Inactive Google redirecting, system slow, 6 steps completed

[Broni]

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.

 

[skitige]

Wow, that scan took a long time to run.
Here are the results.

 

[Broni]

Only one item in Kaspersky's scan worries me:

C:\Users\Scott\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\Outlook.pst Infected: Worm.Win32.AutoRun.prf

I don't want to delete your whole mail folder, so you'll have to be very careful while opening any current mail.
Don't click on any unknown links and make sure to scan any attachment with your AV program, before opening it.
Once read, empty your mail folder.

Other than that....

OTL Clean-Up
Clean up with OTL:

* Double-click OTL.exe to start the program.
* Close all other programs apart from OTL as this step will require a reboot
* On the OTL main screen, press the CLEANUP button
* Say Yes to the prompt and then allow the program to reboot your computer.

If you still have any tools or logs leftover on your computer you can go ahead and delete those off of your computer now.

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

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.

[SIZE="4"]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.[/SIZE]

 

[skitige]

When you say "empty my mail folder" do you mean delete all email messages?

 

[Broni]

Yes........

 

[skitige]

Removed Outlook.pst file, rebooted and still being redirected.
Reran Kaspersky and this was the only entry:
C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS3\Plug-Ins\Nik Software\Selective Tool\SelectivePalette.8li Infected: not-a-virus:AdWare.Win32.AdMedia.kd 1

 

[Broni]

This is definitely puzzling.

Turn your computer off.
Connect computer straight to the modem, bypassing router.
Restart and check for redirection.

 

[skitige]

Still redirects. But....
It seems to only redirect when I use the Google search in the upper right of the IE8 window, if I go to the Google (or Yahoo) webpage and do a search I don't seem to be redirected.

 

[Broni]

What about Firefox?

 

[skitige]

Firefox is the same. If I search from the toolbar or the Google Search on the Firefox Start page the links will get redirected most of the time.
If I go to www.google.com in the address bar and then do a search from the Google homepage nothing seems to get redirected, same if I go to www.yahoo.com directly then search.

 

[Broni]

Interesting....

In IE, go Tools>Internet options>Advanced tab and click on "Reset" button.
Restart IE. Check for redirection.

 

[skitige]

After the IE Reset msn.com is my homepage and Bing is the search provider. I experimented a little and here's what I found:
Entering a search term on the toolbar search and clicking the search button = no redirect.
Entering a search term on the toolbar search and pressing Enter = no redirect.
Changed toolbar to use Google = no redirect
Entering a search term on the msn page and clicking the search button = no redirect.
Entering a search term on the msn page and pressing Enter= REDIRECT

Sometimes shortly after opening IE another IE window will open to a random website.
Also noticed Ad-aware displayed a pop-up that it blocked svchost.exe from trying to contact a malicious website.

 

[Broni]

We have to re-run some scans then...

Download GMER: http://www.gmer.net/files.php, by clicking on Download EXE button.
Alternative downloads:
- http://majorgeeks.com/GMER_d5198.html
- http://www.softpedia.com/get/Interne...ers/GMER.shtml
Double click on downloaded .exe file, select Rootkit tab and click the Scan button.
Do NOT use the computer while GMER is running!
When scan is completed, click Save button, and save the results as gmer.log
Warning ! Please, do not select the "Show all" checkbox during the scan.
Post the log.

IMPORTANT! If for some reason GMER refuses to run, try again.
If it still fails, try to UN-check "Devices" in right pane.
If still no joy, try to run it from Safe Mode.

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

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!!!

 

[skitige]

Here are the GMER and ComboFix logs.

 

[Broni]

Both logs look clean.

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.

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

Clear your Java Cache

• Go Start>Control Panel (Classic View)>Java
• On the General tab, under Temporary Internet Files, click the Settings button.
• Next, click on the Delete Files button
• There are two options in the window to clear the cache - leave BOTH checked
  • Applications and Applets
  • Trace and Log Files
• Click OK on Delete Temporary Files Window.
  • Note: This deletes ALL the Downloaded Applications and Applets from the CACHE.
• Click OK to leave the Temporary Files Window
• Click OK to leave the Java Control Panel.

If still redirected after clearing Java cache...

Create new Firefox profile as described here: http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_Manager and see, if same redirection happens.

 

[skitige]

Firefox does not redirect now but IE still does.

Also got a popup from Ad-aware that svchost.exe was blocked trying to connect to a malicious website 66.230.188.67 (port 80).

 

[Broni]

Did you create new FF profile, or the redirection stopped after clearing Java cache?

 

[skitige]

Created a new FF profile.

 

[Broni]

Uninstall IE8. In Vista it'll be listed as an update; in "Programs & Features" click on "View installed updates" and look for Microsoft Internet Explorer.
It'll revert itself to IE7.
Check for redirections.
If none, reinstall IE8.

 

[skitige]

IE7 still redirects.

 

[Broni]

Can you describe drives C, E and F for me?
We have Vista installed on C, correct?
Then...?

 

[skitige]

Vista and all programs on C:
Drive D is used for data only (work stuff, photos, etc)
Drive F is an older drive used for backup of some critical data.

these are three seperate hard drives.

 

[Broni]

Rerun MBRCheck.
Enter 'Y' and hit ENTER for more options and select option "2".
When asked for physical disk number, enter 1 (zero).
Next, enter 3 (Windows Vista) for MBR code.
Post resulting log.

 

[skitige]

When I run MBRCheck I don't get an option to enter anything. The first window that pops are the results:
MBRCheck, version 1.1.1
(c) 2010, AD
\\.\C: --> \\.\PhysicalDrive1
\\.\E: --> \\.\PhysicalDrive2
\\.\F: --> \\.\PhysicalDrive0

Size Device Name MBR Status
--------------------------------------------
298 GB \\.\PhysicalDrive1 Windows 2008 MBR code detected
931 GB \\.\PhysicalDrive2 Windows 2008 MBR code detected
153 GB \\.\PhysicalDrive0 Windows XP MBR code detected

Done! Press ENTER to exit...

 

[Broni]

If you have Vista DVD...

start with step 2

If you don't have Vista DVD...

1. Create Vista Recovery Disc.

Option 1:
http://www.c4consulting.com.au/soluctions/vista/VISTA SOLUCTIONS.htm

Option 2:
Download Vista Recovery Disc iso image: http://neosmart.net/blog/2008/windows-vista-recovery-disc-download/
Burn it to CD, or DVD: http://neosmart.net/wiki/display/G/Burning+ISO+Images+to+a+CD+or+DVD

2. Boot from created disk.
At first screen click on Repair your computer:

This will bring you to a new screen where the repair process will look for all Windows Vista installations on your computer. When done you will be presented with the System Recovery Options dialog box:

After this, it will present you with a list of options including startup repair, system restore and command prompt:

Select Command Prompt

Type in:
bootrec /FixMbr (<--- there is a "space" after "bootrec")
and then press Enter

Once completed then type Exit, press Enter and restart computer.