Scan showed malware, subsequent scans show none.

[tieke]

Both of the PCs on which I have Malwarebytes Premium popped up a realtime scan warning today, alerting me of hundreds of identified malware files.

When I tried to actually locate any of the files however, I was unable to do so. As many of them were desktop .lnk files I had assumed that I would be able to see them so that I could erroneously click on them, but none of the identified files were visible, either from explorer or from commandline, in either standard or safe mode.

On running Malwarebytes again (on both computers) nothing came up, so I'm confused as to whether it as a temporary glitch in the Malwarebytes database, or whether the files are now somehow avoiding detection.

I am attaching both the original and later detection logs, as well as FRST logs.

FRST.txt

Addition.txt

Second Scan.txt

Initial MBytes results.txt

[Valinorum]

The .lnk  files sound like hijacked short-cut that has been fixed by MBAM. Can you do another scan and see if it detect anything?

[tieke]

The second scan is already attached to the first post - nothing showed up at all. The thing is I never told Malwarebytes to clean anything after the first scan as I didn't trust the results - none of the lnk files or any other file it listed seemed to actually exist.

[Valinorum]

Does G-Drive contain backup for your files? Most of them were detected on that drive.

• Step #1 ESET Online Scanner
  Disable your security programs which includes but not limited to anti-virus, anti-malware, anti-spyware et cetera. Peruse this for additional information. 
  
  • Download esetsmartinstaller_enu.exe by clicking here.
  • Right-click on the program and choose Run as administrator.
  • Accept their terms and condition and proceed.
  • Install Add-On/Active X if prompted.
  • From the Computer Scan Setting check the following box --
    
    • Enable detection for potentially unwanted programs
  • Click on Advanced Setting --
    
    • Uncheck the box beside Remove Found Threats;
    • Check the box beside Scan archives
    • Check the box beside Scan for potentially unsafe applications
    • Check the box beside Enable Anti-Stealth Technology
  • Click on Start and wait for the virus signature database to update.
  • The online scan will begin automatically and can take several hours.
    
    • Note: Do not touch either the Mouse or keyboard during the scan. Otherwise it may stall.
  • After the Scan finishes --
    
    • If no threats were found:
      
      • Put a checkmark in Uninstall application on close.
      • Close the program and report that nothing was found
    • If threats were found:
      
      • Open the file located in C:\Program Files\ESET\ESET Online Scanner\log.txt (32-bit) or C:\Program Files (x86)\ESET\ESET Online Scanner\log.txt (64-bit).
      • Copy and Paste contents of the log file in your next reply.
  
  Note: Enable your security programs afterwards.

---

[tieke]

G-drive is where I keep all my user files to simplify backup (and it includes the Desktop and My Documents folders where most of the "threats" were located).

Neither the ESET scanner, nor any of the variety of other scanners (including those on live-usb sticks etc) that I have now used on all my computers over the last two days have been able to pick up any malware or virus problems at all.

Basically it looks like Malwarebytes either deliberately invented hundreds of non-existent "threats" in order to make the software seem more indispensable, or it mistakenly located hundreds files that do not exist. (Note - I never told Malwarebytes to remove the files, I double-checked the supposedly infected directories during the scan and checked recent backups for the files, so it's not as if the "threats" disappeared because Malwarebytes cleaned them.)

Thus either Malwarebytes is turning into scamware or it simply doesn't work. Either way I have now lost a couple of working days trying to contain or identify this unexpected rash of network-spread malware (as the automatic Malwarebytes scans on two different networked computers popped up with these fake results, I had to assume it was spread via the network and close off network access/inspect all computers appropriately).

I have been a proponent and paid premium user of Malwarebytes for years. Needless to say that this will no longer be the case. 

[Valinorum]

Uninstall Ace Stream Media 3.0.12, µTorrent, Pogo Games, Video Player 2.0.0.1.

• Step #1 Fix with FRST
  Make sure that you still have FRST.exe on your Desktop. If you do not have it, download the suitable version from here to your Desktop.
  •  
  • Download the Attached fixlist.txt and put it in the same folder as FRST.; fixlist.txt
  • Re-run FRST.exe and click Fix;
    
    • Note: If FRST advises there is a new updated version to be downloaded, do so/allow this.
  • After the completion, a log will be produced;
  • Copy and Paste the contents of the log in your next reply.

 

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