Infected with igfxmtc and other virus

[TimeMachine]

Hi helpful experts,

I saw your solution on the igfxmtc virus. I have a this infection and probably some others - I first had minergate.exe, which was killed using Malwarebytes. But then I saw that igfxmtc.exe still remained intact, as well as a bunch of other applications related to it, like igfxEM.exe, igfxCUIService.exe, and igfxHK.exe. There are some other folders that i can't access and look suspicious, like seatrpk, and sbackgl.

I've followed your previous discussions and scanned in safe mode using rkiller, followed by Malwarebytes, Roguekiller, HitmanPro, and FRST. Malwarebytes cannot find any virus now, but I still can't delete or access igfxmtc.exe. I'm attaching my FRST files here for your reference. I've also scanned with PowerTool64, but got an error message saying "Some functions are not available in this setting. please run again as an administrator of this program!" and my Kernel Notify Routine is blank.

I also tried booting my windows 10 into Linux with a USB drive, but for some reason I cannot set my windows system to boot from a USB. When I click on Advanced Options in Startup settings, the window disappears, or I get a normal restart with no prompt to boot in a different mode. I also noticed that the virus has added a new user on my windows called "Default0", which hasn't been deleted by any of the anti virus software I've tried.

Appreciate your time so much. I look forward to knowing your thoughts!

FRST.txt

Fixlog.txt

Addition.txt

[Aura]

Hi TimeMachine

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?

Please give me a few to review your logs and come up with a fix.

[Aura]

For the next step, you'll need to download FRST and the fixlist.txt from another computer and move them on your USB.

Farbar Recovery Scan Tool (FRST) - Recovery Environment Scan
Follow the instructions below to download and execute a scan on your system with FRST from the Recovery Environment, and provide the logs in your next reply.

Item(s) required:

• USB Flash Drive (size depend on if you have to create a USB Recovery or Installation media)
• CD/DVD (optional: only needed if you need to create a Recovery or Installation media and your USB Flash Drive is too small)
• Another computer (optional: only needed if you cannot work from the infected computer directly)
  

Preparing the USB Flash Drive

• Download the right version of FRST for your system:
  
  • FRST 64-bit
    
• Move the executable (FRST.exe or FRST64.exe) on your USB Flash Drive
• Download the attached fixlist.txt, and move it on your USB Flash Drive as well
  

Boot in the Recovery Environment

• Plug your USB Flash Drive in the infected computer
• To enter the Recovery Environment with Windows Vista and Windows 7, follow the instructions below:
  
  • Restart the computer
  • Once you've seen your BIOS splashscreen (the computer manufacturer logo), tap the F8 key repeatedly until the Advanced Boot Options menu appears
  • Use the arrow keys to select Repair your computer, and press on Enter
  • Select your keyboard layout (US, French, etc.) and click on Next
  • Click on Command Prompt to open the command prompt
    Note:If you can't access the Recovery Environment using the F8 method above, you'll need to create a Windows installation or repair media. It can be made on the computer itself or another one running the same version of Windows as the one you plan to use it on. For more information, check out this tutorial on SevenForums.
    
• To enter the Recovery Environment with Windows 8 or Windows 8.1, follow the instructions in this tutorial on EightForums
  Note:If you can't access the Recovery Environment using the method above, you'll need to create a Windows installation or repair media. It can be made on the computer itself or another one running the same version of Windows as the one you plan to use it on. For more information, check out this tutorial.
• To enter the Recovery Environment with Windows 10, follow the instructions in this tutorial on TenForums
  Note:If you can't access the Recovery Environment using the method above, you'll need to create a Windows installation or repair media. It can be made on the computer itself or another one running the same version of Windows as the one you plan to use it on. For more information, check out this tutorial on TenForums.
  

Once in the command prompt

• In the command prompt, type notepad and press on Enter
• Notepad will open. Click on the File menu and select Open
• Click on Computer/This PC, find the letter for your USB Flash Drive, then close the window and Notepad
• In the command prompt, type e:\frst.exe (for the x64 version, type e:\frst64.exe and press on Enter
• Note: Replace the letter e with the drive letter of your USB Flash Drive
• FRST will open
• Click on Yes to accept the disclaimer
• Click on the Fix button and wait for the scan to complete
• A log called fixlog.txt will be saved on your USB Flash Drive. Attach it in your next reply
  

fixlist.txt

[TimeMachine]

Hi Aura,

Thanks a lot for your prompt reply! I understand the terms and will not seek help from another website.

Before you replied, I installed and ran another anti virus program which introduced some new files into my system. Below are my most updated FRST log files. Could you please confirm that I can still use the fixlist.txt file that you attached?

Thank you so much.

FRST.txt

Fixlog.txt

Addition.txt

[TimeMachine]

Separate question - I'm trying to get to the advanced start up options on a Windows 10. Having tried all the options in the tutorial in safe mode, I still have no success. Shall I retry the tutorial in normal mode, running the risk of activating the virus, or do I go ahead and create a repair media?

Thanks a lot for your time!

[TimeMachine]

Sorry for posting so many replies! Not a techy person at all. 

On getting to the recovery environment, after forcing quick shut down and start for a few times I was able to see the advanced options exactly like the example in the TenForums tutorial (screen capture attached). Which options shall I choose?

On the list of issues, I remembered that I also had trouble removing two root kits called “ udiskmgr imagepath”. Also attached here. Are they still there?

Thanks a lot!

[Aura]

You can still use the fixlist.txt I attached in my reply, it won't affect the fix.

And in the "Advanced Options" menu, simply click on the "Command Prompt" option. From there, you'll be able to launch FRST by following the instructions I provided.

[TimeMachine]

Got it thank you!

I was able to run FRST using the command prompt but saw no disclaimers. Attached is the Fixlog.

Fixlog.txt

[Aura]

Awesome! Now, you should be able to install and run a scan with Malwarebytes.

Malwarebytes - Clean Mode

• Download and install the free version of Malwarebytes
  Note: If you have Malwarebytes already installed, you don't need to install it again. Simply start from the next bullet point
• Once Malwarebytes is installed, launch it and let it update his database. You might have to click on the little arrow by Scan Status in the middle right pane for it to do so
• Once the database update is complete, click on the Scan tab, then select the Threat Scan button and click on Start Scan
• Let the scan run, the time required to complete the scan depends of your system and computer specs
• Once the scan is complete, make sure that the first checkbox at the top is checked (which will automatically check every detected item), then click on the Quarantine Selected button
  
  • If it asks you to restart your computer to complete the removal, do so
    
• Click on Export Summary after the deletion (in the bottom-left corner) and select Copy to Clipboard. Paste the content in your next reply
  

[TimeMachine]

Thanks! I'm at the below screen where we did the FRST scan just now. What shall I click next to scan with Malwarebytes? I have it installed on the infected computer.

[Aura]

We don't need to be in the RE anymore. You can restart your computer normally.

[TimeMachine]

Cool, here you go, scanned in safe mode.

20171209 Malwarebytes Scan Report.txt

[TimeMachine]

Hi Aura, I scanned with Malwarebytes again in windows normal mode and had no detection of virus. 

I then tried scanning with AdwCleaner 7, found 26 items, clicked on Clean (Remove all elements), then the software got stuck on an error message

"*** Caught unhandled unknown exception; terminating".

Attaching the Adw report below. Thanks a lot for helping out!

AdwCleaner[S3].txt

[TimeMachine]

1. Here’s a photo of the error message from Adw.

2. Another issue is that when I open chrome, it always takes me to a website called hao.360.cn 

I’ve reset chrome settings and checked to make sure all my extensions are legit, but no matter what I set as the start page, that website always shows up at launch. I don’t see any applications on my installed Programs and Features list that’s related to this website.

3. Also attaching my task manager processes list. I’m not doing anything and have nothing open right now (Malwarebytes isn’t doing a scan) and the Memory usage is at 42%. My RAM is 8GB. Does this look right?

4. The last attachment is the Details tab. I’m seeing a lot of svchost.exe; a spoolsv.exe though I don’t have a printer; and a wininit.exe which is described by BleepingComputers as an unfavourable application to be running. Not sure if any of these is an issue, your confirmation would be much appreciated!

Hopefully we fixed the smart service virus. No idea what’s stopping Adw though. Thanks very much for the progress.

[Aura]

I might have an idea of what's causing AdwCleaner to hang.

Did you install Qihoo 360? It's also the program causing your startup page to be set to hao.360.cn. If I were you, I would uninstall these programs:
 

360杀毒
搜狗拼音输入法 8.6正式版
西瓜

 

[TimeMachine]

Thanks! I uninstalled all the above programs and restarted Windows, but the Adwcleaner error message still persists.

[Aura]

Can you run a simple scan with AdwCleaner, and provide me the scan log afterwards?

[TimeMachine]

Sure, here you go. Thanks!

AdwCleaner[S4].txt

The number of detection (26) was unchanged after I uninstalled those three applications. I also did a simple search and there's no file called Qihoo on my PC.

[Aura]

In that case, let's go ahead with RogueKiller, then FRST later on, and we'll get back to AdwCleaner at the end.

RogueKiller

• Download the right version of RogueKiller for your Windows version (32 or 64-bit)
• Once done, move the executable file to your Desktop, right-click on it and select Run as Administrator (for Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 users)
• Click on the Start Scan button in the right panel, which will bring you to another tab, and click on it again (this time it'll be in the bottom right corner)
• Wait for the scan to complete
• On completion, the results will be displayed
• Check every single entry (threat found), and click on the Remove Selected button
• On completion, the results will be displayed. Click on the Open Report button in the bottom left corner, followed by the Open TXT button (also in the bottom left corner)
• This will open the report in Notepad. Copy/paste its content in your next reply
  

[TimeMachine]

Pls see attached the RogueKiller report and a screenshot showing that some of the threats are not successfully killed. Thank you.

RogueKiller Report.txt

[TimeMachine]

Hi Aura, would appreciate any ideas on how to remove the adwares. still can't get rid of that website...

[Aura]

Sorry, it seems that I missed your thread yesterday. Now, can you run a new scan with FRST and provide me a fresh set of logs (FRST.txt and Addition.txt)?

[TimeMachine]

Sure here you go!

Addition.txt

FRST.txt

[Aura]

Do you use these programs?

WeChat
搜狗拼音输入法 8.8正式版

If not, uninstall them. Once done, let me know.

[TimeMachine]

Yes I do use them. One is a messaging app and the other one is a language input app. I uninstalled them when we were trying to figure out what caused Adw to hang, but doing so didn't help. They are not suspicious programs, I've been using them for years.