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Strange behavior from asuscertservice on virustotal


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Hello, I have been investigating a suspicious process in my task manager and was hoping to get an expert’s opinion.

On June 29th, asuscertservice.exe was installed onto my machine and set to run automatically. Since June 29th I have been having issues where windows freezes up for a few seconds 3-5 times a day. 

Googling the process has mixed results as to it’s legitimacy: different posts indicate it’s either a legitimate asus process, a root kit, or a keylogger. Scans with malwarebytes, windows defender, and adwarecleaner reveal nothing, HOWEVER when run through virustotal it’s behavior tab shows it connecting to some strange domains:

https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/4d3ea43c917a1e5f4f15cf221c9611478ad05ddbbe742bbc55b307ad5e38f8c5/relations

Why is an asus process connecting to live.login.com, a Microsoft website? What is this msidentity domain? If I google it, it appears to be related to phishing attacks?

My theory is this is a malicious process masquerading as a legitimate one, but I am hoping an expert can weigh in on this.

Thabk you very much for taking the time to read this.

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Thank you for your response. I am glad to hear it is probably legitimate though I am still confused why it is contacting these websites. I suppose we just aren’t meant to understand the arcane thought processes of hardware manufacturers haha

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  • Root Admin

We can scan the system and see if we can find anything wrong @Laddo_D

 

 

Please run the following steps and post back the logs as an attachment when ready.
Temporarily disable your antivirus or other security software first. Make sure to turn it back on once the scans are completed.
Temporarily disable Microsoft SmartScreen to download software below if needed. Make sure to turn it back on once the scans are completed.
If you still have trouble downloading the software please click on Reveal Hidden Contents below for examples of how to allow the download.

 

Spoiler
 
 
 
 

 

Spoiler

 

When downloading with some browsers you may see a different style of screens that may block FRST from downloading. The program is safe and used hundreds of times a week by many users.

Example of Microsoft Edge blocking the download

image.png

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image.png

 

 



STEP 01

  • If you already have Malwarebytes installed then open Malwarebytes and click on the Scan button. It will automatically check for updates and run a Threat Scan.
  • If you don't have Malwarebytes installed yet please download it from here and install it.
  • Once installed then open Malwarebytes and select Scan and let it run.
  • Once the scan is completed make sure you have it quarantine any detections it finds.
  • If no detections were found click on the Save results drop-down, then the Export to TXT  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 there were detections then once the quarantine has completed click on the View report button, Then click the Export drop-down, then the Export to TXT  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 the computer restarted to quarantine you can access the logs from the Detection History, then the History tab. Highlight the most recent scan and double-click to open it. Then click the Export drop-down, then the Export to TXT  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 in your next reply that the scanner would not run.

STEP 02

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

  • Double-click to run the program
  • Accept the End User License Agreement.
  • Wait until the database is updated.
  • Click Scan Now.
  • When finished, if items are found please click Quarantine.
  • Your PC should reboot now if any items were found.
  • After reboot, a log file will be opened. Attach or 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 each time
  • Please attach the Additions.txt log to your reply as well.
  • On your next reply, you should be attaching frst.txt and additions.txt to your post, every time.

 

Thanks

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Thank you for taking the extra time to check out these logs. I have attached every file I believe you have requested. Please let me know if I missed something.

I should note, adwcleaner did not restart the machine and did not automatically open a log file. I found AdwCleaner[S06].txt in C:\AdwCleaner\Logs. I hope it is the correct file

malwarebytes.txt AdwCleaner[S06].txt FRST.txt Addition.txt

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  • Root Admin

It looks like some Asus programs are faulting. We can remove the service if  you like and see if the system works okay for you. For the most part most of the software from Asus shouldn't really be needed for the computer to still work well.

No signs of an infection.

 

 

Error: (07/02/2021 07:31:12 AM) (Source: Application Error) (EventID: 1000) (User: )
Description: Faulting application name: ArmourySwAgent.exe, version: 1.0.0.12, time stamp: 0x5ed9f3e6
Faulting module name: KERNELBASE.dll, version: 10.0.19041.1023, time stamp: 0xcbf6f7d1
Exception code: 0xc000041d
Fault offset: 0x0012a6f2
Faulting process id: 0x68f0
Faulting application start time: 0x01d76f49388c6981
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\ASUS\ArmouryDevice\dll\SwAgent\ArmourySwAgent.exe
Faulting module path: C:\WINDOWS\System32\KERNELBASE.dll
Report Id: 60dace2e-0481-4d1f-ba06-376fa032352c
Faulting package full name:
Faulting package-relative application ID:

Error: (07/02/2021 07:31:11 AM) (Source: Application Error) (EventID: 1000) (User: )
Description: Faulting application name: ArmourySwAgent.exe, version: 1.0.0.12, time stamp: 0x5ed9f3e6
Faulting module name: KERNELBASE.dll, version: 10.0.19041.1023, time stamp: 0xcbf6f7d1
Exception code: 0xc0020001
Fault offset: 0x0012a6f2
Faulting process id: 0x68f0
Faulting application start time: 0x01d76f49388c6981
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\ASUS\ArmouryDevice\dll\SwAgent\ArmourySwAgent.exe
Faulting module path: C:\WINDOWS\System32\KERNELBASE.dll
Report Id: 0584eff9-eec7-4cca-825c-0b7423ee883a
Faulting package full name:
Faulting package-relative application ID:


System errors:
=============
Error: (07/01/2021 03:48:42 PM) (Source: Service Control Manager) (EventID: 7034) (User: )
Description: The AsusCertService service terminated unexpectedly.  It has done this 1 time(s).

 

Let me know if you'd like to stop asuscertservice from running on the system.

 

 

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Thank you for the offer, but I believe I have resolved the issue via my own troubleshooting. I had enabled Windows Defender periodic scanning about an hour before the first freeze. I guess periodic scanning does not play as nicely with Malwarebytes Premium as much as Microsoft says it does. After turning periodic scanning off again 36 hours ago, the system has resumed normal behavior with no issues. I will resume my previous behavior of only running Windows Defender scans manually.

I do not wish to remove ASUS Armoury Crate as I have heard it is very finnicky, and often uninstalls improperly.

I think for now there are no further actions necessary. Thank you again for your assistance, it has been quite valuable

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

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.

Please review the following for Tips to help protect from infection

Thank you

 

 

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