Persistent Infection by RelevantKnowledge Trojan

[Simon1957]

Hi Forum

 

I've just spent a happy week doing clean installs of W10 to my laptop and desktop, plus re-installing lots of peripherals and re-loading and re-configuring lots of software.
I was pretty careful, I thought and the end result is very pleasing.
Except!
MBAM tells me that my desktop has the RelevantKnowledge trojan.
Naturally I got MBAM to remove it and re-booted as requested.
I scanned again after the reboot and it was still there.
I've done this several times now, including a RootKit scan (nothing found for that I'm glad to say).
I have managed to disable the service and it has remained disabled.
An email has been sent to MBAM but, per their suggestion, pending a reply I am posting this to the forum to see if I can get some help ... please.
Any ideas welcomed (other than a clean install, that is)...

 

Simon

FRST.txt

Addition.txt

MBAM.txt

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Hello,

    

 

They call me TwinHeadedEagle around here, and I'll try to help your with your issue.

 

     

    

Before we start please read and note the following:

• We're primarily oriented on malware removal here, so you must know that some issues just cannot be solved and you must be prepared for this. Some tools we use here will remove your browser search history, so backup your important links and all the files whose loss is unacceptable.
• Limit your internet access to posting here, some infections just wait to steal typed-in passwords.
• Please be patient. I know it is frustrating when your PC isn't working properly, but malware removal takes time. Keep in mind that private life gets in the way too. Note that we may live in totally different time zones, what may cause some delays between answers.
• Don't run any scripts or tools on your own, unsupervised usage may cause more harm than good.
• Do not paste the logs in your posts, attachments make my work easier. There is a More reply options button, that gives you Upload Files option below which you can use to attach your reports. Always attach reports from all tools.
• Always execute my instructions in given order. If for some reason you cannot completely follow one instruction, inform me about that.
• I volunteer to help you, so please, do not ask for help for your company/business PC. Companies are making revenue via computers, so it is good thing to pay someone to repair it.
• If I don't hear from you within 3 days from this initial or any subsequent post, then this thread will be closed.

I can't foresee everything, so if anything not covered in my instructions happens, please stop and inform me!

There are no silly questions. Never be afraid to ask if in doubt!

 

 

 

  Rules and policies

 

We won't support any piracy.

That being told, if any evidence of illegal OS, software, cracks/keygens or any other will be revealed, any further assistance will be suspended. If you are aware that there is this kind of stuff on your machine, remove it before proceeding!

The same applies to any use of P2P software: uTorrent, BitTorrent, Vuze, Kazaa, Ares... We don't provide any help for P2P, except for their removal. All P2P software has to be uninstalled or at least fully disabled before proceeding!

 

Failure to follow these guidelines will result with closing your topic and withdrawning any assistance.

 

 

---

Please run MalwareBytes again and remove all found threats.

---

[Simon1957]

Hi TwinHeadedEagle

 

I have read and noted your instructions.

You have asked me to run the removal again - fine, no problem. Does this include the re-boot at the end?

Just want to make sure I do excatly what you need.

 

Simon

[TwinHeadedEagle]

MalwareBytes will probably show a message asking from you to restart your computer after malware removal. If this doesn't happen, please manually reboot your computer.

[Simon1957]

OK - I'm performing the cleanup now.

Many thanks.

 

Simon

[Simon1957]

Cleanup done - system restarted.

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Can you attach MalwareBytes report for my review?

[Simon1957]

Logs attached.

mbam-log-2015-08-09 (11-04-53).xml

protection-log-2015-08-09.xml

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Very good. Can I help you with something else?

[Simon1957]

The point is that if I run another scan then all the files will be back again!!!

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Then we're doing something wrong then:

Please re-run Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware.

• Click the History tab.
• Click Application Logs and double-click the newest Scan Log.
• At the bottom click Export and choose Text file.

Save the file to your desktop and include its content in your next reply.

[Simon1957]

Clearly!

That's really weird.

The scan ran clean this time.

I may be new to the forum, but I'd regard myself as pretty expert (25 years in the industry) and can't see what I did this time that was any different from the other three times I performed the removal.

Still, the important thing is that we seem to have got rid of it (at least for now).

Thanks for your help, though it looks like I wasted your time - sorry :-(

 

Simon

 

MBAM Scan.txt

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Can you attach all scan logs? I would especially like to see one that shows infection.

[AdvancedSetup]

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