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[Metallica]

Content is republished with permission from Malwarebytes.

What is AV Protection 2011?

The Malwarebytes research team has determined that AV Protection 2011 is a fake anti-malware application. These so-called "rogues" use intentional false positives to convince users that their systems have been compromised. Then they try to sell you their software, claiming it will remove these threats. In extreme cases the false threats are actually the very trojans that advertise or even directly install the rogue. You are strongly advised to follow our removal instructions below.

How do I know if I am infected with AV Protection 2011?

This is how the main screen of the rogue application looks:



You will find these icons on your desktop and in your taskbar:



And see these warnings:









How did AV Protection 2011 get on my computer?

Rogue programs use different methods for spreading themselves. This particular one was installed by a trojan.

How do I remove AV Protection 2011?

Our program Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware can detect and remove this rogue application.

• Please download Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware from here
  If you are unable to do this from the infected computer directly, transfer the file from another computer.
• Download the mbam-setup.exe to your desktop.
• Now make sure extensions are shown. To do this, please look here
• Then rename the mbam-setup.exe: to iexplore.exe
• Then launch iexplore.exe in order to install Malwarebytes' Anti-malware
• Once Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware is installed, navigate to your Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware folder and locate the mbam.exe in there:
  
  
  
  rename it to iexplore.exe
  
• Now doubleclick iexplore.exe to launch Malwarebytes' Anti-malware.
• Click the "Update" tab and click the "Check For updates" button.
• Once the program has loaded and updates were downloaded, select "Perform Quick Scan", then click Scan.
• The scan may take some time to finish,so please be patient.
• When the scan is complete, click OK, then Show Results to view the results.
• Make sure that everything is checked, and click Remove Selected.
• When disinfection is completed, a log will open in Notepad and you may be prompted to Restart, so please allow MBAM to restart.
• The log is automatically saved by MBAM and can be viewed by clicking the Logs tab in MBAM.

Is there anything else I need to do to get rid of AV Protection 2011?

• Your files and shortcuts could be hidden again. Look here to find out how to unhide them, if you don't know.
• The rogue replaces your hosts file, so you may have to restore the old one. You can find third-party hosts file alternatives at hpHosts or at mvps.org or you can simply reset the default hosts file as outlined here by Microsoft.
• The shortcut called AV Protection 2011 on the desktop can be deleted if it belonged to the rogue.

How would the full version of Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware help protect me?

We hope our application has helped you eradicate this malicious software. If your current security solution let this infection through, you might please consider purchasing the FULL version of Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware for additional protection.

As you can see below the full version of Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware would have protected you against the AV Protection 2011 rogue. It would have warned you before the rogue could install itself, giving you a chance to stop it before it became too late.

Technical details for experts

Signs in a HijackThis log:

C:\Documents and Settings\{username}1\LOCAL SETTINGS\Temp\dwme.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\AV Protection 2011v121.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Application Data\A48D8\FE252.exe
C:\Program Files\D83BB\lvvm.exe

O1 - Hosts: 46.4.179.109 google.com
O1 - Hosts: 46.4.179.109 yahoo.com
O1 - Hosts: 46.4.179.109 bing.com
O1 - Hosts: 46.4.179.109 facebook.com
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [EEDV7kWCuQXyPtO8234A] C:\WINDOWS\system32\AV Protection 2011v121.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BxTGNpzF8lF8E7W] C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Application Data\dwme.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [027.exe] C:\Program Files\LP\52EA\027.exe

Note: the startup names and some of the file- and foldernames are random

Alterations made by the installer:

  File System
  ===============
    In the existing folder C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Application Data
      Adds the file dwme.exe"="19:46 18/11/11 288256 bytes
      Adds the file ldr.ini"="19:46 18/11/11 1213 bytes
    Adds the folder C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Application Data\A48D8
      Adds the file FE252.exe"="19:46 18/11/11 175104 bytes
      Adds the file 83BB.48D"="19:49 18/11/11 2136 bytes
    Adds the folder C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Application Data\dfbIKedU1sY0
    Adds the folder C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Application Data\lQXymZtnL
    Adds the folder C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Application Data\ShmPZtgO3fI2v1c
    Adds the folder C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Application Data\tevJwcHqxG
      Adds the file AV Protection 2011.ico"="19:46 18/11/11 12878 bytes
    In the existing folder C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Desktop
      Adds the file AV Protection 2011.lnk"="19:46 18/11/11 1758 bytes
    In the existing folder C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Local Settings\Temp
      Adds the file dwme.exe"="19:46 18/11/11 288256 bytes
    Adds the folder C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Start Menu\Programs\AV Protection 2011
      Adds the file AV Protection 2011.lnk"="19:46 18/11/11 1770 bytes
    Adds the folder C:\Program Files\D83BB
      Adds the file lvvm.exe"="19:47 18/11/11 192000 bytes
    Adds the folder C:\Program Files\LP
    Adds the folder C:\Program Files\LP\52EA
      Adds the file 027.exe"="19:46 18/11/11 288256 bytes
    In the existing folder C:\WINDOWS\system32
      Adds the file AV Protection 2011v121.exe"="19:46 18/11/11 2007040 bytes
    In the existing folder C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc
      Alters the file hosts
        13:00 28/02/06 734 bytes ==> 19:46 18/11/11 837 bytes

  Registry
  ===============
    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
      "027.exe"="'C:\Program Files\LP\52EA\027.exe'"
      "BxTGNpzF8lF8E7W"="'C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Application Data\dwme.exe'"
      "EEDV7kWCuQXyPtO8234A"="'C:\WINDOWS\system32\AV Protection 2011v121.exe'"
    [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon]
      "Shell"="'explorer.exe,C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Application Data\A48D8\FE252.exe'"

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware log:

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware 1.51.2.1300
www.malwarebytes.org

Database version: 8189

Windows 5.1.2600 Service Pack 3
Internet Explorer 8.0.6001.18702

11/18/2011 8:08:40 PM
mbam-log-2011-11-18 (20-08-40).txt

Scan type: Quick scan
Objects scanned: 141599
Time elapsed: 1 minute(s), 8 second(s)

Memory Processes Infected: 3
Memory Modules Infected: 0
Registry Keys Infected: 0
Registry Values Infected: 4
Registry Data Items Infected: 0
Folders Infected: 0
Files Infected: 7

Memory Processes Infected:
c:\WINDOWS\system32\av protection 2011v121.exe (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> 656 -> Unloaded process successfully.
c:\documents and settings\{username}\application data\A48D8\FE252.exe (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> 448 -> Unloaded process successfully.
c:\program files\D83BB\lvvm.exe (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> 992 -> Unloaded process successfully.

Memory Modules Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Keys Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Values Infected:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\EEDV7kWCuQXyPtO8234A (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> Value: EEDV7kWCuQXyPtO8234A -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\BxTGNpzF8lF8E7W (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> Value: BxTGNpzF8lF8E7W -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run\027.exe (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> Value: 027.exe -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\Shell (Hijack.Shell.Gen) -> Value: Shell -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

Registry Data Items Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Folders Infected:
(No malicious items detected)

Files Infected:
c:\Documents and Settings\{username}\Local Settings\Temp\dwme.exe (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> Delete on reboot.
c:\WINDOWS\system32\av protection 2011v121.exe (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
c:\documents and settings\{username}\application data\A48D8\FE252.exe (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
c:\program files\D83BB\lvvm.exe (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
c:\documents and settings\{username}\application data\dwme.exe (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
c:\program files\LP\52EA\027.exe (Trojan.FakeAlert) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.
c:\documents and settings\{username}\application data\ldr.ini (Malware.Trace) -> Quarantined and deleted successfully.

As mentioned before the full version of Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware could have protected your computer against this threat.
We use different ways of protecting your computer(s):

• Dynamically Blocks Malware Sites & Servers
• Malware Execution Prevention

Save yourself the hassle and get protected.