[Alexo]

Hello people,

A friend left his computer with me with a permission to use it while he's out of the country for several months.

When I got it it was infected with almost every possible spyware, exploit and trojan known to mankind. After battling it for about a week, I am giving up and seeking professional help (here and on other forums).

The machine has some SW installed but I don't have the complete list.
I did remove some that was blatantly spyware-ish.
Unfortunately, I do not have the option to reformat the drive.


Current configuration:

Windows XP SP2 (firewall turned on)
Windows updates online installed (as of Jan 16)
Norton AntiVirus (updated definitions on Jan 16)
Connected to the internet via a Linksys router (firewall turned on)
Native browser (IE), etc.


Steps attempted:

Ran PeperFix (subsequent runs came clean)
Ran CWShredder (subsequent runs came clean)
Ran Microsoft "Malicious Software Removal Tool" (subsequent runs came clean)

Then:
* Ran Spybot S&D (updated definitions on Jan 16) and told it to clean everything.
* Ran AdAware SE (updated definitions on Jan 16) and told it to clean everything.
* Ran Microsoft AntiSpyware beta (updated definitions on Jan 16) and told it to clean everything.
* Ran SpySubtract (30-day trial, updated definitions on Jan 16) and told it to clean everything.
Repeated in both safe and normal mode (several times!)
Repeated for all users having admin rights.


Results:

* Popups still pop up.
* Norton complains about trojans that it cannot remove because "access denied".
* If I leave Microsoft AntiSpyware beta resident, it complains about hijacking attempts - before running browser

Specifically, when restarting (as a different user) the tools above find various malware all over again.


Help me, Obi-wan Kenobi. You're my only hope!

Logfile of HijackThis v1.98.2
Scan saved at 00:25:53, on 18-01-2005
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

Running processes:
C:\WINNT\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\services.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINNT\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe
C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\navapsvc.exe
C:\WINNT\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\AdvTools\NPROTECT.EXE
C:\WINNT\system32\pctspk.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\apizs.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft AntiSpyware\gcasServ.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft AntiSpyware\gcasDtServ.exe
C:\Program Files\Cleanup\HijackThis.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\wuauclt.exe
C:\WINNT\system32\addqg32.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = res://C:\WINNT\lnqzg.dll/sp.html#29126
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = res://C:\WINNT\rajeu.dll/sp.html#29126
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = about:blank
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = res://C:\WINNT\lnqzg.dll/sp.html#29126
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = res://C:\WINNT\lnqzg.dll/sp.html#29126
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = res://C:\WINNT\lnqzg.dll/sp.html#29126
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = res://C:\WINNT\lnqzg.dll/sp.html#29126
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyOverride = <local>
R3 - Default URLSearchHook is missing
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHlprObj Class - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 5.0\Reader\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.ocx
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Helper - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar1.dll
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {B07F282D-8DDE-D296-452C-BB0603BD6D4A} - C:\WINNT\system32\msbi.dll
O2 - BHO: NAV Helper - {BDF3E430-B101-42AD-A544-FADC6B084872} - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Yahoo! Companion - {EF99BD32-C1FB-11D2-892F-0090271D4F88} - C:\PROGRA~1\Yahoo!\COMPAN~1\Installs\cpn\ycomp5_3_12_0.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Norton AntiVirus - {42CDD1BF-3FFB-4238-8AD1-7859DF00B1D6} - C:\Program Files\Norton AntiVirus\NavShExt.dll
O3 - Toolbar: MSN - {BDAD1DAD-C946-4A17-ADC1-64B5B4FF55D0} - C:\Program Files\MSN Apps\MSN Toolbar\01.02.3000.1001\en-us\msntb.dll (file missing)
O3 - Toolbar: &Google - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - c:\program files\google\googletoolbar1.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ccApp] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ccRegVfy] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccRegVfy.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Advanced Tools Check] C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\AdvTools\ADVCHK.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [gcasServ] "C:\Program Files\Microsoft AntiSpyware\gcasServ.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [addqg32.exe] C:\WINNT\system32\addqg32.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINNT\system32\ctfmon.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Google Search - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmsearch.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Backward Links - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmbacklinks.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Cached Snapshot of Page - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmcache.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Similar Pages - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmsimilar.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Translate into English - res://c:\program files\google\GoogleToolbar1.dll/cmtrans.html
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {4528BBE0-4E08-11D5-AD55-00010333D0AD} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\yhexbmes0521.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Yahoo! Messenger - {4528BBE0-4E08-11D5-AD55-00010333D0AD} - C:\Program Files\Yahoo!\Messenger\yhexbmes0521.dll
O9 - Extra button: ICQ Pro - {6224f700-cba3-4071-b251-47cb894244cd} - C:\PROGRA~1\ICQ\ICQ.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: ICQ - {6224f700-cba3-4071-b251-47cb894244cd} - C:\PROGRA~1\ICQ\ICQ.exe
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
O12 - Plugin for .spop: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Plugins\NPDocBox.dll
O16 - DPF: Yahoo! Chess - http://download.games.yahoo.com/games/clients/y/ct2_x.cab
O16 - DPF: Yahoo! Dominoes - http://download.games.yahoo.com/games/clients/y/dot8_x.cab
O16 - DPF: Yahoo! Pool 2 - http://download.games.yahoo.com/games/clients/y/pote_x.cab
O16 - DPF: {33E54F7F-561C-49E6-929B-D7E76D3AFEB1} (Pool Control) - http://mirror.worldwinner.com/games/v45/pool/pool.cab
O16 - DPF: {B38870E4-7ECB-40DA-8C6A-595F0A5519FF} (MsnMessengerSetupDownloadControl Class) - http://messenger.msn.com/download/MsnMessengerSetupDownloader.cab
O16 - DPF: {B9191F79-5613-4C76-AA2A-398534BB8999} (YAddBook Class) - http://us.dl1.yimg.com/download.yahoo.com/dl/installs/suite/yautocomplete.cab
O16 - DPF: {F58E1CEF-A068-4C15-BA5E-587CAF3EE8C6} (MSN Chat Control 4.5) - http://chat.msn.com/bin/msnchat45.cab

Thanks in advance!

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You have a nasty About:Blank infection. This fix requires several tools that need to be downloaded. Please download these now, we will run them later.

1) About:Buster - Download it and extract it to C:/aboutbuster.
2) CleanUp! - Download it and install it.
3) CWShredder 2.11 - Download it and save it to your desktop.
4) Ad-Aware - Download, install, and update.

Enable hidden files and folders: http://www.bleepingc...torial=62#winme

During the fix do NOT connect to the internet. Unless you can memorize these instructions, it would be a good idea to print them out.

Boot into safe mode:
Restart your computer and as soon as it starts booting up again continuously tap F8. A menu should come up where you will be given the option to enter Safe Mode.

Run AboutBuster
-Click Start to begin the process
-Click OK on the Buster Report dialogue box to start the scan
AboutBuster scans the computer for malicious files and deletes them.
Save the report (copy and paste into Notepad and save as a .txt file) to post a copy for review.

Run CWShredder
-Next, click on the: ‘Fix’ button
-Follow the prompts, and press OK

Run CleanUp
-Make sure it is on Standard Mode
-Click the "CleanUp!" button

Run Ad-Aware
-Configure Ad-Aware for a full system scan
-Run it

Clean Up the left overs

Run HJT, close any open windows, and fix the following items (if they are still there):

HJT FIXES

Then delete the following files (if they exist):

FILE DELETIONS

Reboot into normal mode (simply restart your computer as you normally would), and run the following free, online virus scans:

http://housecall.tre.../start_corp.asp
http://www.pandasoft...n_principal.htm
http://housecall.tre.../start_corp.asp

Then restart your computer one more time and post a new HJT log as well as the About:Buster log I asked you to save earlier.

[coachwife6]

You have a nasty About:Blank infection. This fix requires several tools that need to be downloaded. Please download these now, we will run them later.

1) About:Buster - Download it and extract it to C:/aboutbuster.
2) CleanUp! - Download it and install it.
3) CWShredder 2.11 - Download it and save it to your desktop.
4) Ad-Aware - Download, install, and update.

Enable hidden files and folders: http://www.bleepingc...torial=62#winme

During the fix do NOT connect to the internet. Unless you can memorize these instructions, it would be a good idea to print them out.

Boot into safe mode:
Restart your computer and as soon as it starts booting up again continuously tap F8. A menu should come up where you will be given the option to enter Safe Mode.

Run AboutBuster
-Click Start to begin the process
-Click OK on the Buster Report dialogue box to start the scan
AboutBuster scans the computer for malicious files and deletes them.
Save the report (copy and paste into Notepad and save as a .txt file) to post a copy for review.

Run CWShredder
-Next, click on the: ‘Fix’ button
-Follow the prompts, and press OK

Run CleanUp
-Make sure it is on Standard Mode
-Click the "CleanUp!" button

Run Ad-Aware
-Configure Ad-Aware for a full system scan
-Run it

Clean Up the left overs

Run HJT, close any open windows, and fix the following items (if they are still there):

HJT FIXES

Then delete the following files (if they exist):

FILE DELETIONS

Reboot into normal mode (simply restart your computer as you normally would), and run the following free, online virus scans:

http://housecall.tre.../start_corp.asp
http://www.pandasoft...n_principal.htm
http://housecall.tre.../start_corp.asp

Then restart your computer one more time and post a new HJT log as well as the About:Buster log I asked you to save earlier.

[Alexo]

Thanks coachwife6,
I'll try it and post the results.

[Alexo]

Unfortunately, these tools could not clean the machine.

What did seem to have solve the problem is Avast 4.
I installed the home edition, ran the startup scan and told it to delete everything that it considered infected.

After that, I ran the tools that coachwife6 recommended to get rid of any residual crap, manually deleted the c:\winnt\system32\services directory (the files in it all had the same size - 60K, and the names looked random) and it looks OK now.

Thank you for your help!

[coachwife6]

Good job. Thanks for letting us know. It helps us with other people with similar infections.