Infected by Zombie Cryptocurrency Miner Malware

[T410]

Hello,

My laptop has been using it's fan quite vigorously when it's idle but I didn't take it seriously. Today I realized it is really bugging me out. When no input is given to the pc it began to spin its fans really fast. But when I move the mouse it almost suddenly stops. Then I ran Tas Manager on the screen and I waited. When the fans began to spin again I realized a process is using almost 60% of my CPU. Name of the process is "mint.exe". No luck finding any information though. Ran a malwarebytes scan and it found 1 software. "Guard.lnk" which lead me to "Guard.exe" in "C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\AppContainer\Storage\microsoft.microsoftedge_8wekyb3d8bbwe\Children\001\Internet Settings". BTW "Internet Settings" folder is hidden. Showing hidden items didn't help. But going directly to the address let me in. Content of the folder is attached. There is a "config.txt" file in the folder which led me thinking it is a stealth miner malware. You will get when you see the config file which is attached also.

If any of you guys want me to share the files for analyzing purposes I will gladly share them with you.

 

But I want them to be gone of course.

malwarebytes report, FRST.txt, Addition.txt files are attached.

 

TL;DR:

Cryptocurrency miner malware infected. Need to remove. Please help. Required files are attached. Thank you

config.txt

malwarebytes.txt

FRST.txt

Addition.txt

[AdvancedSetup]

Hello @T410 and

Please follow the directions below, in order provided. Make sure you close all browsers and apps when running these scans.

 

Please run the following steps and post back the logs as an attachment when ready.

STEP 01

• If you're already running Malwarebytes 3 then open Malwarebytes and check for updates. Then click on the Scan tab and select Threat Scan and click on Start Scan button.
• If you don't have Malwarebytes 3 installed yet please download it from here and install it.
• Once installed then open Malwarebytes and check for updates. Then click on the Scan tab and select Threat Scan and click on Start Scan button.
• Once the scan is completed click on the Export Summary button and save the file as a Text file to your desktop or other location you can find, and attach that log on your next reply.
• If Malwarebytes won't run then please skip to the next step and let me know on your next reply.

STEP 02

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

• Right-click on the program 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 if any items were found.
• After reboot, a log file will be opened. Copy its content into your next reply.

 

RESTART THE COMPUTER Before running Step 3

STEP 03
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

Ron

 

[T410]

I have followed the steps. The attachments are included. But Adwcleaner can't see the malicious file. In FRST.txt malicious file "guard.exe" can be seen though.

AdwCleaner[S0].txt

Addition.txt

FRST.txt

malwarebytes.txt

[MysteryFCM]

Please attach a copy of the affected files.

[AdvancedSetup]

The following script will automatically zip the file in question and save it to your desktop for you to upload.

It will be saved in the Date_Time.zip naming convention

 

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

 

Ron

 

[T410]

Hi Ron,

The zip file exceeds the file uploading limit. It's 142 MB. I am uploading it to Google Drive. If it doesn't OK for you just let me know where should I upload it.
And also other than dlls and guard.exe file there is a mint.exe file which starts by guard.exe . I think the "mining" operation is being done by that mint.exe because "guard.exe" is always running at the background when I check it in the Task Manager. But "mint.exe" starts when I completely leave my pc idle for a few minutes. (I left task manager open and left the pc for a few minutes.)

Should I completely zip the folder that I thought infected? Or just "Guard.exe" is fine?

 

The zip file link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10EKa1wDeOsg92c7bEQH3L8yl9_zaCkDg/view?usp=sharing

Fixlog.txt

[AdvancedSetup]

Yes, please zip the entire folder and upload to Google Drive again and we'll check it out.

Thanks

Ron

 

[AdvancedSetup]

After you zip the folder and upload you can update Malwarebytes again and run a new Threat Scan. We should detect and remove it now. Just want to check the contents and make sure nothing new in the folder we're missing.

Ron

 

[T410]

Hi Ron,

I have just uploaded the whole folder and also attached the Fixlog.txt (I tweaked the fixlist.txt you uploaded to zip the folder)

Folder link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SM469icxbr7AOKLsOsqr7aGbQ7jSX4WT/view?usp=sharing

Malwarebytes found the threats and quarantined them. Thanks Ron

 

One last question: Can I go and shift + delete the files or are there any better/safe ways to do it?

malwarebytes.txt

Fixlog.txt

[AdvancedSetup]

From my understanding the folder is legit and some of the files are legit. The bad files have been removed with Malwarebytes so there should not be any further infection going on.

For the zip files created, yes you can delete that way.

Thank you for your help on this

Ron

 

[T410]

Thank you so much Ron

[shadowwar]

IF what is in your zip that is the only files there you can delete them for cleanup sake but they are just misused legit files by the miner. they pose no real problem now that guard.exe is gone.

 

[AdvancedSetup]

Glad we could help.

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Thanks