System 32 Pop-Ups & Looker Extension Autorun

[MalwareDummy100]

System 32 on my Windows desktop keeps occasionally popping up followed by Google Chrome, the main browser I use, being closed forcefully. After that, Google Chrome reopens and a new extension is added to the browser by the name of "Looker", which redirects my browser searches to Bing and attempts to generate adware pop-ups. I was able to remove the extension from Chrome, but the thing is that it keeps getting added back and generates adware pop-ups.

The free trial of Malwarebytes that I have on the computer is able to prevent these adware pop-ups from afflicting browsing, but the Looker extension keeps coming back even after it is removed and my other extensions (Adblocker, Malwarebyte Guard) are also removed briefly by Looker.

I figured something else might be causing it and searched up a way to remove it. I found that there was also a fraudulent task in my Task Manager called "Energy" or "Energy Ltd" and removed it. Thinking that solved the problem, I was shocked when I saw Looker appear once again after System 32 briefly popped up, forcefully shut down Google Chrome, and reopened it with the Looker extension. I encountered a forum post where a user had a similar problem and a helper on the forum recommended Autorun to get rid of the pop-up through System 32 with a download link for convenience.

However, I am not sure what to do through Autorun to get rid of System 32 and in need of clarification. What do I remove, if any, of System 32 after searching up cmd in the search filter? Just for the sake of making sure I don't delete anything important and essential to the function of the device I am using, I am asking here. This is the link on Microsoft's website where I got the Autorun from with the download link and steps. I want to make sure I'm not deleting anything important that could prevent the safe running of the device I am using on Windows 10.

[MalwareDummy100]

For further clarification, when I typed cmd in the Autorun application, I saw four results besides cmd.exe itself. I saw Delete Cached Standalone Update Binary, Delete Cached Update Binary, and two uninstall files. I am not sure if I should delete the four results or if I should do something else.

[AdvancedSetup]

Good day, @MalwareDummy100

Malwarebytes should be able to remove it, but if not we'll help you with manually removing the infection. Please do the following. Make sure that you open Malwarebytes, Settings, General and check for program updates first.

 

 

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

 

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

[MalwareDummy100]

AdwCleaner Log Contents

# -------------------------------

# Malwarebytes AdwCleaner 8.3.2.0

# -------------------------------

# Build:    03-23-2022

# Database: 2022-06-24.1 (Cloud)

# Support:  https://www.malwarebytes.com/support

#

# -------------------------------

# Mode: Scan

# -------------------------------

# Start:    07-19-2022

# Duration: 00:00:32

# OS:       Windows 10 Home

# Scanned:  32060

# Detected: 0

 

***** [ Services ] *****

 

No malicious services found.

 

***** [ Folders ] *****

 

No malicious folders found.

 

***** [ Files ] *****

 

No malicious files found.

 

***** [ DLL ] *****

 

No malicious DLLs found.

 

***** [ WMI ] *****

 

No malicious WMI found.

 

***** [ Shortcuts ] *****

 

No malicious shortcuts found.

 

***** [ Tasks ] *****

 

No malicious tasks found.

 

***** [ Registry ] *****

 

No malicious registry entries found.

 

***** [ Chromium (and derivatives) ] *****

 

No malicious Chromium entries found.

 

***** [ Chromium URLs ] *****

 

No malicious Chromium URLs found.

 

***** [ Firefox (and derivatives) ] *****

 

No malicious Firefox entries found.

 

***** [ Firefox URLs ] *****

 

No malicious Firefox URLs found.

 

***** [ Hosts File Entries ] *****

 

No malicious hosts file entries found.

 

***** [ Preinstalled Software ] *****

 

No Preinstalled Software found.

 

########## EOF - C:\AdwCleaner\Logs\AdwCleaner[S00].txt ##########

 

The FRST and Addition files are attached here too:
FRST.txt

Addition.txt

Edited July 20, 2022 by AdvancedSetup
Corrected font issue

[MalwareDummy100]

The Malwarebytes results exported log, @AdvancedSetup

Malware Results July 19.txt

[AdvancedSetup]

Ran by gonhu (ATTENTION: The user is not administrator)

1. Please restart the computer and then log in with an account that has Admin rights
2. Run the Farbar program again and click on the Scan button and get both new logs.
3. Please do not copy and paste logs. Please attach all logs unless otherwise requested

 

Thanks

 

[MalwareDummy100]

@AdvancedSetup FarBar Logs Scan:

 

 

FRST.txt Addition.txt

[AdvancedSetup]

Thank you for the logs, @MalwareDummy100

 

Your DNS Servers: 192.168.1.254

Please consider changing your default DNS Server settings. Please choose one provider only

DNS is what lets users connect to websites using domain names instead of IP addresses

• Google Public DNS: IPv4   8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4   IPv6   2001:4860:4860::8888 and 2001:4860:4860::8844
• Cloudflare: IPv4   1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1   IPv6   2606:4700:4700::1111 and 2606:4700:4700::1001
• OpenDNS: IPv4   208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220  IPv6  2620:119:35::35 and 2620:119:53::53
• DNSWATCH: IPv4   84.200.69.80 and 84.200.70.40   IPv6  2001:1608:10:25::1c04:b12f and 2001:1608:10:25::9249:d69b

The Ultimate Guide to Changing Your DNS Server
https://www.howtogeek.com/167533/the-ultimate-guide-to-changing-your-dns-server/

Here is a YouTube video on Changing DNS settings if needed

 

 

Please run the following fix below, once it has been completed, attach the file FIXLOG.TXT to your next reply.

 

Please download the attached fixlist.txt file and save it to the Desktop or location where you ran Farbar from.
NOTE. It's important that both files, FRST or FRST64, and fixlist.txt are in the same location or the fix will not work.

Please make sure you disable any real-time antivirus or security software before running this script. Once completed, make sure you re-enable it.

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 that cannot be undone.

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) or wherever you ran FRST from. 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.

NOTE-1:  This fix will run a scan to check that all Microsoft operating system files are valid and not corrupt and attempt to correct any invalid files. It will also run a disk check on the restart to ensure disk integrity. Depending on the speed of your computer this fix may take 30 minutes or more.

NOTE-2: As part of this fix all temporary files will be removed. If you have any open web pages that have not been bookmarked please make sure you bookmark them now as all open applications will be automatically closed. Also, make sure you know the passwords for all websites as cookies will also be removed. The use of an external password manager is highly recommended instead of using your browser to store passwords.

NOTE-3: As part of this fix it will also reset the network to default settings including the firewall. If you have custom firewall rules you need to save please export or save them first before running this fix.

The following directories are emptied:

• Windows Temp
• Users Temp folders
• Edge, IE, FF, Chrome, and Opera caches, HTML5 storages, Cookies and History
• Recently opened files cache
• Discord cache
• Java cache
• Steam HTML cache
• Explorer thumbnail and icon cache
• BITS transfer queue (qmgr*.dat files)
• Recycle Bin

Important: items are permanently deleted. They are not moved to quarantine. If you have any questions or concerns please ask before running this fix.

The system will be rebooted after the fix has run.

fixlist.txt

Thanks

 

[MalwareDummy100]

Alright. I have a question, @AdvancedSetup, how do I disable any real-time antivirus or security software like Malwarebytes before I do the steps in the post? I close it, but it is not disabled. I also ran the administrator check recently and found malware using Malwarebytes. I will send the logs here.

Malwarebytes Log Quarantine.txt

[AdvancedSetup]

You should not need to exit Malwarebytes, but it's okay. If you're not running 3rd party Antivirus such as McAfee, Norton, etc. then simply run the fix above as posted.

Thanks @MalwareDummy100

 

[AdvancedSetup]

Have you been able to run the FIX @MalwareDummy100

 

[MalwareDummy100]

@AdvancedSetupYes, I ran the Fix, here is the log:

Fixlog.txt

[AdvancedSetup]

Great, that was a good run. Let me have you run the following now.

 

Microsoft Safety Scanner

Please make sure you Exit out of any other program you might have open so that the sole task is to run the following scan.   
That goes especially for web browsers, make sure all are fully exited out of and messenger programs are exited and closed as well
 

STEP 1

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

STEP 2

I suggest a new scan for viruses & other malware. This may take several hours, depending on the number of files on the system and the speed of the computer.

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 the Scan Options & select the FULL scan.

Then start the scan. Have lots of patience. It may take several hours.

• 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 the screen display.  The only things that count are the End result at the end of the run.
• The scan will take several hours.  Leave it alone. It will remove any other remaining threats as it goes along.  Take a very long break, do your normal personal errands .....just do not use the computer during this scan.

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

The log is named MSERT.log  and the log will be at C:\Windows\debug\msert.log

Please attach that log with your next reply.

 

 

It is normal for the Microsoft Safety Scanner to show detections during the scan process. It is scanning for basically all bread crumbs or traces of files and registry entries that "might" be or have been part of some infection or previous infection.

That DOES NOT mean the computer is infected. Once the scan has been completed it uploads the log to their Cloud service which then uses Artificial Intelligence to determine if in fact any of the traces are an infection or not.

Then it writes into the log on your computer what it found.

 

 

[MalwareDummy100]

MSERT Log:msert.log @AdvancedSetup

 

[AdvancedSetup]

Results Summary:
----------------
No infection found.

 

That's good news.  @MalwareDummy100

How is the computer running now?

Are there still any signs of an infection?

 

[MalwareDummy100]

It's running fine, and there are no signs of infection so far. System 32 is not popping up randomly and Google Chrome has not closed itself forcefully/no Looker extensionis there anymore, @AdvancedSetup.

[AdvancedSetup]

Excellent, glad to hear all is well again.

 

Let's go ahead and do some clean-up work and remove the tools and logs we've run.

Please download KpRm by kernel-panik and save it to your desktop.

• right-click kprm_(version).exe and select Run as Administrator.
• Read and accept the disclaimer.
• When the tool opens, ensure all boxes under Actions are checked.
• Under Delete Quarantines select Delete Now, then click Run.
• Once complete, click OK.
• A log will open in Notepad titled kprm-(date).txt.
• Please attach that file to your next reply. (not compulsory)

 

1. Recommend using a Password Manager for all websites, etc. that require a password. Never use the same password on more than one site.
   https://www.howtogeek.com/240255/password-managers-compared-lastpass-vs-keepass-vs-dashlane-vs-1password/
2. Make sure you're backing up your files https://forums.malwarebytes.com/topic/136226-backup-software/
3. Keep all software up to date - PatchMyPC - https://patchmypc.com/home-updater#download
4. Keep your Operating System up to date and current at all times - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-update-faq-8a903416-6f45-0718-f5c7-375e92dddeb2
5. Further tips to help protect your computer data and improve your privacy: https://forums.malwarebytes.com/topic/258363-tips-to-help-protect-from-infection/ 
6. Please consider installing the following Content Blockers for your Web browsers if you haven't done so already. This will help improve overall security

Malwarebytes Browser Guard

•   Google Chrome: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/malwarebytes-browser-guar/ihcjicgdanjaechkgeegckofjjedodee
•   Microsoft Edge: https://support.malwarebytes.com/hc/en-us/articles/4413298736787-Install-Malwarebytes-Browser-Guard-on-Microsoft-Edge-browser
•   Mozilla Firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/malwarebytes/

uBlock Origin

• Google Chrome: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ublock-origin/cjpalhdlnbpafiamejdnhcphjbkeiagm 
• Microsoft Edge: https://microsoftedge.microsoft.com/addons/detail/ublock-origin/odfafepnkmbhccpbejgmiehpchacaeak 
• Mozilla Firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/ublock-origin

 

Further reading if you like to keep up on the malware threat scene: Malwarebytes Blog  https://blog.malwarebytes.com/

Hopefully, we've been able to assist you with correcting your system issues.

Thank you for using Malwarebytes

 

[MalwareDummy100]

kprm log: kprm-20220721165005.txt

[AdvancedSetup]

Great, all looks good. You should be all set now.

You may want to consider resetting some of your main passwords and store in a password manager, just in case.

Take and have a great weekend and stay safe out there.

Cheers

 

[AdvancedSetup]

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 to help you better protect your computer and privacy Tips to help protect from infection

Thank you