Please help with Redirecting Menace

Discussion in 'Malware Help (A Specialist Will Reply)' started by rbforu, Oct 28, 2010.

  1. rbforu

    rbforu Private E-2

    Dear Reader:

    I am in urgent need to get rid of something is my computer that keeps redirecting my search results when clicked upon and slowing down my computer. From what I have read, it sounds like I have a Malware problem. I have read and followed the important rules before asking for assistance with Malware removal on the Majorgeek website. Attached are the products of my effort. Your help will be greatly appreciated.

    Some more on my problem:

    Whenever I run a google or any other kind of search, after i get back the search results, I click on some results and the page that opens is not what the search result showed. The web browser keeps redirecting me to some spam website. This problem occurs infrequently. Some days the search works just fine, other days it does not.

    Lately, I have also experienced major slowdown in my computer speed. What used to take a few seconds is now taking many minutes. I have a feeling unless this problem is addressed now, it will just keep getting worst.

    Please help.
     

    Attached Files:

  2. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    Please download the TDSS Rootkit Removing Tool (TDSSKiller.exe) and save it to your Desktop. <-Important!!!


    Be sure to download TDSSKiller.exe (v2.4.0.0) from Kaspersky's website and not TDSSKiller.zip which appears to be an older version 2.3.2.2 of the tool.

    • Double-click on TDSSKiller.exe to run the tool for known TDSS variants.
      Vista/Windows 7 users right-click and select Run As Administrator.
    • If TDSSKiller does not run, try renaming it.
    • To do this, right-click on TDSSKiller.exe, select Rename and give it a random name with the .com file extension (i.e. 123abc.com). If you do not see the file extension, please refer to How to change the file extension.
    • Click the Start Scan button.
    • Do not use the computer during the scan
    • If the scan completes with nothing found, click Close to exit.
    • If malicious objects are found, they will show in the Scan results - Select action for found objects and offer three options.
    • Ensure Cure (default) is selected, then click Continue > Reboot now to finish the cleaning process.
    • A log file named TDSSKiller_version_date_time_log.txt (i.e. TDSSKiller.2.4.0.0_27.07.2010_14.17.05_log.txt) will be created and saved to the root directory ( usually Local Disk C ).
    • Attach this log to your next message
     
  3. rbforu

    rbforu Private E-2

    Dear Tim:

    As directed, I have performed the TDSS Rootkit test and attached the two log files that were present in the C drive. Unfortunately, nothing was detected. Thank you for helping me!
     

    Attached Files:

  4. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    Does this happen in all browsers? Does it happen in safe mode?
     
  5. rbforu

    rbforu Private E-2

    Tim:

    Just ran my computer in Safe Mode and found out that the problem persists.

    About the browsers...

    The redirect problem is consistantly present in FireFox.

    Lately, Internet Explorer is not redirecting; however, when I try to click on a link on somewebsite, for example, links in Majorgeek.com's forum , the links don't open. This problem does not happen in Firefox. I checked the popup blocker in Internet Explorer and that did not seem to be causing the problem.

    Thanks for everything!
     
  6. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    We are going to be uninstalling your old version of FireFox and installing the new version. So do the below to save bookmarks:

    • Run FireFox and click Bookmarks.
    • Then select Organize Bootmarks.
    • Then on the next window click File and then select Export. Save the bookmarks.html file to your Desktop for later use in importing.

    Now download and save the installer for the current version of FireFox but DO NOT install it yet. Get it here: Mozilla FireFox

    You will need to exit FireFox now and use Internet Explorer to continue with the below until we reinstall FireFox.

    Start by uninstalling FireFox and then reboot. Do not skip the reboot.
    After reboot, delete the below folders:

    C:\Documents and Settings\UserAccount\Local Settings\Application Data\Mozilla
    C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox

    where UserAccount is the actual user account name being used.

    Now reinstall FireFox from the file previously downloaded.
    Import your bookmarks file. (similar process to exporting).


    Is FireFox working okay now?
     
  7. rbforu

    rbforu Private E-2

    Tim:

    Followed all these steps, but unfortunately Firefox still keeps redirecting. What do you suggest next.
     
  8. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

  9. rbforu

    rbforu Private E-2

    Tim:

    Attached is the log after running ESet online scan. It did find 13 things. I hope the end is near!

    Thanks for all your help, it is much appreciated.
     

    Attached Files:

  10. rbforu

    rbforu Private E-2

    Tim:

    Here is the second log from Eset scan. the first log was a result of an aborted scan. This log was after running the scan for almost 4 hours.
     

    Attached Files:

  11. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    It did find and remove some items, including one in FF. Are you still being redirected?
     
  12. rbforu

    rbforu Private E-2

    Tim:

    Unfortunately, the problem persists. Firefox seems to be the worst offender. Although, IE does not redirect but it won't open links on a few website like Major Geeks.
     
  13. rbforu

    rbforu Private E-2

    Tim, just for my knowledge, what is a "FF".

    Thanks
     
  14. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    FF - FireFox. When you uninstalled it, did you remove those folders>>
     
  15. rbforu

    rbforu Private E-2

    Tim:

    I tried uninstalling and reinstalling Firefox again while deleting the mentioned files. This time it worked. Firefox is no longer redirecting!! Hurray.

    However, the problem with Internet Explorer remains. I am unable to open links that come in email or embedded in a website just be clicking on them. This problem does not happen in Firefox.

    Also, since yesterday, I am unable to play any sound associated with any internet video. Example, Youtube etc. the videos would play without any sound. Any suggestions on what might be going on?

    Thanks,
     
  16. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    You can try doing the same with Internet Explorer. But both these issues should be addressed in the software forum.
     
  17. rbforu

    rbforu Private E-2

    Tim:

    I just want to thank you for helping me clean out the malware from my computer. Since your help, both the browsers are no longer redirecting my search results. I think you are providing a great service for the good of mankind! keep up the good work and know that there are people like myself who really appreciate what you do.

    Sincerely,

    Rahul
     
  18. TimW

    TimW MajorGeeks Administrator - Jedi Malware Expert Staff Member

    Good to know. And you are most 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 real time protection. They do not use any significant amount of resources ( except a little disk space ) until you run a scan.We recommend them for doing backup scans when you suspect a malware infection.
    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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