Trojan?

[Janek]

Hello,

Few days earlier Avast prompted me about blocked URL:Malvertising (ak.phumpauk.com, tombmeaning.com, prevailinsolence.com and others) and URLBlacklist (continentofyourhealth.com). I wanted to double check on that and downloaded Malwarebytes. It did not find anything, but the next day it started blocking a outcoming Trojan (pasophers.com). I reinstalled Firefox, but the problem persisted. I then checked the forum, downloaded adwcleaner and FRST. The adwcleaner found something and quarantined it. I attach logs from Malwarebytes, adwcleaner and FRST.

Please explain what could have happened, is it dangerous, and what should I do next. Your help is very appreciated and thanked.

Addition.txt AdwCleaner[C00].txt FRST.txt malwarebytes log.txt

[AdvancedSetup]

Hello  and       @Janek

 

My screen name is AdvancedSetup and I will assist you with your system issues.
 

Let's keep these principles as we proceed. Make sure to read the entire post below first.

• Please follow all steps in the provided order and post back all requested logs
• Please attach all log files to your post, unless otherwise requested
• Temporarily disable your antivirus or other security software first. Make sure to turn it back on once the scans have been completed.
• Temporarily disable Microsoft SmartScreen to download the software below if needed. Make sure to turn it back on once the scans are completed.
• Searching, detecting, and removing malware isn't instantaneous and there is no guarantee to repair every system.
• Before we start, please make sure that you have an external backup, not connected to this system, of all private data.
• Do not run online games while the case is ongoing. Do not do any free-wheeling or risky web-surfing.
• Only run the tools I guide you to use. Please don't run any other scans, download, install or uninstall any programs while I'm working with you.
• Cracked, Hacked, or Pirated programs are not only illegal but also can make a computer a malware victim. Having such programs installed is the easiest way to get infected. It is the leading cause of ransomware encryption. It is at times also a big source of current Trojan infections. If there are any on the system you should uninstall them before we proceed.
• Please be patient and stick with me until I give you the "all clear". We don't want to waste your time, please don't waste ours.
• If your system is running Discord, please be sure to Exit it while this case is ongoing.

 

[ 1 ]

Please go to Control Panel, Programs, Programs and Features, Uninstall a program

Then right-click and uninstall the following

• CCleaner
• Java 8 Update 301 (64-bit)
   

 

[ 2 ]

Please temporarily disable the real-time protection of Avast antivirus and run the following fix.

 

NOTE: Please read all of the information below before running this fix.

• 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.

Once the fix has been completed, please attach the file FIXLOG.TXT to your next reply

Farbar program:   FRST64.exe

Save the attached file:  FIXLIST.TXT to this folder C:\Users\SuAi\Downloads\

NOTE. It's important that both files, FRST64.exe, 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.

 

 

Run the Farbar program with Admin rights and press the Fix button just once and wait.

The fix may possibly take up to 60 minutes to complete

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 named Fixlog.txt in the same folder you ran the Farbar program from. Please attach that log on your next reply.

 

1. NOTE:  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.
2. NOTE: 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 may be automatically closed. Also, make sure you know the passwords for all websites as cookies will also be removed in most, but not all cases.
3. NOTE: 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

 

[Janek]

Hello again, AdvancedSetup,

Thank you so much for a fast reply and your help. Please find the log attached.

Fixlog.txt

[Janek]

The Malwarebytes still prompts with the Trojan alert though.

[AdvancedSetup]

Thank you for the log @Janek That looks pretty good.

Please run the following

 

Please run the following ESET Online Scanner and perform a Full Scan

 

Click the following link to save the installer for ESET Online Scanner

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 started. 
• When presented with the initial ESET screen, click on "Get Started". Read and accept the Terms of use
• On the "Before we start..." screen chose if you want to send anonymous data and if you want to provide feedback or not, then click Continue
• When prompted for scan type, Click on the Full Scan button
• Enable  ( select )   the radio selection "Enable ESET to detect and quarantine potentially unwanted applications"   and click the Start scan button.
• Have patience.  The entire process may take a few hours or more.
• 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 and give it a name and location you remember.
• If something was removed and you know it is a false postive, you may click on the blue ”Restore cleaned files”  ( in blue, at the bottom).
• Press Continue when all done.  You should click to turn off the offer for “periodic scanning”.
• Enable "Delete application data on closing" - You do not need to submit feedback unless you want to. Simply ignore and close the program.

 

Note: If you do need to do a File Restore from ESET please follow the directions below

[KB2915] Restore files quarantined by the ESET Online Scanner version 3

https://support.eset.com/en/kb2915-restore-files-quarantined-by-the-eset-online-scanner

 

Please attach the ESET scan log you saved at the end to your next reply

 

[Janek]

Hello, Thank you for your help, below - the log from eset. Seems it only flagged the Avast Browser installation file (I did not install). THanks

eset.txt

[AdvancedSetup]

Thank you @Janek

Please run the following scanner

 

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.

 

Thank you

 

[Janek]

Hi, the msert.log attached below, thank you very much. I still get the prompt from Malwarebytes (see the attached picture).

msert.log

[Janek]

What the prompt says is that "the site is blocked because of Trojan." The pansophers.com appears in the address bar, but I didn't enter this site previously.

[AdvancedSetup]

Thanks @Janek

The alert indicates this is some file or setting in Firefox.

Please go through all your settings in Firefox and try to locate anything that is not valid for you.

Clear your cache, cookies, and possibly history if you cannot find the setting

 

[Janek]

Hi, @AdvancedSetup, I cleared all history, bookmarks, cache etc. in Firefox, however when I type "p" in the address bar, it would still suggest the address pansophers.com. Strange. I checked the Firefox settings but did not find anything that caught my attention such as exceptions I did not add, or some suspicious add-ons. So, I uninstalled Firefox altogether, and switched to Chrome, the Malwarebytes prompt does not pop up anymore, nor does Avast prompts show up. 

[AdvancedSetup]

You don't need to uninstall Firefox. In fact I'd recommend it over the other browsers. They have their own quirks too.

Reinstall Firefox and I'll help you get it clean up if needed.

@Janek

 

[AdvancedSetup]

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Tips to help protect from infection

Thanks