suspect infection after uTorrent use - slow pc

[ard22]

So last week I decided to download uTorrent because I needed it for some downloads. Afterwards, my entire pc was slowed down. I did a malwarebytes check and it told me that uTorrent was the problem. I uninstalled uTorrent and everything that I had downloaded with it. Nonetheless, is my PC still extremely slow and it doesn't show anything in task manager. New tests don't detect any malware and I can't figure out what the problem is, and how this could be solves. I also find it weird that there is hardly any hate on uTorrent while it is so bad for your PC. 

The issues I am talking about are just that (I'm guessing) my CPU is damaged. In games I get less than half of my normal fps, and after doing a user benchmark I found out that my CPU is really really bad. I am willing to reset my entire PC if that is needed.

I really wish that someone can help me out with this issue and I look forward to an answer!

[Maurice Naggar]

Hello.      

My name is Maurice.  I will guide you.  Use of "torrents" to download files is risky. There are many dangers for unskilled users, and it is quite easy to get in trouble. Downloaded material often includes malicious code that could deliver malware or allow crooks to carry out other dangerous activities.
Given that your machine is a victim of such, I would urge you to uninstall uTorrent & any other "torrent" app. Let me know what name you prefer to go by.

I will guide you along on looking for potential malware. Lets keep these principles as we go along.

• Removing malware can be unpredictable
• ...things can go very wrong!
• Backup
• any files that cannot be replaced. You can copy them to a CD/DVD, external drive or a USB-storage drive or flash/thumb drive
• Please don't run any other scans, download, install or uninstall any programs while I'm working with you.
• Only run the tools I guide you to.
• Do not run online games while case is on-going. Do not do any free-wheeling web-surfing.
• The removal of malware isn't instantaneous, please be patient.
• Please stick with me until I give you the "all clear".

Your topic will be closed if you haven't replied within 4 days!
If I have not replied to your last post after 36 hours, please then send me a P M.

 

The first thing I need is to get a set of reports & logs.

 

That is the first step.  I will then review and use that to guide us along.

Please  set File Explorer to SHOW ALL folders, all files, including Hidden ones.  Use OPTION ONE or TWO of this article

https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/7078-turn-off-show-all-folders-windows-10-navigation-pane.html

 [   2    ]

I would like a report set for review.   This is a report only.

Please download MALWAREBYRES MBST Support Tool

Once you start it click Advanced >>> then   Gather Logs

 Have patience till the run has finished.

Upload an archive once it is done. Attach the mbst-grab-results.zip from the Desktop.

 

• Please attach  mbst-grab-results.zip    to your reply , like displayed here.

To send  ( upload)   attachments please click the "ADD Files"  link . Then browse to where your file is located and select it and click the Open button.

 

 

The set of data from the report will provide much needed information.

Please always attach reports as we go along.

Cheers.

Edited February 5, 2022 by Maurice Naggar

[ard22]

Hi there! First of all, I want to thank you for the quick response. You can call me Ard while helping, and of course I am more than willing to follow these rules you have stated. Tommorow I will not be online, and I hope that that isn't a problem.

I have (as far as I know) all files related to torrents, and also the apps that had a connection with these torrents. Here is the report:  mbst-grab-results.zip

I want to once again thank you for your time, and I hope you can find a solution!

[Maurice Naggar]

Thank you for the report. You should uninstall Java 8 Update 291, there are two versions of it here. Uninstall both.  you likely do not need Java at all. Understand that Java is not needed by Windows O.S. These are insecure versions. The latest release is Java 8 / build 321. 
^
There is a "Armoury" app that is aborting, likely causing some of the slow-ness you report.

Error: (02/05/2022 11:52:59 PM) (Source: Application Error) (EventID: 1000) (User: )
Description: Faulting application name: ArmourySocketServer.exe, version: 0.0.5.33, time stamp: 0x6079633a
Faulting module name: ArmourySocketServer.exe, version: 0.0.5.33, time stamp: 0x6079633a
Exception code: 0xc000041d
Fault offset: 0x000000000001894b
Faulting process id: 0x1878
Faulting application start time: 0x01d81acf8da90e06
Faulting application path: C:\Program Files (x86)\ASUS\ArmouryDevice\dll\ArmourySocketServer\ArmourySocketServer.exe
Faulting module path: C:\Program Files (x86)\ASUS\ArmouryDevice\dll\ArmourySocketServer\ArmourySocketServer.exe
Report Id: 38063cc7-8ee1-4fc0-bb52-8c10abd2ac8b
Faulting package full name:
Faulting package-relative application ID:

^
What follows here are some first steps. The first is intended to help insure that Microsoft Defender antivirus is on. Start Malwarebytes. Click Settings ( gear ) icon. Next, lets make real sure that Malwarebytes does NOT register with Windows Security Center

Click the Security Tab. Scroll down to

"Windows Security Center"

Click the selection to the left  for the line "Always register Malwarebytes in the Windows Security Center".
{ We want that to be set as Off   .... be sure that line's  radio-button selection is all the way to the Left.  thanks. }

This will not affect any real-time protection of the Malwarebytes for Windows    😃.

Close Malwarebytes.

>

I would suggest that you do this next scan. This is a known respected tool. It will scan for viruses as well as for potentially unwanted applications.   ( P U A  or  P U P ).

I would suggest a free scan with the ESET Online Scanner.  This will be another check for viruses, other malware, adwares, & potentially unwanted applications.

Go to https://download.eset.com/com/eset/tools/online_scanner/latest/esetonlinescanner.exe

 

It will start a download of "esetonlinescanner.exe"

• Save the file to your system, such as the Downloads folder, or else to the Desktop.
• Go to the saved file, and double click it to get it started.

 

• When presented with the initial ESET options, click on "Computer Scan".
• Next, when prompted by Windows, allow it to start by clicking Yes
• When prompted for scan type, Click on Full scan

Look at & tick ( select ) the radio selection "Enable ESET to detect and quarantine potentially unwanted applications" and click on Start scan button.

• Have patience. The entire process may take an hour or more. There is an initial update download.

There is a progress window display. You may step away from machine &. Let it be.

You should ignore all prompts to get the ESET antivirus software program. ( e.g. their standard program). You do not need to buy or get or install anything else.

• When the scan is completed, if something was found, it will show a screen with the number of detected items. If so, click the button marked “View detected results”.
• Click The blue “Save scan log” to save the log.

If something was removed and you know it is a false finding, you may click on the blue ”Restore cleaned files” ( in blue, at bottom).

Press Continue when all done.

You should decline the offer for “periodic scanning”.   ( if offered)

Please make sure you attach the log report.   

[ard22]

Once again, thank you very much for the response.  I have followed all the steps and did the scan (which took about 5 hours actually, that shows how slow my pc is...) but couldn't save the logs. I could only get the results to my email, but I haven't recieved those yet (I did check whether I used the right emailadress). I didn't have any threats though.

[ard22]

I should mention that a friend of mine who knows a lot about computers, suspects it was either one of the games I downloaded. Maybe that makes it easier for you to find a solution? The games downloaded were Fifa 19 and Assasins Creed. I have learned my lesson... Won't download one of those ever again.

[Maurice Naggar]

Hello.  The Microsoft Safety Scanner is a free Microsoft stand-alone virus scanner that can be used to scan for & remove malware or potentially unwanted software from a system. 

The download links & the how-to-run-the tool are at this link at Microsoft 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/threat-protection/intelligence/safety-scanner-download

 

Look on Scan Options & select  FULL scan.

Then start the scan. Have lots of patience. Once you start the scan & you see it started, then leave it be.  

• Once you see it has started, take a long long break;  walk away.  Do not pay credence if you see some intermediate early flash messages on screen display.  The only things that count are the End result at the end of the run.
• Again, any on-screen display about repeat 'infection' is not to be relied on.  Ignore those.
• We only rely on the end result that is on the log-report-file.

 

This is likely to run for many hours   ( depending on number of files on your machine & the speed of hardware.)

The log is named MSERT.log  

the log will be at  

Windows\debug\msert.log

Please attach that log with your reply.   This step is not a cure-all.  We have much more work to do later.  Stick with me.

[ard22]

msert.log

There you go.

[Maurice Naggar]

Thank you for the MSERT report. The Microsoft Safety Scanner found "no infection".  Tell me, please, How is the pc situation today ?

[ard22]

Well, it don't think anything changed. It's still slow and the benchmark gives the same results. I haven't gamed yet, since that was one of the requirements, so I don't know how the PC would react there. While the last scan was running, I did at some point see that there were 2 infected files... But I guess those were later marked as normal?

[Maurice Naggar]

By the way, about what you "saw" on intermediate displays of the Microsoft Safety Scanner,  I would like you to review the remarks by AndyDavid about all that on this Microsoft community venue https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/326108/mar-1721-msert-detects-items-during-scan-but-at-en.html

Also, the post by EricYin of Microsoft  ( just below that section)

 if nothing reported in %SYSTEMROOT%\debug\msert.log, that means no infections.

It's only the final report that matters.  For the gory details, see  https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/forum/protect_scanner-protect_scanning-windows_10/what-is-wrong-with-the-microsoft-safety-scanner/27c95df9-7d49-4d02-b734-bcb16495cfc3?messageId=e199de56-9a50-4cc5-a37a-3a7f2708b093

See also https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/how-to-troubleshoot-an-error-when-you-run-the-microsoft-safety-scanner-6cd5faa1-f7b4-afd2-85c7-9bed02860f1c

 

 

[Maurice Naggar]

Let's check your system with another ( different ) antivirus scan tool.

Please download and run the following Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool 2020 and save it to your Desktop.

(Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool version 20.0.10.0 was released on November 9, 2021)

Download: Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool

• How to run a scan with Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool 2020

          https://support.kaspersky.com/15674

• How to run Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool 2020 in the advanced mode

          https://support.kaspersky.com/15680

• How to restore a file removed during Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool 2020 scan

          https://support.kaspersky.com/15681

 

Select the    Windows Key and R Key together, the "Run" box should open. Drag and Drop KVRT.exe into the Run Box. C:\Users\{your user name}\DESKTOP\KVRT.exe will now show in the run box. add -dontencrypt   Note the space between KVRT.exe and -dontencrypt C:\Users\{your user name}\DESKTOP\KVRT.exe -dontencrypt should now show in the Run box.   That addendum to the run command is very important, when the scan does eventually complete the resultant report is normally encrypted, with the extra command it is saved as a readable file. Reports are saved here C:\KVRT2020_Data\Reports and look similar to this report_20210123_113021.klr Right-click direct onto that report, select > open with > Notepad. Save that file and attach it to your reply. To start the scan select OK in the "Run" box. A EULA window will open, tick all confirmation boxes then select "Accept" In the new window select "Change Parameters" In the new window ensure all selection boxes are ticked, then select "OK" The scan should now start... When complete if entries are found there will be options, if "Cure" is offered leave as is. For any other options change to "Delete" then select "Continue" When complete, or if nothing was found select "Close" Attach the report information as previously instructed...   Thank you

[ard22]

After scanning for four hours, nothing was found I guess.

[Maurice Naggar]

This next is just a report to check on some Windows services  

Download   Farbar's Service Scanner utility

and Save to your Desktop.

Right-Click on fss.exe and select Run As Administrator.

Answer Yes to ok when prompted.

If your firewall then puts out a prompt, again, allow it to run.

Once FSS is on-screen, be sure the following items are check-marked:

• Internet Services
  Windows Firewall
  System Restore
  Security Center/Action Center
  Windows Update
  Windows Defender
  Other services

  

Click on "Scan".

It will create a log (FSS.txt) in the same directory the tool is run.   Please attach that file. 

[    2    ]

I would recommend getting a readout report as to update status of some key apps.

• Download SecurityCheck by glax24 from here  https://tools.safezone.cc/glax24/SecurityCheck/SecurityCheck.exe
• 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

[ard22]

FSS.txt

[ard22]

 

This is as far as I can get with running this check...

The "Goes check, please wait..." screen is only removable via task manager.

[Maurice Naggar]

Just go ahead and start the "SecurityCheck.exe" to begin running the tool. ( you have 2 copies of it. We only need one). So just see about running it. ( after this, I will have a custom script procedure for this pc. )

[Maurice Naggar]

If you just do not have luck to get it started, just let me know.

[ard22]

hey, so since you started helping me I have been getting this popup whenever I start my pc. Do you know why that is and how to fix it?

[ard22]

SecutiryCheck is still not able to run, the thing is that the screenshot that I sent is what happens when I click on running it. Any other way to run it?

[ard22]

Nevermind I fixed it. 

 

SecurityCheck.txt

[AdvancedSetup]

2 hours ago, ard22 said:

Nevermind I fixed it. 

 

What caused it to not run @ard22 - What did you do to fix it?

 

 

[ard22]

4 minutes ago, AdvancedSetup said:

What caused it to not run @ard22 - What did you do to fix it?

 

 

I basically restarted my pc :)

[Maurice Naggar]

Hello @ard22  

Very very cool. Ya, a Windows Restart can do real benefits. Thank you for the SecurityCheck report. Below are the apps that need your attention & follow-up. Having the latest security fixes is always a good security practice. Note it has 3 cautious notes at the end.

------------------------------ [ ArchAndFM ] ------------------------------
7-Zip 21.01 alpha (x64) v.21.01 alpha  Warning! Download Update
Uninstall old version and install new one.
WinRAR 6.02 (32-bit) v.6.02.0  Warning! Download Update
-------------------------- [ IMAndCollaborate ] ---------------------------
Discord v.1.0.9002  Warning! Download Update
Microsoft Teams v.1.4.00.29469  Warning! Download Update

---------------------------- [ UnwantedApps ] -----------------------------
Driver Easy 5.6.15 v.5.6.15  Warning! Suspected demo version of anti-spyware, driver updater or optimizer. If this program is not familiar to you it is recommended to uninstall it and execute PC scanning using Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. Possible you became a victim of fraud or social engineering. Computer experts no longer recommend this program.

Software Informer 1.5.1344.0  Warning! Application is distributed through the partnership programs and bundle assemblies. Uninstallation recommended. Possible you became a victim of fraud or social engineering.

Wondershare Helper Compact 2.6.0 v.2.6.0  Warning! Application is distributed through the partnership programs and bundle assemblies. Uninstallation recommended. Possible you became a victim of fraud or social engineering.

[ard22]

Okay so if I understand you correctly, I have to update those files that have a warning, and uninstall the "unwanted apps"? I don't want to do anything wrong here that's why I am making sure.