What the Tech?! Free tech support Archive
This is a read-only archive. No new posts or registrations. Privacy Page
Spyware / Malware / Virus Removal

[Closed] Browser Redirect Malware

1 min read

This thread's last reply is from . Advice, software, and links below may be out of date — treat specific steps and download links with caution.

Looking for the outcome? Ask AI

Post #1
BACKGROUND: Hello, I am experiencing the dreaded browser redirect malware. I have spent two days searching through forums to find a solution with no luck.

Symptoms:
1. When clicking on search results: Browser redirects to another site (Happens in Google and Yahoo, Firefox and IE8, intermittently)
2. Redirect sites include:
  • cowsurvey.com
  • whitepages.com
  • 7search.com
  • and many more…
3. My taskbar and icons do not appear on startup. (This may be a separate issue, but could be related to this issue) (I have to restart Explorer.exe or the Themes service)




Here is what I have tried so Far
(I have also changed the names of the programs so the malware does not detect it):
1. Ran NOD32 full scan - None Found
2. Ran Malwarebytes - 1st scan had some DNS changer entries that were deleted
3. Ran ComboFix
4. Ran Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - None Found
5. Ran Kaspersky online scanner - None Found
6. Ran SuperAntiSpyware - None Found
7. Ran Malwarebytes - 2nd Scan - None Found


After running ComboFix, symptoms seem to stop temporarily. But that may be wishful thinking.





Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 8:46:51 PM, on 4/18/2009
Platform: Windows XP SP3 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.6001.18702)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXBCES.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXPPS.EXE
C:\Program Files\ESET\ESET NOD32 Antivirus\ekrn.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\ESET\ESET NOD32 Antivirus\egui.exe
C:\Program Files\PeerGuardian2\pg2.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\Program Files\SRS Labs\Audio Sandbox\SRSSSC.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\wscntfy.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe
C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe
C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\notepad.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\notepad.exe

R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157
O1 - Hosts file is located at: C:\WINDOWS\System32\drivers\etc\hosts
O2 - BHO: ContributeBHO Class - {074C1DC5-9320-4A9A-947D-C042949C6216} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\/Adobe Contribute CS4/contributeieplugin.dll
O2 - BHO: Groove GFS Browser Helper - {72853161-30C5-4D22-B7F9-0BBC1D38A37E} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~4\Office12\GRA8E1~1.DLL
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_03\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Conversion Toolbar Helper - {AE7CD045-E861-484f-8273-0445EE161910} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEFavClient.dll
O2 - BHO: SmartSelect - {F4971EE7-DAA0-4053-9964-665D8EE6A077} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEFavClient.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Adobe PDF - {47833539-D0C5-4125-9FA8-0819E2EAAC93} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEFavClient.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Contribute Toolbar - {517BDDE4-E3A7-4570-B21E-2B52B6139FC7} - C:\Program Files\Adobe\/Adobe Contribute CS4/contributeieplugin.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [egui] "C:\Program Files\ESET\ESET NOD32 Antivirus\egui.exe" /hide /waitservice
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe Acrobat Speed Launcher] "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 9.0\Acrobat\Acrobat_sl.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [PeerGuardian] C:\Program Files\PeerGuardian2\pg2.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [SRS Audio Sandbox] "C:\Program Files\SRS Labs\Audio Sandbox\SRSSSC.exe" /hideme
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [SUPERAntiSpyware] C:\Program Files\SUPERAntiSpyware\SUPERAntiSpyware.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: Append Link Target to Existing PDF - res://C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEFavClient.dll/AcroIEAppendSelLinks.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Append to Existing PDF - res://C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEFavClient.dll/AcroIEAppend.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Convert Link Target to Adobe PDF - res://C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEFavClient.dll/AcroIECaptureSelLinks.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: Convert to Adobe PDF - res://C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEFavClient.dll/AcroIECapture.html
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~4\Office12\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: Send to OneNote - {2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~4\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: S&end to OneNote - {2670000A-7350-4f3c-8081-5663EE0C6C49} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~4\Office12\ONBttnIE.dll
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~4\Office12\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\shdocvw.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\shdocvw.dll
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/…b?1239155786750
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{0BB51216-B2F3-4324-A8B8-49BBB62BB969}: NameServer = 208.67.222.222,208.67.220.220
O17 - HKLM\System\CS1\Services\Tcpip\..\{0BB51216-B2F3-4324-A8B8-49BBB62BB969}: NameServer = 208.67.222.222,208.67.220.220
O17 - HKLM\System\CS2\Services\Tcpip\..\{0BB51216-B2F3-4324-A8B8-49BBB62BB969}: NameServer = 208.67.222.222,208.67.220.220
O18 - Protocol: grooveLocalGWS - {88FED34C-F0CA-4636-A375-3CB6248B04CD} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~4\Office12\GR99D3~1.DLL
O20 - Winlogon Notify: !SASWinLogon - C:\Program Files\SUPERAntiSpyware\SASWINLO.dll
O23 - Service: Adobe Version Cue CS4 - Adobe Systems Incorporated - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Adobe Version Cue CS4\Server\bin\VersionCueCS4.exe
O23 - Service: ESET HTTP Server (EhttpSrv) - ESET - C:\Program Files\ESET\ESET NOD32 Antivirus\EHttpSrv.exe
O23 - Service: ESET Service (ekrn) - ESET - C:\Program Files\ESET\ESET NOD32 Antivirus\ekrn.exe
O23 - Service: FLEXnet Licensing Service - Acresso Software Inc. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Macrovision Shared\FLEXnet Publisher\FNPLicensingService.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\11\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: LexBce Server (LexBceS) - Lexmark International, Inc. - C:\WINDOWS\system32\LEXBCES.EXE
O23 - Service: Linksys Updater (LinksysUpdater) - Unknown owner - C:\Program Files\Linksys\Linksys Updater\bin\LinksysUpdater.exe
O23 - Service: Intel NCS NetService (NetSvc) - Intel® Corporation - C:\Program Files\Intel\NCS\Sync\NetSvc.exe

–
End of file - 6452 bytes
Post #2
Hi mcorrea,

:welcome:

My name is Tomk. I would be glad to take a look at your log and help you with solving any malware problems. HijackThis logs can take a while to research, so please be patient and I'd be grateful if you would note the following:

  • I will be working on your Malware issues, this may or may not, solve other issues you have with your machine.
  • The fixes are specific to your problem and should only be used for the issues on this machine.
  • Please continue to review my answers until I tell you your machine appears to be clear. Absence of symptoms does not mean that everything is clear.
  • It's often worth reading through these instructions and printing them for ease of reference.
  • If you don't know or understand something, please don't hesitate to say or ask!! It's better to be sure and safe than sorry.
  • Please reply to this thread. Do not start a new topic.

  • Download OTListIt2 to your desktop.
  • Double click on the icon to run it. Make sure all other windows are closed and to let it run uninterrupted.
  • Check the boxes beside LOP Check and Purity Check.
  • Click the Run Scan button. Do not change any settings unless otherwise told to do so. The scan wont take long.
  • When the scan completes, it will open two notepad windows. OTListIt.Txt and Extras.Txt. These are saved in the same location as OTListIt2.
  • Please copy (Edit->Select All, Edit->Copy) the contents of these files, one at a time, and post it with your next reply. You may need two posts to fit them all in.

Ask AI

AI can make mistakes. Check the cited posts. Archived advice can be out-of-date

Don't include personal information. Questions and selected public posts go to OpenAI. About Ask AI