Explorer.exe initiating incoming web traffic

[Pauken]

My problem is described by a previous user in https://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?showtopic=140025

 

As he disappeared before saying if it was resolved I've opened a new thread. I've run every free malware and antispy and nothing has any hits. Initially I was seeing major traffic with IE so I disabled it. Now explorer.exe is doing the same. Multiple instances open automatically when I connect to the network and the temp folders in Content.IE5  start building up. After disconnecting from the network everything settles down again, I delete the temp internet files and reconnect. After a few minutes the explorer.exe instances multiply and volumes of temp files again start being saved. A wide range of sites in Russia, Ukraine etc. appear to be the source. Looks like rogue PPC or SEO traffic is being generated somehow. I've done a clean boot and then SFC/SCANNOW but 'no integrity violations'. This seems to be happening to others but I can't see any solutions on the net so far. Any idea where to start?

[AdvancedSetup]

Hello Pauken and

• Please read the following and post back the requested logs.  -  Diagnostic Logs

 

Thank You
 

 

[Pauken]

Thanks for the reply. I've run the requested scans and, as the resulting log files are quite large I hope it is OK that I've attached them rather than copied and pasted. The resulting post would have been long and the option was canvassed in the FAQ.

 

Please note there is a time delay as I'm in Australia so I may be asleep when you respond!!

 

Many thanks,

 

Bruce

CheckResults.txt

FRST.txt

Addition.txt

[AdvancedSetup]

I would recommend that you check the shortcuts of all these programs and remove the Compatibilit settings.
For those you want to run as an Administrator you can set that under the Advanced Settings button without invoking a compatibility entry in the Registry.
All programs should be run without any compatibility settings if at all possible. Only set one if the program just will not work.


HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\appCompatFlags\Layers

  SIGN.MEDIA=141E2 Setup.exe
  C:\Users\bruce\Documents\msicuu2.exe (Microsoft pulled this tool as it is potentially dangerous to your Registry)
  C:\Program Files\DVDFab 6\DVDFab.exe
  C:\Program Files\DVDFab 6\Options\DVDFabDVD2DVD.exe
  C:\Program Files\DVDFab 6\Options\DVDFabDVD2Mobile.exe
  C:\Program Files\DVDFab 6\Options\DVDFabBluRay2BluRay.exe
  C:\Program Files\DVDFab 6\Options\DVDFabFile2Mobile.exe
  C:\Program Files\DVDFab 6\Options\DVDFabFileMover.exe
  C:\Users\bruce\Downloads\pixelruler.exe
  C:\Users\bruce\Downloads\COLDownloadManager-Windows.exe
  C:\Program Files\Google\Quick Search Box\GoogleQuickSearchBoxSetup.exe
  C:\Program Files\Thecus\Thecus Setup Wizard  v1.2.0\SetupWizard.exe
  C:\Program Files\USB Safely Remove\USBSafelyRemove.exe
  C:\Users\bruce\Downloads\Lock-Box-Full-4.90.exe


HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\appCompatFlags\Layers

  C:\Program Files\Jasc Software Inc\Paint Shop Pro 7\psp.exe
  C:\Program Files\StreamingStar\FlvRecorder\flvrecorder.exe
  C:\Program Files\WebVideoCap\WebVideoCap.exe
  C:\Program Files\Flash Slideshow Maker Professional\fssmpro.exe
  C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 10.0\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe
  C:\Program Files\USB Safely Remove\USBSafelyRemove.exe
  C:\Program Files\PixelRuler\PixelRuler.exe



The you have quite a few other things going on that will require further scans and clean up that we're not allowed to do in this sub-forum.
 
I would suggest following the advice from the topic here Available Assistance for Possibly Infected Computers and having one of the Experts assist you with looking into your issue.

Thanks

[Pauken]

Thanks Ron. I'll follow the steps for recommended Registry changes and then consider posting in another forum.

 

At present, following a clean boot and then a normal startup, everything has surprisingly gone quiet. I've been monitoring network traffic, network activity and outbound addresses and have seen nothing questionable in 5 hours of connect time. There is only one instance of explorer.exe running and no new temp internet files created in Content.IE5. Its unsettling to not have a clear understanding of something having been resolved by a specific action but the evidence suggests it has. Fingers crossed......and many thanks for all the suggestions.

[AdvancedSetup]

You're quite welcome.  If you do notice further issues go ahead and post over there and someone will assist you. No cost except some of your time.

 

Cheers

[twistedpear]

I have the EXACT same issue.  5 different antivirus/rootkit/malware scanners cant find anything.

Any help would be appreciated.  Following is the most recent HiJackThis! log:

 

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 10:17:55 AM, on 11/6/2014
Platform: Unknown Windows (WinNT 6.01.3505 SP1)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v11.0 (11.00.9600.17344)

Running processes:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Epson Software\Event Manager\EEventManager.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\AVG Secure Search\vprot.exe
C:\Program Files (x86)\AVG\AVG2013\avgui.exe
E:\$Antivirus\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://g.msn.com/USCON/1
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.tcpalm.com/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkId=255141
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkId=255141
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,CustomizeSearch =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page = C:\Windows\SysWOW64\blank.htm
R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName =
R3 - URLSearchHook: (no name) - {A3BC75A2-1F87-4686-AA43-5347D756017C} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: Java Plug-In SSV Helper - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre7\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: Windows Live Sign-in Helper - {9030D464-4C02-4ABF-8ECC-5164760863C6} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live\WindowsLiveLogin.dll
O2 - BHO: AVG Security Toolbar - {95B7759C-8C7F-4BF1-B163-73684A933233} - C:\Program Files (x86)\AVG Secure Search\18.1.9.799\AVG Secure Search_toolbar.dll
O2 - BHO: Google Toolbar Helper - {AA58ED58-01DD-4d91-8333-CF10577473F7} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Google Toolbar\GoogleToolbar_32.dll
O2 - BHO: SkypeIEPluginBHO - {AE805869-2E5C-4ED4-8F7B-F1F7851A4497} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Toolbars\Internet Explorer\skypeieplugin.dll
O2 - BHO: Java Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre7\bin\jp2ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: Windows Live Toolbar Helper - {E15A8DC0-8516-42A1-81EA-DC94EC1ACF10} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Toolbar\wltcore.dll
O3 - Toolbar: &Windows Live Toolbar - {21FA44EF-376D-4D53-9B0F-8A89D3229068} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Toolbar\wltcore.dll
O3 - Toolbar: AVG Security Toolbar - {95B7759C-8C7F-4BF1-B163-73684A933233} - C:\Program Files (x86)\AVG Secure Search\18.1.9.799\AVG Secure Search_toolbar.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Google Toolbar - {2318C2B1-4965-11d4-9B18-009027A5CD4F} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Google Toolbar\GoogleToolbar_32.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [startCCC] "c:\Program Files (x86)\ATI Technologies\ATI.ACE\Core-Static\CLIStart.exe" MSRun
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [EEventManager] C:\PROGRA~2\EPSONS~1\EVENTM~1\EEventManager.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [vProt] "C:\Program Files (x86)\AVG Secure Search\vprot.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG_UI] "C:\Program Files (x86)\AVG\AVG2013\avgui.exe" /TRAYONLY
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [sidebar] C:\Program Files\Windows Sidebar\sidebar.exe /autoRun
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [CCleaner Monitoring] "C:\Program Files\CCleaner\CCleaner64.exe" /MONITOR
O9 - Extra button: Blog This - {219C3416-8CB2-491a-A3C7-D9FCDDC9D600} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Writer\WriterBrowserExtension.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: &Blog This in Windows Live Writer - {219C3416-8CB2-491a-A3C7-D9FCDDC9D600} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Writer\WriterBrowserExtension.dll
O9 - Extra button: Skype add-on for Internet Explorer - {898EA8C8-E7FF-479B-8935-AEC46303B9E5} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Toolbars\Internet Explorer\skypeieplugin.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Skype add-on for Internet Explorer - {898EA8C8-E7FF-479B-8935-AEC46303B9E5} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Toolbars\Internet Explorer\skypeieplugin.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\nlaapi.dll
O10 - Unknown file in Winsock LSP: c:\windows\system32\napinsp.dll
O11 - Options group: [ACCELERATED_GRAPHICS] Accelerated graphics
O11 - Options group: [iNTERNATIONAL] International
O13 - Gopher Prefix:
O18 - Protocol: linkscanner - {F274614C-63F8-47D5-A4D1-FBDDE494F8D1} - (no file)
O18 - Protocol: livecall - {828030A1-22C1-4009-854F-8E305202313F} - C:\PROGRA~2\WIC4A1~1\MESSEN~1\MSGRAP~1.DLL
O18 - Protocol: msnim - {828030A1-22C1-4009-854F-8E305202313F} - C:\PROGRA~2\WIC4A1~1\MESSEN~1\MSGRAP~1.DLL
O18 - Protocol: skype-ie-addon-data - {91774881-D725-4E58-B298-07617B9B86A8} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Skype\Toolbars\Internet Explorer\skypeieplugin.dll
O18 - Protocol: skype4com - {FFC8B962-9B40-4DFF-9458-1830C7DD7F5D} - C:\PROGRA~2\COMMON~1\Skype\SKYPE4~1.DLL
O18 - Protocol: viprotocol - {B658800C-F66E-4EF3-AB85-6C0C227862A9} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\AVG Secure Search\ViProtocolInstaller\18.1.9\ViProtocol.dll
O18 - Protocol: wlmailhtml - {03C514A3-1EFB-4856-9F99-10D7BE1653C0} - C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Live\Mail\mailcomm.dll
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\Alg.exe,-112 (ALG) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\alg.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: AMD External Events Utility - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\atiesrxx.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: AVG Firewall (avgfws) - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\Program Files (x86)\AVG\AVG2013\avgfws.exe
O23 - Service: AVGIDSAgent - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\Program Files (x86)\AVG\AVG2013\avgidsagent.exe
O23 - Service: AVG WatchDog (avgwd) - AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o. - C:\Program Files (x86)\AVG\AVG2013\avgwdsvc.exe
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\efssvc.dll,-100 (EFS) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\fxsresm.dll,-118 (Fax) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\fxssvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @gpapi.dll,-112 (gpsvc) - Unknown owner - %windir%\system32\svchost.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\ieetwcollectorres.dll,-1000 (IEEtwCollectorService) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\IEEtwCollector.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @keyiso.dll,-100 (KeyIso) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: LMIGuardianSvc - LogMeIn, Inc. - C:\Program Files (x86)\LogMeIn\x64\LMIGuardianSvc.exe
O23 - Service: LogMeIn Maintenance Service (LMIMaint) - LogMeIn, Inc. - C:\Program Files (x86)\LogMeIn\x64\RaMaint.exe
O23 - Service: LogMeIn - LogMeIn, Inc. - C:\Program Files (x86)\LogMeIn\x64\LogMeIn.exe
O23 - Service: @comres.dll,-2797 (MSDTC) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\msdtc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\System32\netlogon.dll,-102 (Netlogon) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\psbase.dll,-300 (ProtectedStorage) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\qwave.dll,-1 (QWAVE) - Unknown owner - %windir%\system32\svchost.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\Locator.exe,-2 (RpcLocator) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\locator.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\samsrv.dll,-1 (SamSs) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\seclogon.dll,-7001 (seclogon) - Unknown owner - %windir%\system32\svchost.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\snmptrap.exe,-3 (SNMPTRAP) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\snmptrap.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\spoolsv.exe,-1 (Spooler) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\spoolsv.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\sppsvc.exe,-101 (sppsvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\sppsvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\ui0detect.exe,-101 (UI0Detect) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\UI0Detect.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\vaultsvc.dll,-1003 (VaultSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\lsass.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\vds.exe,-100 (vds) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\System32\vds.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\vssvc.exe,-102 (VSS) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\vssvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%SystemRoot%\system32\Wat\WatUX.exe,-601 (WatAdminSvc) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\Wat\WatAdminSvc.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%systemroot%\system32\wbengine.exe,-104 (wbengine) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\wbengine.exe (file missing)
O23 - Service: @%Systemroot%\system32\wbem\wmiapsrv.exe,-110 (wmiApSrv) - Unknown owner - C:\Windows\system32\wbem\WmiApSrv.exe (file missing)
 

[Firefox]

twistedpear Hello and

 

Its always better to start your own topic as everyone's computer is different...

Being that you are probably infected, feel free to follow the instructions below to receive free, one-on-one expert assistance in checking your system and clearing out any infections and correcting any damage done by the malware.

Please see the following pinned topic which has information on how to get help with this: Available Assistance for Possibly Infected Computers

Thank you