How do I get rid of malware that keeps coming back?

[BUSH_MAN_JOE]

hello. PUP.Optional.babylon keeps coming back when I restart the computer by scanning with adwcleaner/malwarebytes 

[Maurice Naggar]

Hi,        
My name is Maurice. I will be helping and guiding you, going forward on this case.
Let me know what first name you prefer to go by.

 

Please follow my directions as we go along.  Please do not do any changes on your own without first checking with me. 
If you will be away for more than 3 consecutive days,  do try to let me know ahead of time, as much as possible. 
  
Please only just attach   all report files, etc  that I ask for as we go along.

I would appreciate  getting some key details from this machine in order to help you forward.
 NOTE: The tools and the information obtained is safe and not harmful to your privacy or your computer, please allow the programs to run if blocked by your system.

Do have patience while the report tool runs.  It may take several minutes.  Just let it run & take its time.  You may want to close your other open windows so that there is a clear field of view.
Download Malwarebytes Support Tool
     

    Once the file is downloaded, open your Downloads folder/location of the downloaded file
    Double-click mb-support-1.6.1.784.exe  to run the report
        You may be prompted by User Account Control (UAC) to allow changes to be made to your computer. Click Yes to consent.
        
    Place a checkmark next to Accept License Agreement and click Next
Now click the left-hand side pane "I do not have an open support ticket"

    You will be presented with a page stating, "Get Started!"
    Do NOT use the button “Start repair” !   But look instead at the far-left options list in black.

    Click the Advanced tab on the left column
    
    Click the Gather Logs button
    
    A progress bar will appear and the program will proceed with getting logs from your computer.  Please do have patience.  It takes several minutes to gather.
   
    Upon completion, click a file named mbst-grab-results.zip will be saved to your Desktop. Click OK
    Please attach the ZIP file in your next reply.

Please know I help here as a volunteer.  and that I am not on 24 x 7.
Help on this forum is one to one.   Again, please be sure to ONLY attach report files  with your reply (s)  as we go along.  Do not do a copy / paste into main body.
Thank you,
Sincerely.

[Maurice Naggar]

Good morning.

Thanks for the report.  The Chrome browser is one area that needs special focus.   Let us start with this.

I would suggest what follows below.

[   1   ]

Set the Chrome "sync"  to OFF.

Use Chrome browser   to go to https://www.google.com/settings/chrome/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".

[   2   ]

for Chrome, while Chrome is running:
Press & hold SHIFT+CTRL+Del keys  on keyboard to get menu for clearing browsing data:

Check mark the line  "Browsing history"

Check mark the line "Download history"

Check mark the lined "Cached images and files"
and press Clear Data button  ( in blue )

[   3   ]

After that, make real sure that Chrome is "NOT" set to reload the pages from the last session

Go into the settings menu of Chrome by first clicking  the control icon of Chrome on upper right of the adress bar

Then look deeper in SETTINGS

 

Make real sure it is "NOT" set to "continue where you left off"

.

[   4   ]

See this article on our Malwarebytes Blog
https://blog.malwarebytes.com/security-world/technology/2019/01/browser-push-notifications-feature-asking-abused/

 

You want to disable the ability of each web browser on this machine from being able to allow "push ads". That means Chrome, Firefox, or Edge browser (on Windows 10), or on Opera.

Scroll down to the tips section "How do I disable them".

[   5   ]

I suggest you install the Malwarebytes Browser guard for Chrome.

To get & install the Malwarebytes Browser Guard extension for Chrome,

 

Open this link in your Chrome   browser: 

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/malwarebytes/ihcjicgdanjaechkgeegckofjjedodee

 

Then proceed with the setup.

 

[   6    ]

I  would suggest to download, Save, and then run Malwarebytes ADWCLEANER.

Please close Chrome and all other open web browsers after you have saved the Adwcleaner and before you start Adwcleaner scan.

Adwcleaner  detects factory Preinstalled applications too!

 

Please download  Malwarebytes AdwCleaner  https://downloads.malwarebytes.com/file/adwcleaner
 

Be sure to Save the file first, to your system.  Saving to the Downloads folder should be the default on your system.

 

Go to the folder where you saved Adwcleaner. Double click Adwcleaner  to start it.

At the prompt for license agreement, review and then click on I agree.

 

You will then see a main screen for Adwcleaner. ( if you do not see it right away, minimized the other open windows, so you can see Adwcleaner).

Then click on Dashboard button.

Click the blue button "Scan Now".

 

allow it a few minutes to finish the Scan.   Let it remove what it finds.

NOTE:  When it comes to the section "

Pre-installed applications

 

You can skip that.

Please find and send the Adwcleaner "C" clean report.

In Adwcleaner, click the "Reports" button.  Look at the list of reports for the latest date & type "Clean".

Double Click that line & it will open in Notepad.   Save the file to your system and then Attach that with your reply.

 

That C clean report will be the one with the most recent Date and time at folder  C:\AdwCleaner\Logs

Keep me advised.

Sincerely,

Maurice

[Maurice Naggar]

Hello @BUSH_MAN_JOE   

I very much would like to know the current status of things.   Please advise.

Thank you.

[Maurice Naggar]

Hi.

I got your Adwcleaner report.   It is a worthwhile run since it removed 2 traces of browser search hijacks

Deleted       mystartsearch
Deleted       search.babylon.com

 

As we go forward, please just attach the reports here on this forum topic.

 

Next suggested tip is to do a new scan.

I would like you to do a new scan with Malwarebytes for Windows.  One of the major goals here is to have it remove all that it detects.  If it finds anything that is.

Start Malwarebytes from the Windows  Start menu.

Click Settings ( gear icon)   at the top right of Malwarebytes window.   We want to see the SETTINGS window.

Then click the Security tab.   Look for the section "Automatic Quarantine".   Be sure it is clicked On   ( to the far right side)

 

Then scroll down to the section Potentially Unwanted items.   We need the next 2 lines   ( for P U P  & for P U  M)  to be set to "Always ( Recommended) ".

You can make the change by clicking on the down-arrow selection list-control.   We want all P U P  &  P U M to be marked for removal.

 

Next, click the small x on the Settings line   to go to the main Malwarebytes Window.

Next click the blue button marked Scan.

When the scan phase is done, be real sure you Review and have all detected lines items check-marked on each line on the left. That too is very critical.

You can actualy click the topmost left  check-box  on the very top line to get ALL lines  ticked   ( all selected).

 

Then click on Quarantine selected.

Then, locate the Scan run report;  export out a copy;  & then attach in with your  reply.

See https://support.malwarebytes.com/hc/en-us/articles/360038479194-View-Reports-and-History-in-Malwarebytes-for-Windows-v4

[BUSH_MAN_JOE]

Malwarebytes REPORT.txt

[Maurice Naggar]

Thank you for the scan report from Malwarebytes for Windows.  This scan result is excellent.

I believe this system is good to go.

SecurityCheck by glax24    

I would like you to run a tool named SecurityCheck to inquire on the current-security-update  status  of some applications.
Download SecurityCheck by glax24 from here  
and save the tool on the desktop.

If Windows's  SmartScreen block that with a message-window, then
Click on the MORE INFO spot and over-ride that and allow it to proceed.
This tool is safe.   Smartscreen is overly sensitive.

Right-click  with your mouse on the Securitycheck.exe  and select "Run as administrator"   and reply YES to allow to run & go forward
Wait for the scan to finish. It will open in a text file named SecurityType.txt. Close the file.  Attach it with your next reply.
You can find this file in a folder called SecurityCheck, C:\SecurityCheck\SecurityCheck.txt
 

[BUSH_MAN_JOE]

SecurityCheck.txt

[Maurice Naggar]

The repot has highlighted some apps that need to be checked for program updates  / security patches.

WinRAR 5.71 (64-bit) v.5.71.0 Warning! Download Update

 

JDownloader 2 v.2.0 Warning! Suspected Adware! If this program is not familiar to you it is recommended to uninstall it

 

Google Toolbar for Internet Explorer v.1.0.0 << Hidden Warning! Browser's toolbar. It can slow down the working of your browser and have violation privacy problems.

.

I am glad to have helped.

We can wrap up this case.  What follows is a cleanup on the tools used.

To remove the FRST  tool & its work files, do this.  Go to your Downloads folder.  Do a RIGHT-click on FRSTENGLISH.exe & select RENAME & then change it to UNINSTALL.exe .
Then run that ( double click on it)  to begin the cleanup process.

 

Delete the mb-support-1.6.1.784.exe 

Delete the mbst-grab-results.zip   on the Desktop

 

Adwcleaner you may keep and use on-demand to scan for adwares.

Any other file I had you download, you may delete.

,

 

Backup is your best friend.  Keep backups of your system on a regular basis to offline storage & keep those safe. https://forums.malwarebytes.com/topic/136226-backup-software/

It is not enough to just have a security program installed. Each pc user needs to practice daily safe computer and internet use.

Best  practices & malware prevention:
Follow best practices when browsing the Internet, especially on opening links coming from untrusted sources.
First rule of internet safety: slow down & think before you "click".
Never click links without first hovering your mouse over the link and seeing if it is going to an odd address ( one that does not fit or is odd looking or has typos).

Free games & free programs are like "candy". We do not accept them from "strangers".

Never open attachments that come with unexpected ( out of the blue ) email no matter how enticing.
Never open attachments from the email itself. Do not double click in the email. Always Save first and then scan with antivirus program.

Pay close attention when installing 3rd-party programs. It is important that you pay attention to the license agreements and installation screens when installing anything off of the Internet. If an installation screen offers you Custom or Advanced installation options, it is a good idea to select these as they will typically disclose what other 3rd party software will also be installed.
Take great care in every stage of the process and every offer screen, and make sure you know what it is you're agreeing to before you click "Next".

Use a Standard user account rather than an administrator-rights account when "surfing" the web.
See more info on Corrine's SecurityGarden Blog http://securitygarden.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_7.html
Dont remove your current login. Just use the new Standard-user-level one for everyday use while on the internet.

 
Do a Windows Update.

Make certain that Automatic Updates is enabled.
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12373/windows-update-faq

Keep your system and programs up to date. Several programs release security updates on a regular basis to patch vulnerabilities. Keeping your software patched up prevents attackers from being able to exploit them to drop malware.

For other added tips, read "10 easy ways to prevent malware infection"

 

Stay safe.  I wish you all the best.   😎

Sincerely,

Maurice

[Maurice Naggar]

Glad we could help.

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