Unknown program trying to access my Outlook email addresses

Discussion in 'Malware Help (A Specialist Will Reply)' started by spp, Jul 24, 2005.

  1. spp

    spp Private E-2

    In Outlook 2002 each time I click on a new email a dialog box appears that says,
    "A program is trying to access e-mail addresses you have stored in Outlook. Do you want to allow this?
    If this is unexpected, it may be a virus and you should choose 'No'."
    I click [No] but as soon as I click on another email up comes the dialog box again. This dialog box started showing up all of a sudden. I'd never seen this dialog box before & have no idea what program would be trying to access the emails - so I'm assuming it's a virus/spyware.

    I'm running a Dell desktop, Intl 2.79Mhz, 512MB Ram, WinXP SP2, Outlook 2002, 180GB HD,

    I ran the scans in your "Read me First" post. My problem described above continues after running the scans.
    The RAV scan identified the following virus but the report said it did not disinfect it: "HTML/IFrame_Exploit*"
    BitDefender located & deleted virus: Wheaterbug.A
    TrendMicro spyware scan located & deleted: HKTL_ENTRY.27

    Appreciate whatever help can be rendered,
    Sean
     
  2. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    Please follow the below steps exactly:

    - Download HijackThis 1.99.1

    - Unzip the hijackthis.exe file to a folder you create named C:\Program Files\HJT

    - Do NOT run Hijack This from the Desktop, a temp folder, or a sub-folder of C:\Documents and Settings, or choose to run it directly from the downloaded ZIP file.

    - Before running HijackThis: You must close each of the following:your web browser, e-mail client, instant messenger, and programs like notepad, wordpad, MS Word etc. And any other unnecessary running programs.

    - Run HijackThis and save your log file.

    - Post your log as an ATTACHMENT to your next message. (Do NOT copy/paste the log into your post).
     
  3. spp

    spp Private E-2

    HJT log attached

    thanks for your help chaslang
     

    Attached Files:

  4. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    Are you sure your problem is not related to something you installed. Like:
    Code:
    [size=4][color=#000000]Qoeloader - Qoeloader.exe - Process Information[/color][/size]
    [size=2][b]Process File: [/b]Qoeloader or Qoeloader.exe
    [b]Process Name: [/b]Qurb AntiSpam
     
    [b]Description:[/b]
    Qoeloader.exe is a process belonging to Qurb AntiSpam, an anti=spam application
    for Outlook Express which blocks un-solicited advertising e-mails. This program 
    is a non-essential process to the running of the system, but should not be 
    terminated unless suspected to be causing problems.
    [/size]

    Now run the steps below.

    Run HijackThis 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) - {E32E0E42-0D5D-41CE-8B98-99D6FC57E32D} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\adpibbb.dll (file missing)
    O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {85d1f590-48f4-11d9-9669-0800200c9a66} - %windir%\bdoscandel.exe (file missing)
    O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Uninstall BitDefender Online Scanner v8 - {85d1f590-48f4-11d9-9669-0800200c9a66} - %windir%\bdoscandel.exe (file missing)
    O15 - Trusted Zone: http://www.bn.com
    O15 - Trusted Zone: www.menshealth.com

    And if you do not recognize the below 016 line, fix it too.
    O16 - DPF: {E06E2E99-0AA1-11D4-ABA6-0060082AA75C} (GpcContainer Class) - https://adventsoftware.webex.com/client/v_mywebex/event/ieatgpc.cab

    After clicking Fix, exit HJT.

    Now reboot in normal mode and post a new HJT log. And tell us how things are working.
     
    Last edited: Jul 25, 2005
  5. spp

    spp Private E-2

    I followed your instructions & the new HJT file is attached. System seems to be working fine, though, the Outlook dialog box symptom continues.

    It is possible that the program trying to access my Outlook email addresses is benign. The Qurb program you mention is an especially worthy benign suspect. The thing is, I was running it for quite a while without the Outlook dialog box in question popping up. And of course, any somewhat mysterious request for your email addresses is auto-suspicious unless you're confident of where it's coming from.

    I was already thinking that having gone through all the virus/spyware scans & if you were satisfied with my HJT file - I would probably go ahead and select "Yes" on the next Outlook dialogue box requesting access to my emails and see what happened.

    Continued thanks for your help
     

    Attached Files:

  6. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    I would not say yes to anything vague message like that. If it does not report the exact file name that is trying to access you email addresses, you should say NO!

    Next time before running Outlook, do the below.

    Please run HijackThis and click on the "Open the Misc Tools Section" button on the open page. Then select "Open process manager" on the left-hand side. Look for the following process (or processes) and one at a time kill them by selecting it and then click "Kill process". Then click yes.
    C:\Program Files\Qurb\QSP-3.0.311.3\QOELoader.exe

    Now exit HJT and run Outlook. Do you still get the popup messages?

    If the answer is yes, run the below steps:

    Download this trial version of Ewido Security Suite

    • Install ewido security suite
    • Launch ewido, there should be an icon on your desktop double-click it.
    • The program will have a window come up. One of the buttons on the left is to Update. Click the Update button.and then Start the Update. The update will start and a progress bar will show the updates being installed.
    • After it completes the update, click the Scanner button

    Now exit Ewido. Now print the below instructions or save them locally because I want you do have no browsers opened and also have no connection to the internet (unplug your cable) while doing the below.

    Okay, reboot into safe mode and follow the steps below. (If you have any problems at all trying to get into safe mode to complete these steps, just run them in normal boot mode and make sure you tell me when you come back.)

    Open up Ewido and do the following:


    • Click on Scanner
    • Then click Settings
    • Under What to Scan? Select Scan every file
    • Then click OK
    • Click on Complete System Scan and the scan will start.
    • Let the program scan the machine
    While the scan is in progress you will be prompted to clean files that are infected. Leave the defaults selections (to Remove and backup) and click OK. To save yourself some time, you can select Perform action with all infections and then click OK. With the option to scan every file, a lot of cookies will be removed.

    Once the scan has completed, there will be a button located on the bottom of the screen named Save report


    • Click Save report
    • Save the report to your desktop or anyplace you will be able to find it to upload here.
    Reboot into normal mode and reconnect to the internet.

    Come back here and post the Ewido Scan Report. And tell me if you are still having any problems.
     
  7. spp

    spp Private E-2

    Find attached a screen capture of the Outlook dialogue box in question - I thought you might as well get a look at it.

    After killing the QOEloader process via HJT the dialogue box in question still appeared.

    I performed the Ewido scan in safe mode and the report is attached. Despite having the Ewido 'backup' box checked, I was pretty hesitant to remove the Earthlink files you'll see on that report and finally chickened out on the last one that you see marked "ignore". My Earthlink internet connection seems to be running fine though both right after the Earthlink files were removed and after rebooting in normal mode. The Outlook dialogue box in question still appeared after the Ewido scan.

    I've discovered some new information. I use a software add-on to Outlook from a time management company called Franklin Covey. It imbeds it's screens & functions within Outlook & I've been using it without incident for some time. The Outlook screen I access my emails through (which you see on the screen capture) is one of these additional Franklin Covey screens - basically it's a calendar/email/task-list arrangement that's not available in Outlook itself. I never use Outlook's standard "Inbox" to go through my email, which is why I didn't discover this before. I just discovered that if I go through email with Outlook's standard Inbox, the dialogue box doesn't appear. It only comes into play when I'm going through email using the Franklin Covey (FC) add-on Outlook screen.

    That surprised me because the add-on is tightly connected to Outlook (you don't separately launch it, etc.) and I would've thought any virus/spyware would more likely be setup to attack on Outlook's standard Inbox. Strange that it only comes up on the FC add-on screen. Could be an indication that the dialogue box might have something to do with the FC add-on software rather than virus/spyware - however, the FC product ran fine for quite a while without the dialogue box appearing.

    Sorry I didn't realize this/mention the add-on software before - it didn't seem pertinent previously.
     

    Attached Files:

  8. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    The file found by Ewido appears to be a valid file as shown below. They probably noticed that it is some form a dialer and keyed on that.

    Process File: conmgr or conmgr.exe
    Process Name: Internet Access Connection Manager

    Description:
    conmgr.exe is an ISP installation file. Sometimes used by ISPs to setup your Internet Connection, e.g. Earthlink. This program is a non-essential system process, but should not be terminated unless suspected to be causing problems.


    Sounds like you do not have a problem and that the dialogue box is related to Franklin Covey (FC) . Why it just started doing it, I don't know. Perhaps it was just upgrade recently???
     
  9. spp

    spp Private E-2

    Appreciate your help chaslang!
    Sean
     
  10. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    You're welcome.
     
  11. spp

    spp Private E-2

    Oops sorry, the question at the bottom of the post wasn't on the email alert & I missed it the first time around online here. No, haven't upgraded the FC recently. It is a bit puzzling why the box would suddenly appear. At the same time hard to imagine a virus/spyware that would attack the FC screen and not the standard Outlook Inbox.

    Have you ever heard of/seen before the Outlook dialogue box that was in the screen shot? Is there an obvious next step? Do you think my reasoning against it being virus/spyware is strong enough - along with not being able to find anything on my system - that I should consider selecting "Yes" on the box?
     
  12. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    If it only occurs when running FC, I would have to suspect that it is some setting related to it. It does not seem to be malware. You could dig into and documents or help files for FC to determine if they do this and why. I do not know anything about the program so I cannot help you with it. Other than that, you could try saying yes and see what happens.
     
  13. spp

    spp Private E-2

    Hello Chaslang
    Posting on an old thread here. I updated the FranklinCovey plug-in for Outlook hoping that would keep the dialog box asking for access to my email to stop popping-up each time I clicked on a new email.

    After having upgraded it's not popping up when I click each new email (a relief cuz that was a lot of pop-ups) but now pops-up every time I try to synch my Palm with Outlook. My synching hasn't been working since it started popping-up during the process.

    I finally decided to try clicking "Yes" rather than "No" regarding whether to allow access to Outlook email addresses. It didn't have any notable effect and, unlike when I clicked "No" the box would not go away. No matter how many times I clicked "Yes" the box remained. I'd have to click "No" to have the box go away.

    So anyway, any tips/software-suggestions on how I could investigate what's making that dialogue box appear?

    Thanks
    Sean
     
  14. chaslang

    chaslang MajorGeeks Admin - Master Malware Expert Staff Member

    Speak to FranklinCovey! Or check the Software Forum to see if anyone there is familia with the program. This is not an issue for this forum.
     

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