quite useless.

Not sure what you mean since this is a feature designed into Windows. Nothing we did in the last fix would change this. If Security Center was there before the last fix, it should still be there. It is possible that Symantec is the cause of any problems around this and it may need to be uninstalled followed by a reboot to see what happens. HOWEVER, we have a little more to do first so let's see what happens after doing the below. I want to be sure a few bad files are removed since they now showed in your logs after we deactivated the heart of the infection.

I also want to see if we can get ComboFix to run now.



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 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 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!

 

Are you familar with running the Windows Registry Editor? I want to look at the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\don't load key which probably has an entry to tell it not to load the Security Center icon.

 

Okay! I decided to make it easier for you.

Download and save the below to your C:\MGtools folder! ( It must be saved there to be sure it works properly.) Then double click on it to run it.

CPidl.bat

After running it, a new log should be added to the C:\MGlogs.zip file. Please attach the MGlogs.zip again. This will allow me to create a fix for the missing Security Center (that is if it shows up as disabled).

 

Well it is not a problem with the registry having it disabled from loading. Let's see if the Control Panel file exists. Look for the below file:

C:\Windows\system32\wscui.cpl

Does it exist?

 

Double click on it and tell me what happens.

 

Right click on the file and select Properties. Tell me the file Size: in bytes not KB.

Also select the Version tab and tell me what File Version you see.

Also when you right click on the file, do you see an option that says Open with Control Panel


Also do the below.

• Click on Start, then Run ... type services.msc into the box that opens up, and press 'OK'.
• On the page that opens, scroll down to Security Center
• then right click the entry, select Properties
• What does it show for Start-up Type
• And what does it show for Service status:

 

Okay that means the service may have been deleted. However first I want to check to see if a required DLL is missing or not. I think it is. Look for the below file:

C:\Windows\system32\wscsvc.dll


Did you find it? If not, download the below and save it into your C:\Windows\system32 folder and then reboot and see if there is any change.

WSCSVC

Also 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 log:

• C:\MGlogs.zip

 

Okay then it would seem the service itself has been completely deleted. Not sure if we can fix this but let's give it a try.


Ddownload the below and save it into your C:\MGtools folder

FixWSC

Now run the C:\MGtools\fixwsc.bat file by right clicking on it and select Run As Administrator. Let me know if you get an error messages and tell me exactly what they say. If you don't get an obvious errors, reboot and see if there is any change.

 

Not much left to try other than the below:

• uninstall 100% of Symantec, reboot and then see what happens after reboot
• Use System Restore to try to return to a point in time before the problems with Windows Security Center occurred.
• Reinstall

 

You're welcome.


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.
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" /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.
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 6 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:
    • How to Protect yourself from malware!