[billrosenblatt]

Hi,

For the last few weeks, I have noticed a weird blank process appear on my taskbar. It comes up roughly every half an hour and lasts just 1-2 seconds.

First let me mention that there was a recent posting on this topic titled "Mysterious window appears in task bar, window has no name and randomly pops up." I followed this thread and decided that while the symptoms were similar, my situation was different. The author of that post was able to right-click on the process and find that it was something called MS_Webcheckmonitor, which is benign. In my case, right-clicking on the process would not reveal anything, it does not respond to right-clicks (or left-clicks for that matter). That is why I suspect it might be malware.

I have run many different malware checks on my machine, which is running XP Pro with the latest updates from Microsoft. I have Norton Anti Virus running with up to date definitions, and I have run a full scan. I have also run:

Microsoft AntiSpyware (run nightly)
Ad-Aware SE Personal
TDS-3
Ewido
Trend Micro HouseCall
Panda ActiveScan
Spybot S&D
PCBugDoctor

...and none of these found anything other than cookies.

I have run a HijackThis scan - results are below.

Another possible clue: when I close the laptop to put it in standby mode, then open it up again >30 min later, the process appears, reliably, after maybe 15 sec. or so.

If this process is benign, then I'm happy to be secure in that knowledge and leave it alone. But I suspect it might be a program that uses my machine to generate spam, because -- since a time that roughly coincides with when I first started noticing this process -- I have been getting long lists of "bounceback" emails that were clearly generated by spam to spurious email addresses. It may just be some unconnected spammer spoofing my domain name, but who knows. I certainly do not want to aid in the generation of spam!

Any help or insight would be *most* appreciated.

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 1:21:42 PM, on 7/11/2005
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\S24EvMon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZCfgSvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\1XConfig.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\System32\hkcmd.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\WLTRAY.exe
C:\Program Files\Intel\NCS\PROSet\PRONoMgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Apoint\Apoint.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\spool\drivers\w32x86\3\hpztsb11.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\hpcoretech\hpcmpmgr.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\hphmon06.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Maxtor\OneTouch\Utils\OneTouch.exe
C:\WINDOWS\MXOALDR.EXE
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe
C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_02\bin\jusched.exe
C:\Program Files\HP\HP Software Update\HPWuSchd2.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft AntiSpyware\gcasServ.exe
C:\Program Files\Apoint\Apntex.exe
C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\Google Desktop Search\GoogleDesktop.exe
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Distillr\acrotray.exe
C:\Program Files\Nikon\PictureProject\NkbMonitor.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intuit\QuickBooks\QBUpdate\qbupdate.exe
C:\Program Files\palmOne\HOTSYNC.EXE
C:\Program Files\HP\Digital Imaging\bin\hpqgalry.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft AntiSpyware\gcasDtServ.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe
C:\Program Files\ewido\security suite\ewidoctrl.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\RegSrvc.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\Dantz\RETROS~1\retrorun.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\SAVScan.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CCPD-LC\symlcsvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\wltrysvc.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\bcmwltry.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\Security Center\SymWSC.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wscntfy.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\Google Desktop Search\GoogleDesktopIndex.exe
C:\Program Files\Google\Google Desktop Search\GoogleDesktopCrawl.exe
C:\Program Files\Listen Rhapsody\rhaphlpr.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\WINWORD.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\System32\WISPTIS.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\System32\HPZipm12.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\OUTLOOK.EXE
C:\Program Files\Listen Rhapsody\rhapsody.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\POWERPNT.EXE
C:\PROGRA~1\HEWLET~1\HPSHAR~1\hpgs2wnf.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\OPScan.exe
C:\Temp\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyOverride = 127.0.0.1
O1 - Hosts: 64.91.255.87 www.dcsresearch.com
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: AcroIEToolbarHelper Class - {AE7CD045-E861-484f-8273-0445EE161910} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Acrobat\AcroIEFavClient.dll
O2 - BHO: NAV Helper - {BDF3E430-B101-42AD-A544-FADC6B084872} - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Adobe PDF - {47833539-D0C5-4125-9FA8-0819E2EAAC93} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Acrobat\AcroIEFavClient.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Norton AntiVirus - {42CDD1BF-3FFB-4238-8AD1-7859DF00B1D6} - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [IgfxTray] C:\WINDOWS\System32\igfxtray.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HotKeysCmds] C:\WINDOWS\System32\hkcmd.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Dell Wireless Manager UI] C:\WINDOWS\System32\WLTRAY
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ZCfgSvc.exe] C:\WINDOWS\System32\ZCfgSvc.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PRONoMgr.exe] C:\Program Files\Intel\NCS\PROSet\PRONoMgr.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Apoint] C:\Program Files\Apoint\Apoint.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HPDJ Taskbar Utility] C:\WINDOWS\System32\spool\drivers\w32x86\3\hpztsb11.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HPHUPD06] C:\Program Files\HP\{AAC4FC36-8F89-4587-8DD3-EBC57C83374D}\hphupd06.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HP Component Manager] "C:\Program Files\HP\hpcoretech\hpcmpmgr.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HPHmon06] C:\WINDOWS\system32\hphmon06.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MaxtorOneTouch] C:\PROGRA~1\Maxtor\OneTouch\Utils\OneTouch.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MXO Auto Loader] C:\WINDOWS\MXOALDR.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ccApp] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Symantec NetDriver Monitor] C:\PROGRA~1\SYMNET~1\SNDMon.exe /Consumer
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_02\bin\jusched.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HP SchedIndexer] C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\LaserJet All-in-one\hppschedindexer.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HP AutoIndexer] C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\LaserJet All-in-one\hppautoindexer.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [HP Software Update] C:\Program Files\HP\HP Software Update\HPWuSchd2.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [gcasServ] "C:\Program Files\Microsoft AntiSpyware\gcasServ.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\Program Files\QuickTime\qttask.exe" -atboottime
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Google Desktop Search] "C:\Program Files\Google\Google Desktop Search\GoogleDesktop.exe" /startup
O4 - Startup: HotSync Manager.lnk = C:\Program Files\palmOne\HOTSYNC.EXE
O4 - Global Startup: Acrobat Assistant.lnk = C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 6.0\Distillr\acrotray.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Adobe Gamma Loader.lnk = ?
O4 - Global Startup: HP Digital Imaging Monitor.lnk = C:\Program Files\HP\digital imaging\bin\hpqtra08.exe
O4 - Global Startup: HP Image Zone Fast Start.lnk = C:\Program Files\HP\digital imaging\bin\hpqthb08.exe
O4 - Global Startup: HP LaserJet Director.lnk = C:\Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\LaserJet All-in-one\hppdirector.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\OSA.EXE
O4 - Global Startup: NkbMonitor.exe.lnk = C:\Program Files\Nikon\PictureProject\NkbMonitor.exe
O4 - Global Startup: QuickBooks Update Agent.lnk = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Intuit\QuickBooks\QBUpdate\qbupdate.exe
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_02\bin\npjpi150_02.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.5.0_02\bin\npjpi150_02.dll
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O16 - DPF: {04E214E5-63AF-4236-83C6-A7ADCBF9BD02} (HouseCall Control) - http://housecall60.t...all/xscan60.cab
O16 - DPF: {0E8D0700-75DF-11D3-8B4A-0008C7450C4A} (DjVuCtl Class) - http://www.lizardtec...ntrol_en_US.cab
O16 - DPF: {17492023-C23A-453E-A040-C7C580BBF700} (Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool) - http://go.microsoft....467&clcid=0x409
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://update.micros...b?1120833462233
O16 - DPF: {9A9307A0-7DA4-4DAF-B042-5009F29E09E1} (ActiveScan Installer Class) - http://www.pandasoft.../as5/asinst.cab
O16 - DPF: {BB21F850-63F4-4EC9-BF9D-565BD30C9AE9} (ASquaredScanForm Element) - http://www.windowsec...scan/axscan.cab
O20 - Winlogon Notify: igfxcui - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\igfxsrvc.dll
O20 - Winlogon Notify: Sebring - C:\WINDOWS\System32\LgNotify.dll
O23 - Service: Symantec Event Manager (ccEvtMgr) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Password Validation (ccPwdSvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccPwdSvc.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Settings Manager (ccSetMgr) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe
O23 - Service: ewido security suite control - ewido networks - C:\Program Files\ewido\security suite\ewidoctrl.exe
O23 - Service: Norton AntiVirus Auto Protect Service (navapsvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe
O23 - Service: Intel NCS NetService (NetSvc) - Intel® Corporation - C:\Program Files\Intel\NCS\Sync\NetSvc.exe
O23 - Service: Pml Driver HPZ12 - HP - C:\WINDOWS\System32\HPZipm12.exe
O23 - Service: RegSrvc - Intel Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\System32\RegSrvc.exe
O23 - Service: Retrospect Launcher (RetroLauncher) - Dantz Development Corporation - C:\PROGRA~1\Dantz\RETROS~1\retrorun.exe
O23 - Service: Retrospect Helper - Dantz Development Corporation - C:\PROGRA~1\Dantz\RETROS~1\rthlpsvc.exe
O23 - Service: Spectrum24 Event Monitor (S24EventMonitor) - Intel Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\System32\S24EvMon.exe
O23 - Service: SAVScan - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\SAVScan.exe
O23 - Service: ScriptBlocking Service (SBService) - Symantec Corporation - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\SYMANT~1\SCRIPT~1\SBServ.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Network Drivers Service (SNDSrvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SNDSrvc.exe
O23 - Service: Symantec Core LC - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\CCPD-LC\symlcsvc.exe
O23 - Service: SymWMI Service (SymWSC) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\Security Center\SymWSC.exe
O23 - Service: Dell Wireless WLAN Tray Service (wltrysvc) - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\System32\wltrysvc.exe