Infected - want to reformat

[needhelphere85]

Hello,

I just got an email earlier from my bank saying that my account had been locked. I then scanned my computer and found several things.... I ran Malware Bytes in regular, and it found 13 files.... PUP.Facethemes were all of them.

I then re-started and booted into safe mode. I ran the scan again, and it found 6 new files... Rootkit0.Access, Trojan0.Access and Trojan.DropperBCMiner. It said it removed them.

I re-started and ran the scan again, again in safe mode. It did not find anything this time.

However, I am not feeling at all safe, so I want to reformat my drive.

I have used my tablet to change the password on all sensitive accounts, including my bank. And obviously, I will not sign in to them on this computer until this is fixed... but... my questions are:

1) Do these infections spread by USB? I want to back up my files before I reformat. Is that possible? I don't want to accidentally infect my external hard drive while backing things up, and then end up with even more mess.

2) Supposing I wanted to run a scan of my external drive, to find out if it also has these things.... how can I possibly scan my USB External Drive - if it is infected... or, if my computer is infected, how will I be able to scan it without it getting spread?

3) If I do a "factory restore" using my recovery discs... is that the same as a reformat? Or do I have to completely reformat and then use the recovery discs?

Thank you!

[MrCharlie]

Welcome to the forum.

Why don't we make sure that your computers clean before you start backing up your files?

1) Do these infections spread by USB? I want to back up my files before I reformat. Is that possible? I don't want to accidentally infect my external hard drive while backing things up, and then end up with even more mess.

You should vaccinate your computer and USB drives first:

http://research.pand...utoRun-Vaccine/

The infection shouldn't be transferred with your files if we check them first.

2) Supposing I wanted to run a scan of my external drive, to find out if it also has these things.... how can I possibly scan my USB External Drive - if it is infected... or, if my computer is infected, how will I be able to scan it without it getting spread?

Yes you can scan it.

3) If I do a "factory restore" using my recovery discs... is that the same as a reformat? Or do I have to completely reformat and then use the recovery discs?

It should restore it back to day one and remove any malware as far as I know.

Let me know.....MrC

[needhelphere85]

Ok... sure, I am willing to do those things... but let me know what I need to do in order to do them.

What does vaccinating do, and how does it work? I mean... if the virus/malware is still active here, will that not possibly reactivate the autoruns?

Please let me know what to do, in order to check my files so I can burn them to a DVD.

Thanks!

[MrCharlie]

Autorun:

http://lifehacker.co...malware-threats

First...............

Please remove any usb or external drives from the computer before you run this scan!

Please download and run RogueKiller to your desktop.

Quit all running programs.

For Windows XP, double-click to start.

For Vista or Windows 7, do a right-click on the program, select Run as Administrator to start, & when prompted Allow to run.

Click Scan to scan the system.

When the scan completes > Close out the program > Don't Fix anything!

Don't run any other options, they're not all bad!!!!!!!

Post back the report which should be located on your desktop.

MrC

[Maurice Naggar]

@ needhelphere85

It has been 3 days since MrC repiled to you. Are you still around ?

If we do not hear back from you by Saturday evening, this will be Closed.

[Maurice Naggar]

Having had no timely response, this is now Closed.