Malwarebytes not updating or operating in safe mode

[Lisa23]

I have a windows 10 home computer which is currently running Symantec endpoint protection and Malwarebytes premium.  This is a spare home computer which is mostly used for my daughter's school work.  When I run malwarebytes, it does a scan, but it won't update at all and it wouldn't run in safe mode.  As of this morning, the browsers will not open at all (firefox and microsoft edge).  I think the computer acquired an infection when my daughter was on the internet or playing a computer game, and that was more than a month ago.  Since then the computer has been online intermittently, so I'm not sure how far the infection has spread.   I don't have anything important on this computer and I'm totally willing to re-install windows 10, but I wanted to post on here to make sure that it can be done in such a way that the infection doesn't stay with the re-installed operating system.   Please advise.  Malwarebytes did quarantine a few infections, but it still won't update and the real-time protection for premium also isn't working at all.  Thank you

 

 

[Aura]

Hi Lisa23

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?

Follow the instructions in the thread below, and provide me both FRST logs (FRST.txt and Addition.txt). You can attach them in your next post, or copy/paste their content.

https://forums.malwarebytes.com/topic/9573-im-infected-what-do-i-do-now/

[Lisa23]

Hi Aura,

Thank you for your reply!  Attached are the Farber scan results and a Malwarebytes scan report from 8-5-17 when it managed to quarantine a few things.

Lisa

 

 

FRST.txt

Addition.txt

8-5-17 MB files quarantined.txt

[Aura]

I don't see anything suspicious in these FRST logs. And the threats Malwarebytes quarantined are PUPs, so nothing really dangerous.

Uninstall Malwarebytes, and run the mb-clean.exe tool, by following the instructions below.

https://forums.malwarebytes.com/topic/196955-malwarebytes-support-tools/?do=findComment&comment=1116748

Once done, attach the mb-clean-results.txt file that will be created so I can review it.

[Lisa23]

Hi Aura,

Here is the text file from the mb-clean tool.  The freshly installed MB program is now working, it's up to date and the real-time protection is on.  I scanned again, and it quarantined the same PUPs (mind spark game or something).  Also, after running mb-clean my browser opens and I can access the internet.  Previously, I would double click on firefox, edge or chrome and it would do nothing for 20 minutes and then open a completely blank window with no navigation buttons on it.  Was that related to the problems with MB not running properly?

Thanks for your help :-)

Lisa

 

 

mb-clean-results.txt

[Aura]

That's good news Lisa

For some reason, I think your computer was running since July 20th, and it hadn't been rebooted. If so, it would explain pretty much all the issues you had.

Were there any other issues to address, or that was it?

[Aura]

Hi Lisa,

Are you still with me?

[Lisa23]

Hi Aura,

I'm sorry for the delay, thank you for your help. The computer is running great now! I don't know how it went so long without being shut down, when I was using it I would shut it down but my daughter was probably only putting it on sleep. I'm glad it was something simple. Anyway now the reinstalled malwarebytes is working and updating and the computer is also updated and back to normal. Thanks again!

[Aura]

Glad to hear that Lisa

And no problem, you're welcome! Stay safe!

[Aura]

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!