MalwareBytes will not launch

[jasoneh]

I have installed MalwareBytes 3.3.1 on my Windows 10 PC.  It is running in the background, occasionally notifying me, but I cannot get the program to start and run a scan.  It doesn't work if I click on the shortcut, or the taskbar icon, or the mbam in the program file.  Could someone help me?  Thank you.

[Porthos]

12 minutes ago, jasoneh said:

Could someone help me? 

Let's try and get some logs first so the team can review them and see if they can tell what may be causing your issues....

1. FIRST: Create and obtain Farbar Recovery Scan Tool (FRST) logs
2. Download FRST and save it to your desktop. Tell any program that blocks it to ignore or allow. It IS SAFE. It contains no info that can identify or harm you.
3. 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
4. Double-click to run FRST and when the tool opens click "Yes" to the disclaimer
5. Press the "Scan" button
6. This will produce two files in the same location (directory) as FRST: FRST.txt and Addition.txt
   NOTE: These two files will be collected by the MB-Check Tool and added to the zip file for you
7. NEXT: Create and obtain an mb-check log
8. Download MB-Check and save to your desktop
9. Double-click to run MB-Check and within a few second the command window will open, then click "OK"
10. This will produce one log file on your desktop: mb-check-results.zip
11. Attach this file to your forum post by clicking on the "Drag files here to attach, or choose files..." or simply drag the file to the attachment area

[jasoneh]

Thank you.  Unfortunately every time I try to go to the FRST link, my browser closes.  I've tried both browsers on my computer.   Also, if I search the phrase farbar recovery scan tool, the browser closes.  Yikes, does this mean something really sophisticated doesn't want me to find it?

[Porthos]

5 minutes ago, jasoneh said:

Yikes, does this mean something really sophisticated doesn't want me to find it?

Possibly.

Follow the instructions in the thread below. Make sure to download the MBAR version linked in it. Let me know if you're not able to launch it and run a scan.
 
https://forums.malwarebytes.com/topic/198907-requested-resource-is-in-use-error-unable-to-start-malwarebytes/
 
If you manage to run a scan, delete everything it finds, and then copy/paste the content of the mbar-log-DATE-(TIME).txt log that is located in the MBAR folder here after. 

[jasoneh]

I downloaded that, ran as administrator, there was a window on the screen for the briefest of seconds that I didn't get to read, and then it disappeared.  Nothing else happened.

[Porthos]

2 minutes ago, jasoneh said:

Nothing else happened.

I will ask @Aura to assist you. Looks like you are infected.  

[jasoneh]

Thank you

[Aura]

Hi jasoneh

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?

Can you boot your computer in Safe Mode, run a scan with Malwarebytes, delete everything it find and provide me the log afterwards?

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/how-to-start-windows-in-safe-mode/

[jasoneh]

Thanks for helping me, Aura, I appreciate it. 

Okay, I was able to go into Safe Mode, open Malwarebytes and run the scan.  It found 10 things, and I deleted them all.  Here is the log, I think.

malwarebytesscan.txt

report.txt

[jasoneh]

I just realized, that may be confusing -- the file called "report.txt" is the exported report after I deleted.  The previous one I copied just before deleting because I wasn't sure I would be able to get a report after deleting.

Also, I am now able to run malwarebytes in regular mode. 

[Aura]

Awesome You were infected by Kovter, and Malwarebytes took care of it.

Were there any other issues, or that was it?

[jasoneh]

That was it, thank you!!  Really helpful

[Aura]

No problem jasoneh, 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 topic 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