Solved Google results redirecting

[dave100]

I'm having problems with google results redirecting to apparently random urls - usually other search sites.

I've tried to resolve this myself, but without success and would be grateful for any help. I've followed the eight (or is it 7?) steps and attach the log reports requested.

I'm using McAfee anti-virus software.

In step 5, running GMER with all options selected caused the machine to Blue-screen and re-boot. The attached log is when I have de-selected the 'devices' tab.

 

[Broni]

Which browser is getting redirected?

Please download ComboFix from Here or Here to your Desktop.

**Note: In the event you already have Combofix, this is a new version that I need you to download. It is important that it is saved directly to your desktop**

1. Please, never rename Combofix unless instructed.
2. Close any open browsers.
3. Close/disable all anti virus and anti malware programs so they do not interfere with the running of ComboFix.
   • Very Important! Temporarily disable your anti-virus, script blocking and any anti-malware real-time protection before performing a scan. They can interfere with ComboFix or remove some of its embedded files which may cause "unpredictable results".
   • Click on this link to see a list of programs that should be disabled. The list is not all inclusive. If yours is not listed and you don't know how to disable it, please ask.
   NOTE1. If Combofix asks you to install Recovery Console, please allow it.
   NOTE 2. If Combofix asks you to update the program, always do so.
   • Close any open browsers.
   • WARNING: Combofix will disconnect your machine from the Internet as soon as it starts
   • Please do not attempt to re-connect your machine back to the Internet until Combofix has completely finished.
   • If there is no internet connection after running Combofix, then restart your computer to restore back your connection.
4. Double click on combofix.exe & follow the prompts.
5. When finished, it will produce a report for you.
6. Please post the "C:\ComboFix.txt"

**Note: Do not mouseclick combofix's window while it's running. That may cause it to stall**

Make sure, you re-enable your security programs, when you're done with Combofix.

DO NOT make any other changes to your computer (like installing programs, using other cleaning tools, etc.), until it's officially declared clean!!!

 

[dave100]

Next steps

Thanks for your help - its much appreciated.

I first saw the problem in Firefox (since uninstalled) and in IE. Safari is installed, but I don't use it much so I don't know if it is affected too.

The problem doesn't happen every time I search and not on all of the search results.This morning, having re-booted the machine it wasn't happening - even before I ran Combofix.

I've run Combofix and attach the log file.

I've been running searches on Google thorughout the day (8 hours+ now) and seen no signs of problem in IE (although I realise that I probably shouldn't have said that!)

 

[Broni]

Good
Combofix fixed couple of issues, so you should be OK.

Uninstall Combofix:
Go Start > Run [Vista users, go Start>"Start search"]
Type in:
Combofix /Uninstall
Note the space between the "Combofix" and the "/Uninstall"
Click OK (Vista users - press Enter).
Restart computer.

=============================================================

1. Download Temp File Cleaner (TFC)
Double click on TFC.exe to run the program.
Click on Start button to begin cleaning process.
TFC will close all running programs, and it may ask you to restart computer.


2. Go to Kaspersky website and perform an online antivirus scan.

1. Disable your active antivirus program.
2. Read through the requirements and privacy statement and click on Accept button.
3. It will start downloading and installing the scanner and virus definitions. You will be prompted to install an application from Kaspersky. Click Run.
4. When the downloads have finished, click on Settings.
5. Make sure these boxes are checked (ticked). If they are not, please tick them and click on the Save button:

• Spyware, Adware, Dialers, and other potentially dangerous programs
  [*] Archives
  [*] Mail databases

6. Click on My Computer under Scan.
7. Once the scan is complete, it will display the results. Click on View Scan Report.
8. You will see a list of infected items there. Click on Save Report As....
9. Save this report to a convenient place. Change the Files of type to Text file (.txt) before clicking on the Save button. Then post it here.


Download HijackThis:
http://free.antivirus.com/hijackthis/
by clicking on Installer under Version 2.0.4
Install, and run it.
Post HijackTHis log.
Do NOT attempt to fix anything!

NOTE. If you're using Vista, or 7, right click on HijackThis, and click Run as Administrator

 

[dave100]

Done that and the two logs requested are attached. Looks like we're not done yet, but the original problem with searches re-directing hasn't appeared.

 

[Broni]

Very well

Please download OTM

• Save it to your desktop.
• Please double-click OTM to run it. (Note: If you are running on Vista, right-click on the file and choose Run As Administrator).
• Copy the lines in the codebox below to the clipboard by highlighting ALL of them and pressing CTRL + C (or, after highlighting, right-click and choose Copy):

:Processes

:Services

:Reg

:Files
C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-readyboostdriver_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_none_147b5caa5650a0d5\rdyboost.sys
      
:Commands
[purity]
[resethosts]
[emptytemp]
[Reboot]

• Return to OTM, right click in the Paste Instructions for Items to be Movedwindow (under the yellow bar) and choose Paste.
• Click the red Moveit! button.
• Copy everything in the Results window (under the green bar) to the clipboard by highlighting ALL of them and pressing CTRL + C (or, after highlighting, right-click and choose copy), and paste it in your next reply.
• Close OTM and reboot your PC.

Note: If a file or folder cannot be moved immediately you may be asked to reboot the machine to finish the move process. If you are asked to reboot the machine choose Yes. In this case, after the reboot, open Notepad (Start->All Programs->Accessories->Notepad), click File->Open, in the File Name box enter *.log and press the Enter key, navigate to the C:\_OTMoveIt\MovedFiles folder, and open the newest .log file present, and copy/paste the contents of that document back here in your next post.

 

[dave100]

Thanks for the quick reply
When I downloaded the file, IE8 (I think) intercepted the download and suggested that this was an unsafe site. I checked the URL and went ahead anyway, but perhaps MS is being a bit paranoid?

I've done that and here is the log:-

All processes killed
========== PROCESSES ==========
========== SERVICES/DRIVERS ==========
========== REGISTRY ==========
========== FILES ==========
C:\Windows\winsxs\x86_microsoft-windows-readyboostdriver_31bf3856ad364e35_6.1.7600.16385_none_147b5caa5650a0d5\rdyboost.sys moved successfully.
========== COMMANDS ==========
C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\Hosts moved successfully.
HOSTS file reset successfully

[EMPTYTEMP]

User: All Users

User: Dave
->Temp folder emptied: 108699657 bytes
->Temporary Internet Files folder emptied: 11900854 bytes
->Java cache emptied: 0 bytes
->Apple Safari cache emptied: 0 bytes
->Flash cache emptied: 434 bytes

User: Default
->Temp folder emptied: 0 bytes
->Temporary Internet Files folder emptied: 0 bytes

User: Default User
->Temp folder emptied: 0 bytes
->Temporary Internet Files folder emptied: 0 bytes

User: Public
->Temp folder emptied: 0 bytes

%systemdrive% .tmp files removed: 0 bytes
%systemroot% .tmp files removed: 0 bytes
%systemroot%\System32 .tmp files removed: 0 bytes
%systemroot%\System32\drivers .tmp files removed: 0 bytes
Windows Temp folder emptied: 1024 bytes
%systemroot%\system32\config\systemprofile\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files folder emptied: 0 bytes
RecycleBin emptied: 0 bytes

Total Files Cleaned = 115.00 mb


OTM by OldTimer - Version 3.1.12.2 log created on 06042010_190312

Files moved on Reboot...
C:\Users\Dave\AppData\Local\Temp\ehmsas.txt moved successfully.
C:\Users\Dave\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Low\Content.IE5\ZFKQ28T7\ads[5].htm moved successfully.
C:\Users\Dave\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Low\Content.IE5\ZFKQ28T7\sh18[1].html moved successfully.
C:\Users\Dave\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Low\Content.IE5\F60C773M\ads[5].htm moved successfully.
C:\Users\Dave\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Low\Content.IE5\F60C773M\topic147953[1].html moved successfully.
C:\Users\Dave\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Low\Content.IE5\BUR6UE2C\ifr[2].htm moved successfully.
C:\Users\Dave\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\Low\AntiPhishing\2CEDBFBC-DBA8-43AA-B1FD-CC8E6316E3E2.dat moved successfully.
File C:\Windows\temp\mcafee_Ne47wAEsEQ6tSxC not found!
File C:\Windows\temp\mcmsc_cdu09dF7g2ctsf3 not found!
File C:\Windows\temp\mcmsc_pRIIQvezeFBq2wV not found!
File C:\Windows\temp\sqlite_aFKLh1BJcjiCIKs not found!
File C:\Windows\temp\sqlite_KVxwoLlClfa8CLE not found!
File C:\Windows\temp\sqlite_LehKiFQOvEVFhJI not found!

Registry entries deleted on Reboot...



Note:- OTM did need a reboot, and the log file opened automatically in Notepad after the reboot, and for what it's worth, the folder it was in was actually called C:\_OTM\MovedFiles

 

[Broni]

Please download OTC to your desktop. It'll remove most tools and logs we used so far. If any tool, file or folder (belonging to the program we have used) hasn't been deleted, please delete it manually.

• Double-click OTC.exe to run it. (Vista and 7 users, please right click on OTC and select "Run as an Administrator")
• Click on the CleanUp! button and follow the prompts.
• You will be asked to reboot the machine to finish the Cleanup process, choose Yes. If it doesn't ask you to reboot, restart computer manually.
• After the reboot all the tools we used should be gone.
• The tool will delete itself once it finishes.

When done...


Your computer is clean

1. We need to reset system restore to prevent your computer from being accidentally reinfected by using some old restore point(s). We'll create fresh, clean restore point.

Turn off System Restore:

- Windows XP:
1. Click Start.
2. Right-click the My Computer icon, and then click Properties.
3. Click the System Restore tab.
4. Check "Turn off System Restore".
5. Click Apply.
6. When turning off System Restore, the existing restore points will be deleted. Click Yes to do this.
7. Click OK.
- Windows Vista and 7:
1. Click Start.
2. Right-click the Computer icon, and then click Properties.
3. Click on System Protection under the Tasks column on the left side
4. Click on Continue on the "User Account Control" window that pops up
5. Under the System Protection tab, find Available Disks
6. Uncheck the box for any drive you wish to disable system restore on (in most cases, drive "C:")
7. When turning off System Restore, the existing restore points will be deleted. Click "Turn System Restore Off" on the popup window to do this.
8. Click OK

2. Restart computer.

3. Turn System Restore on.

4. Make sure, Windows Updates are current.

5. If any Trojan was listed among your infection(s), make sure, you change all of your on-line important passwords (bank account(s), secured web sites, etc.) immediately!

6. Download, and install WOT (Web OF Trust): http://www.mywot.com/. It'll warn you (in most cases) about dangerous web sites.

7. Run defrag at your convenience.

8. Read How did I get infected?, With steps so it does not happen again!: http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic2520.html

9. Please, let me know, how is your computer doing.

 

[dave100]

Thanks

Thank you very much for your help and time in taking me through this process. The computer seems to be behaving itself pretty well now:grinthumb - now I just have to let McAfee and windows do the updates they've been wanting to do for the last couple of days, but I held off while we were sorting the problems out.

Thanks again.

 

[Broni]

Yes!!