Infected

[Trika97]

Hello, and thanks in advance

I'm having following problem:

I am, now for months, facing annoying poppups, in google chrome. They are getting more and more aggressive, now even redirecting my opened tabs, reloading pages etc.

I've run Malwarebytes( multiple times, according to tutorial), also ADWcleaner, and my NOD32 was active at the all time ( so i got infected while it was active), and nod32 scan didn't find anything either.

I've deleted utorrent as advised, and I'm putting here the logs I got from FRST64.exe program.

Thank you very much

 

Addition.txt

FRST.txt

[Trika97]

I forgot to add, and I can't find edit option, that this redirects and poppups aren't the biggest issue. They are active for months now on PC, but today, for the first time, I had INgame notification that my account have just been logged in from different PC, and then I noticed some changes done to it, so I am afraid that my PC is infected with keylogger as well, or some sort of other virus.

[Aura]

Hi Trika

My name is Aura and I'll be assisting you with your malware issue. Since we'll be working together, you can call me Aura or Yoan, which is my real name, it's up to you! Now that we've broke the ice, I'll just ask you a few things during the time we'll be working together to clean your system and get it back to an operational state.

• As you'll notice, the logs we are asking for here are quite lenghty, so it's normal for me to not reply exactly after you post them. This is because I need some time to analyse them and then act accordingly. However, I'll always reply within 24 hours, 48 hours at most if something unexpected happens;
• As long as I'm assisting you on Malwarebytes Forums, in this thread, I'll ask you to not seek assistance anywhere else for any issue related to the system we are working on. If you have an issue, question, etc. about your computer, please ask it in this thread and I'll assist you;
• The same principle applies to any modifications you make to your system, I would like you to ask me before you do any manipulations that aren't in the instructions I posted. This is to ensure that we are operating in sync and I know exactly what's happening on your system;
• If you aren't sure about an instruction I'm giving you, ask me about it. This is to ensure that the clean-up process goes without any issue. I'll answer you and even give you more precise instructions/explanations if you need. There's no shame in asking questions here, better be safe than sorry!;
• If you don't reply to your thread within 3 days, I'll bump this thread to let you know that I'm waiting for you. If you don't reply after 5 days, it'll be closed. If you return after that period, you can send me a PM to get it unlocked and we'll continue where we left off;
• Since malware can work quickly, we want to get rid of them as fast as we can, before they make unknown changes to the system. This being said, I would appreciate if you could reply to this thread within 24 hours of me posting. This way, we'll have a good clean-up rhythm and the chances of complications will be reduced;
• I'm against any form of pirated, illegal and counterfeit software and material. So if you have any installed on your system, I'll ask you to uninstall them right now. You don't have to tell me if you indeed had some or not, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. Plus, this would be against Malwarebytes Forums's rules;
• In the end, you are the one asking for assistance here. So if you wish to go a different way during the clean-up, like format and reinstall Windows, you are free to do so. I would appreciate you to let me know about it first, and if you need, I can also assist you in the process;
• I would appreciate if you were to stay with me until the end, which means, until I declare your system clean. Just because your system isn't behaving weirdly anymore, or is running better than before, it doesn't mean that the infection is completely gone;
  This being said, I have a full time job so sometimes it'll take longer for me to reply to you. Don't worry, you'll be my first priority as soon as I get home and have time to look at your thread;
  

This being said, it's time to clean-up some malware, so let's get started, shall we?

I do have a couple of questions:

• Did you uninstall Spybot from your system?
• Did you uninstall Zemana from your system?
• Did you uninstall any Wondershare programs from your system?
  

Now we'll run a first fix with FRST, though we'll be running another one after you've answered my questions above.

Farbar Recovery Scan Tool (FRST) - Fix mode
Follow the instructions below to execute a fix on your system using FRST, and provide the log in your next reply.

• Download the attached fixlist.txt file, and save it on your Desktop (or wherever your FRST.exe/FRST64.exe executable is located);
• Right-click on the FRST executable and select Run as Administrator (for Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 users);
• Click on the Fix button;
  
• On completion, a message will come up saying that the fix has been completed and it'll open a log in Notepad;
• Copy and paste its content in your next reply;
  

Your next reply(ies) should include:

• Answer to the questions listed above;
• Copy/pasted content of FRST's fixlog.txt;
  

fixlist.txt

[Trika97]

Hello Yoan, and thank you very much for your assistance!

I did uninstall spybot and Zemana. About wondershare, I downloaded it recently, about 4 days ago, when trying to record some video, and I remember I wasn't satisfied with it, so I maybe did uninstall some part of it, but I still have wondershare folder in my computer, with files in it. I am not going to uninstall anything now, as you asked me to, I will just follow your instructions right now and not touch anything.

I did run FRST fix, it was completed successfully, and after It completed, it restarted my PC. Here is the fix log you asked me for, and thank you very much for your help, i really appreciate it!

Also, 1 more question: am I allowed to play games while we are in process of diagnostic and fixing this malware problem?

Regards

 

Fixlog.txt

[Aura]

I don't have a problem with you playing games, as long as you don't install any new games on your system while we clean it. Alright in that case, let's run a second fix to clean the remnant these programs left behind, but first, uninstall these:

• AVG PC TuneUp;
• AVG Zen;
• Visual Studio 2012 x64 Redistributable;
• Visual Studio 2012 x86 Redistributable;
• WinRAR archiver;
• Wondershare Helper Compact 2.5.2;
  

Once done, run the following fix.

Farbar Recovery Scan Tool (FRST) - Fix mode
Follow the instructions below to execute a fix on your system using FRST, and provide the log in your next reply.

• Download the attached fixlist.txt file, and save it on your Desktop (or wherever your FRST.exe/FRST64.exe executable is located);
• Right-click on the FRST executable and select Run as Administrator (for Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 users);
• Click on the Fix button;
  
• On completion, a message will come up saying that the fix has been completed and it'll open a log in Notepad;
• Copy and paste its content in your next reply;
  

 

 

fixlist.txt

[Trika97]

Hey,

I've done the following uninstalling, with 1 problem:

I successfully  uninstalled all the programs you asked me to, except AVG PC Tune up. I fount it in control panel -> uninstall  programs,but upon right clicking it, i only get "change" option, unlike for other programs that got uninstall option as well. I deleted whole AVG folder instead, and all the other programs you asked me.

Then I ran the fix, and here is the log of it.

Thank you very much

 

Fixlog.txt

[Aura]

Well running the fix should have taken care of AVG PC TuneUp, so it's fine.

Now I would like you to try something: uninstall your Adblock, Adblock Plus, etc. extensions in Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome, and install uBlock Origin instead. Then tell me if the redirection keeps occuring.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ublock-origin/cjpalhdlnbpafiamejdnhcphjbkeiagm?hl=en
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/ublock-origin/

[Trika97]

Okay, since the first fix annoying poppups stopped appearing, now there is not even trace of them!

I am not sure If i correctly uninstalled ad block's I had, i right clicked them in browser and uninstalled that way, and installed one you told me to.

Redirections and popups are gone for now, so I am very happy and thankful to you ! 

[Aura]

You did uninstall them correctly, since they are installed in your web browser, and not on the system (therefore, not listed in the Control Panel).

Was there anything else you needed help with, or was it all?  

[Trika97]

Everything is working perfectly fine now, no popups or any problems ( after months of dealing with them, this is a blessing)

I really appreciate your help, you saved me :-)

Thank you so very much, have an awesome day!

[Aura]

No problem Trika, you're welcome!

Since there are no signs of infection anymore in your logs, and you just told me that there are no more issues left to address, I guess we're done here. We'll wrap it up by running DelFix to delete the tools and logs that were used in this clean-up.

DelFix
Follow the instructions below to download and execute DelFix.

• Download DelFix and move the executable to your Desktop;
• Right-click on DelFix.exe and select Run as Administrator (for Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 users);
• Check the following options :
  
  • Activate UAC;
  • Remove disinfection tools;
  • Create registry backup;
  • Purge system restore;
  • Reset system settings;
    
• Once all the options mentionned above are checked, click on Run;
• After DelFix is done running, a log will open. Please copy/paste the content of the output log in your next reply;
  

Tips, tricks, advice and recommendations

Now it's time to give you some tips, tricks, advice and recommendations on how to protect your system and prevent you from being infected in the future. This is where I'll explain basic security measures that you should take to protect and harden your system, and also make sure it stays as safe and secure as possible against hackers and malware. You are free to ignore the recommendations listed below, although I obviously do not recommend it. If you have any questions about one of the points covered in the speech below, feel free to ask me your questions here directly so I can answer them and guide you.

Windows Updates

Keeping Windows up to date is one of the first steps in having a safe and secure system. The Security Updates that Windows receives are meant to fix exploits and flaws in it that makes it more secure and not exploitable by hackers. In order to do that, you should always install the Security Updates, known as "Important Updates" on your Windows system. These updates are released on the second Tuesday of every month, but some are also released before if they are emergency/critical Security Updates. Let's make sure that you have all your Important Updates and Recommended Updates installed and that your Windows Updates are set to be installed automatically.

• How To Change Windows Update Settings
• How To Check For & Install Windows Updates
  

Keeping your programs up-to-date

Like keeping Windows updated, keeping your installed programs up-to-date is another important step in having a safe and secure system. Outdated programs can be exploited by hackers and malware to infect a system and take it over. This is especially true today with the rise of Exploit Kits which is one of the biggest attack vectors to distribute malware. Therefore, you should always keep vulnerable programs like Adobe Flash Player, Adobe Shockwave Player, Java, Silverlight, etc. updated to their most recent version (even better, you don't have to install them if you don't use them). Programs like SecuniaPSI and Heimdal Free will scan your system for outdated programs, and help you identify them, as well as update them.

Antivirus, Antimalware, Firewall and Anti-Exploit/Ransomware

Having a decent security setup (led by an Antivirus) is the most crucial step to protect a system. These programs are a layer of defence that will prevent a system from being infected, or if it somehow ends up infected, help mitigate the infection and remediate it. Ideally, you should have on your system one Antivirus (never more than one installed at the time), one Antimalware (you can install multiple of these, assuming they do not conflict with each other and the other security programs installed), one Firewall and if you wish, one Anti-Exploit and/or Anti-Ransomware (since Ransomware are currently the most dangerous threat around and it can hit anywhere). Here are a few programs worth checking out if you don't have one yet.

Note: The programs listed below are all free to use or they have some sort of trial. Some of them have a paid version that provides more features, while a lot of other good programs only have a paid version but aren't listed there (such as Kaspersky and ESET Antivirus products).

Antivirus

• Sophos Home
• Bitdefender Free Antivirus
• Emsisoft Anti-Malware - Free 30 day trial. Once it expires, EAM enters into a freeware mode where it is still considered an Antivirus program, but without real-time protection;
• Avira Free Antivirus
• avast! Free Antivirus
  

Antimalware

• Malwarebytes - Has both a free and paid version;
• HitmanPro 3 - Free 30 day trial;
• Zemana AntiMalware - Free 30 day trial;
  

Firewall
Starting in Windows Vista, the Windows Firewall greatly improved and will satisfy the needs of most users. If you do not have an Internet Suite Antivirus program (which includes a firewall) and you want to use a 3rd party firewall, you can consider the options below.

• GlassWire - Has both a free and paid version (with different packages);
• Windows Firewall Control - Gives you more control over your Windows Firewall;
• TinyWall - Lightweight firewall implementing the Windows Firewall and giving you more control over it;
  

Anti-Exploit/Anti-Ransomware

• Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit Beta - In a perpetual beta state, and entirely free;
• HitmanPro.Alert - Free 30 day trial;
• CryptoPrevent - Has both a free and paid version;
  

Web Browsers and Web Browsing

Web Browsers could be considered as the closest door between a malware and your system. This is where most malware goes through to infect a system, and therefore it should be the program(s) you want to secure the most. There are two ways of going about it: hardening your web browser via extensions, and having good browsing habits. 

Hardening your web browser means to install extensions that will help it protect itself (and your system on the same occasion) against Exploit Kits, MiTM attacks, etc. but also you at the same time. Here are a few extensions that I recommend you to install.

• uBlock Origin: Efficient multi-purpose blocker that is lightweight on RAM and CPU usage (Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox, called uBlock on Opera);
• HTTPS Everywhere: Extension that converts your HTTP (unencrypted) requests to HTTPS (encrypted) ones (Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Opera);
• Web of Trust: Website reputation, rating and review extension that will help you quickly identify bad and suspicious sites from good ones (every web browsers);
• NoScript: NoScript is a script blocker (Java, Flash, JavaScript, etc.) for Mozilla Firefox and Firefox-based browsers (Mozilla Firefox and Firefox-based web browsers);
• uMatrix: For advanced users, a point and click matrix-like extensions that allow you to control requests done on a webpage (based on source, destination and type) (Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Opera);
• LastPass: Secure password manager allowing you to create, manage, and use passwords you save in your LastPass account (every web browser);
  

As for safe browsing habits, you can find tons of guides, tutorials, articles, etc. online that will highlight the basics you need to follow (only visit websites you trust, do not click on ads, do not download files from untrusted sources, use a password manager, always verify the URL of a website and make sure it's correctly typed, etc.), and even what you can do if you want to take it a step further (create a fake email address for spam emails, browse the web in a privacy mode, etc.). Here are a few:

• The Ultimate Guide to Secure your Online Browsing: Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer on Heimdal Security
• Seven Useful Habits For A Safer Internet on Kapsersky Blog
• Tips for Secure Web Browsing: Cybersecurity 101 on VeraCode
• Safe browsing habits on Internet Safety Project Wiki
  

As you can see, there are plenty of resources out there. Simply Googling "good browsing habits" or "safe browsing habits" should allow you to find a lot of them.

Other recommendations

Even if you follow every recommendation that I listed here, in the end, it's also your job to be careful when browsing the web and downloading files if you don't want to get infected. Therefore, if you use your brain (common sense) when browsing the web, downloading programs and files, etc., you have far less chances to get infected by a malware. If for example you're not sure if a website is legitimate or not, or if a file is safe to download and execute, or if a program looks "too good" to be free, I suggest you to avoid going to that website, downloading that file or using that program.

Here are a few guides, tutorials, articles, etc. that you could read in order to learn more about computer protection and security to improve your current computer protection setup but also improve your good web browsing and computer usage practices :

• Answers to common security questions - Best Practices by quietman7
• How Malware Spreads - How did I get infected by quietman7
• Simple and easy ways to keep your computer safe and secure on the Internet by Lawrence Abrams (aka Grinler)
• How to Prevent Malware by miekiemoes
• Tips & Advice on StaySafeOnline.org
  

The End!

And that's it! Now that you know more about how to protect your computer and secure it, you're good to go back to your online activities, but in a safe and secure way! You are also free to stay on Malwarebytes Forums and ask for help in different topics if you ever need to. Just make sure that you post your question/issue in the right section to get the best assistance possible. And if you ever get infected again (which I hope you wont!), you can always comeback in this section to get another checkup with one of our trained malware removal member.

Do you have any questions before I close this thread?

[Trika97]

I've got no more questions, everything is perfect now so thank you one more time

[Aura]

No problem Trika, you're welcome

[AdvancedSetup]

Glad we could help. :)If you need this topic reopened, please send a Private Message to any one of the moderating team members. Please include a link to this thread with your request. This applies only to the originator of this thread.Other members who need assistance please start your own topic in a new thread. Thanks!