Irregular System Behavior

[Trav]

Greetings,

I am running a windows 8 Toshiba Satellite F3 CM-5. The durable system has been running fine, but has run into issues.

I recently have noted some exceedingly bizarre behavior. Up to this point the behavior might have just been a failing harddrive, but at this point I suspect the drive has been compromised. What I really want to know is what the censoreder did, because I suspect one of my co-workers is involved. Anyway, the laptop in question has been acting weird over the last few weeks. Tonight, when I attempt to open a word document it literally opened a dropbox window. I have also been getting routine Unable To Create File With Filesystem (Error 65535). The odd behaviors cease when disconnected from the internet. I would like tools that you would recommended for monitoring network traffic for suspicious activity, and also would like help tracking down whatever the flying censored was done to this system.

Warm Regards.
~Trav

[AdvancedSetup]

Hello @Trav

Let us get some logs please so we can get a better idea of what might be going on.

Please download Farbar Recovery Scan Tool and save it to your desktop.

Note: You need to run the version compatible with your system.
You can check here if you're not sure if your computer is 32-bit or 64-bit

• Double-click to run it. When the tool opens click Yes to disclaimer.
• Press Scan button.
• It will make a log (FRST.txt) in the same directory the tool is run. Please attach it to your reply.
• The first time the tool is run, it also makes another log (Addition.txt). Please attach it to your reply as well.
  

 

Thank you

Ron

 

[Trav]

Greetings

Thanks as always. I know I can be somewhat difficult to work with. I really do appreciate how much help you have provided me over the years :).

Files attached, as per your request. I saw a bunch of MS-DOS windows open recently on startup, so I suspect it is a batch file. Otherwise, I'm just being paranoid. I just know I left my laptop alone around the fella', and I don't trust him as far as I can throw him.

Warm Regards,
~Trav

FRST.txt

Addition.txt

Edited April 26, 2017 by Trav

[AdvancedSetup]

Please restart the computer first and then run the following steps and post back the logs when ready.

STEP 01
Please download Junkware Removal Tool to your desktop.

• Shutdown your antivirus to avoid any conflicts.
• Right click over JRT.exe and select Run as administrator on Windows Vista or Windows 7, double-click on XP.
• The tool will open and start scanning your system.
• Please be patient as this can take a while to complete.
• On completion, a log (JRT.txt) is saved to your desktop and will automatically open.
• Post the contents of JRT.txt into your next reply message
• When completed make sure to re-enable your antivirus

STEP 02

Fix with AdwCleaner

Please download AdwCleaner by Xplode and save the file to your Desktop.

• Right-click on icon and select Run as Administrator to start the tool.
• Accept the Terms of use.
• Wait until the database is updated.
• Click Scan.
• When finished, please click Clean.
• Your PC should reboot now.
• After reboot, logfile will be opened. Copy its content into your next reply.

Note: Reports will be saved in your system partition, usually at C:\Adwcleaner

STEP 03
Download Sophos Free Virus Removal Tool and save it to your desktop.
 

• Double click the icon and select Run
• Click Next
• Select I accept the terms in this license agreement, then click Next twice
• Click Install
• Click Finish to launch the program
• Once the virus database has been updated click Start Scanning
• If any threats are found click Details, then View Log file (bottom left-hand corner)
• Copy and paste the results in your reply
• Close the Notepad document, close the Threat Details screen, then click Start cleanup
• Click Exit to close the program
• If no threats were found, please confirm that result.

STEP 04
Please download the Farbar Recovery Scan Tool and save it to your desktop.

Note: You need to run the version compatible with your system. You can check here if you're not sure if your computer is 32-bit or 64-bit

• Double-click to run it. When the tool opens, click Yes to disclaimer.
• Press the Scan button.
• It will make a log (FRST.txt) in the same directory the tool is run. Please attach it to your reply.
• The first time the tool is run, it also makes another log (Addition.txt). If you've, run the tool before you need to place a check mark here.
• Please attach the Additions.txt log to your reply as well.

 

Thanks

[Trav]

Greetings,

Everything  but Sohpos was run. Sophos hung, with an error preventing it from scanning.All other logs have been attached.

FRST.txt

Addition.txt

JRT.txt

AdwCleaner[C0].txt

[AdvancedSetup]

Please Run TFC by OldTimer to clear temporary files:

• Download TFC from here and save it to your desktop.
• http://oldtimer.geekstogo.com/TFC.exe
• Close any open programs and Internet browsers.
• Double click TFC.exe to run it on XP (for Vista and Windows 7 right click and choose "Run as administrator") and once it opens click on the Start button on the lower left of the program to allow it to begin cleaning.
• Please be patient as clearing out temp files may take a while.
• Once it completes you may be prompted to restart your computer, please do so.
• Once it's finished you may delete TFC.exe from your desktop or save it for later use for the cleaning of temporary files.

 

Next,

Please download the attached fixlist.txt file and save it to the Desktop.
NOTE. It's important that both files, FRST or FRST64 and fixlist.txt are in the same location or the fix will not work.

NOTICE: This script was written specifically for this user, for use on this particular machine. Running this on another machine may cause damage to your operating system.

Run FRST or FRST64 and press the Fix button just once and wait.
If the tool needs a restart please make sure you let the system restart normally and let the tool complete its run after restart.
The tool will make a log on the Desktop (Fixlog.txt). Please attach or post it to your next reply.

Note: If the tool warned you about an outdated version please download and run the updated version.

 

fixlist.txt

Thanks

 

[Trav]

Greetings,

All tools were run, log attached. It is interesting to note that on reboot the system began repairing its OS. I got the classic, "Scanning and Repairing Disk" message that loads sometimes when a system's OS has been damaged. It booted fine after the scan and repair though.

Fixlog.txt

[AdvancedSetup]

Hi @Trav

I asked the system to run a disk check on purpose to ensure there were no data integrity issues.

How is the computer running now?

Are there still any signs of an infection or other issues?

 

[Trav]

Gotcha, good to know.

The system is running better overall, but still operates strangely when firefox is involved. What spooks me about it is watching command prompt windows open every time firefox starts or closes. I do not notice the same behavior with Chrome. This might just be a faulty diagnostic in Firefox actually showing the command prompt windows, but I'm innately suspicious, and would much rather find out exactly why I'm getting random command prompts I never used to get. What I particularly dislike about them is watching them open for a split second, then immediately close. This behavior started ~ three weeks ago.

Warm Regards,
~Trav

Edited May 2, 2017 by Trav
Additional Details

[AdvancedSetup]

Please visit each of the following sites and let's reset all of your browsers back to defaults to prevent unexpected issues.
If you are not using one of the browsers but it is installed then you may want to consider uninstalling it as older versions of some software can pose an increase in the potential for an infection to get in.

Internet Explorer
How to reset Internet Explorer settings

Firefox
Click on Help / Troubleshooting Information then click on the Reset Firefox button.

Chrome

I would like to reset Chrome back to defaults to completely clear out what is going on with Chrome.

You can keep your “Bookmarks” if you want to keep them, but you have to export them first – >> Export Bookmarks << – Everything else should be removed.

Then I need you to go to >> Google Sync << and sign into your account.
Scroll down until you see the “reset sync” button and click on the button
At the prompt click on “Ok”.

.
Reset Your Browser Settings
.

1. In the top-right corner of the browser window, click the “Chrome Menu” icon (Three horizontal lines)
2. Select “Settings”.
3. At the bottom, click “Show advanced settings…”
4. Scroll down until you see “Reset settings”, Then click on the button “Reset Settings”.
5. In the dialog that appears, click “Reset”.

.
Close Chrome and restart it and check it out for me please