Solved COM Surrogate, powershell

[Wanderer]

Not sure when I was infected, but I first began noticing symptoms yesterday. I noticed a slowdown of my computer's speed. Like many recent posters, I saw Task Manager showing multiple instances of the COM Surrogate process that I was able to end with improvement in computer speed, but they would quickly pop back up again.

I downloaded two e-mail attachments (Word documents) from an website e-mail client, but when I tried to download another e-mail attachment later, I got a message saying that my security settings prevented the download of the attachment. I did not change any security settings. I tried downloading FRST per the instructions here but was unable, due to the security settings. I have not yet tried to manually change the IE security settings but could do that if that is the appropriate next step. I suspected those two Word files as the sources of infection. However, they came up clean on virustotal.com. I have also tried the ESET online scanner, but the popup scanner failed to load.

I also ran an Avast antivirus quickscan that detected and repaired two infections. After those repairs happened, I began noticing repeat messages saying that powershell is not working and asking to close it.

 

[Wanderer]

Thanks in advance for the assistance!

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Hello,



They call me TwinHeadedEagle around here, and I'll be working with you.



Before we start please read and note the following:

• At the top of your post, please click on the "Watch thread" button and make sure to check Watch this thread...and receive email notifications. This will send an email to you as soon as I reply to your topic, allowing me to solve your problem faster.
• Please do not install any new software during the cleaning process other than the tools I provide for you. This can hinder the cleaning process. Please do not perform System Restore or any other restore.
• Instructions I give to you are very simple and made for complete beginner to follow. That's why you need to read through my instructions carefully and completely before executing them.
• Please do not run any tools other than the ones I ask you to, when I ask you to. Some of these tools can be very dangerous if used improperly. Also, if you use a tool that I have not requested you use, it can cause false positives, thereby delaying the complete cleaning of your machine.
  
• All tools we use here are completely clean and do not contain any malware. If your antivirus detects them as malicious, please disable your antivirus and then continue.
• If during the process you run across anything that is not in my instructions, please stop and ask. If any tool is running too much time (few hours), please stop and inform me.
• I visit forum several times at day, making sure to respond to everyone's topic as fast as possible. But bear in mind that I have private life like everyone and I cannot be here 24/7. So please be patient with me. Also, some infections require less, and some more time to be removed completely, so bear this in mind and be patient.
• Please stay with me until the end of all steps and procedures and I declare your system clean. Just because there is a lack of symptoms does not indicate a clean machine. If you solved your problem yourself, set aside two minutes to let me know.
  
• Please attach all report using
  
  button below. Doing this, you make it easier for me to analyze and fix your problem.
  
• Do not ask for help for your business PC. Companies are making revenue via computers, so it is good thing to pay someone to repair it.
• If I don't hear from you within 3 days from this initial or any subsequent post, then this thread will be closed.

Scan with TDSSKiller

Please download TDSSKiller by Kaspersky and save it to your desktop.

• Right-click on
  
  icon and select
  
  Run as Administrator to start the tool.
• Click on Change parameters and put a checkmark beside Loaded modules. A reboot will be needed to apply the changes, allow it to do so.
• Your machine may appear very slow and unusable after that - it's normal.
• TDSSKiller will run automaticaly. Click on Change parameters and click OK.
• Click the Start Scan button and wait patiently.

If anything will be found follow this guidelines:

• If a suspicious object is detected, the default action will be Skip, click on Continue.
• If malicious objects are found, they will show in the Scan results - Select action for found objects and offer three options.
  Ensure Cure (default) is selected, then click Continue > Reboot now to finish the cleaning process.
  If Cure is not available, please choose Skip instead.
• Do not choose Delete unless instructed!

A report will be created in your root directory, (usually C:\ drive) in the form of TDSSKiller.[Version]_[Date]_[Time]_log.txt. Please include the contents of that file in your next post.

Scan with Farbar Recovery Scan Tool

Please download Farbar Recovery Scan Tool and save it to your desktop.

Note: You need to run the version compatibale with your system. If you are not sure which version applies to your system download both of them and try to run them.
Only one of them will run on your system, that will be the right version.

• Double-click to run it. When the tool opens click Yes to disclaimer.
• Press 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 makes also another log (Addition.txt). Please attach it to your reply.

 

[Wanderer]

Thanks for the reply!

I manually changed my IE security settings so I could download the software. By the way, I double checked my OS and instead of Vista I have Windows 7 64 bit. Hope that doesn't change your recommendations.

Below I've pasted a file from TDSSKiller, which looks like it may just document the installation. It also created another text file whose contents are too big to paste here, so I've attached it. I'm also attaching the two FRST files.

18:04:40.0564 0x0c48 TDSS rootkit removing tool 3.0.0.40 Jul 10 2014 12:37:58
18:04:50.0326 0x0c48 ============================================================
18:04:50.0326 0x0c48 Current date / time: 2014/10/28 18:04:50.0326
18:04:50.0326 0x0c48 SystemInfo:
18:04:50.0326 0x0c48
18:04:50.0326 0x0c48 OS Version: 6.1.7601 ServicePack: 1.0
18:04:50.0326 0x0c48 Product type: Workstation
18:04:50.0326 0x0c48 ComputerName: JASON-HP
18:04:50.0326 0x0c48 UserName: Jason
18:04:50.0326 0x0c48 Windows directory: C:\Windows
18:04:50.0326 0x0c48 System windows directory: C:\Windows
18:04:50.0326 0x0c48 Running under WOW64
18:04:50.0326 0x0c48 Processor architecture: Intel x64
18:04:50.0326 0x0c48 Number of processors: 4
18:04:50.0326 0x0c48 Page size: 0x1000
18:04:50.0326 0x0c48 Boot type: Normal boot
18:04:50.0326 0x0c48 ============================================================
18:04:50.0386 0x0c48 KLMD registered as C:\Windows\system32\drivers\79712640.sys
18:04:50.0486 0x0c48 System UUID: {0FC84968-61B5-3CDB-BD1F-942236DBA97F}
18:04:51.0096 0x0c48 Drive \Device\Harddisk0\DR0 - Size: 0x1DCF856000 ( 119.24 Gb ), SectorSize: 0x200, Cylinders: 0x3CCE, SectorsPerTrack: 0x3F, TracksPerCylinder: 0xFF, Type 'K0', Flags 0x00000040
18:04:51.0106 0x0c48 ============================================================
18:04:51.0106 0x0c48 \Device\Harddisk0\DR0:
18:04:51.0106 0x0c48 MBR partitions:
18:04:51.0106 0x0c48 \Device\Harddisk0\DR0\Partition1: MBR, Type 0x7, StartLBA 0x800, BlocksNum 0x63800
18:04:51.0106 0x0c48 \Device\Harddisk0\DR0\Partition2: MBR, Type 0x7, StartLBA 0x64000, BlocksNum 0xC1A2000
18:04:51.0106 0x0c48 \Device\Harddisk0\DR0\Partition3: MBR, Type 0x7, StartLBA 0xC206000, BlocksNum 0x2443000
18:04:51.0106 0x0c48 \Device\Harddisk0\DR0\Partition4: MBR, Type 0xB, StartLBA 0xE649800, BlocksNum 0x32800
18:04:51.0106 0x0c48 ============================================================
18:04:51.0106 0x0c48 C: <-> \Device\Harddisk0\DR0\Partition2
18:04:51.0106 0x0c48 D: <-> \Device\Harddisk0\DR0\Partition3
18:04:51.0106 0x0c48 ============================================================
18:04:51.0106 0x0c48 Initialize success
18:04:51.0106 0x0c48 ============================================================
18:05:37.0990 0x2b94 KLMD registered as C:\Windows\system32\drivers\82149664.sys
18:05:38.0540 0x2b94 Deinitialize success

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Fix with Farbar Recovery Scan Tool

This fix was created for this user for use on that particular machine.

Running it on another one may cause damage and render the system unstable.

​

Download attached fixlist.txt file and save it to the Desktop:

Both files, FRST and fixlist.txt have to be in the same location or the fix will not work!

• Right-click on
  
  icon and select
  
  Run as Administrator to start the tool.
  (XP users click run after receipt of Windows Security Warning - Open File).
• Press the Fix button just once and wait.
• If for some reason the tool needs a restart, please make sure you let the system restart normally. After that let the tool complete its run.
• When finished FRST will generate a log on the Desktop, called Fixlog.txt.

Please attach it to your reply.

 

[Wanderer]

After a few minutes running the fix, I got a message saying that an error had caused FRST to stop working. I've attached the Fixlog.txt. Please let me know if I should restart my computer and re-run the fix through FRST, or do something else. Thanks!

 

[Wanderer]

Despite the error message, the powershell error messages and the multiplying COM Surrogate processes don't seem to be happening.

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Good. Everything all right now?

 

[Wanderer]

Seems to be working fine. There is a single COM Surrogate process that neither takes up much memory nor multiplies. Do you think my system is fixed even if I received the error message that FRST had stopped working?

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Yes, I think you're clean

Wait a day and let me know if everything runs smooth.

 

[Wanderer]

Seems to be running fine, thanks!

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Glad I could help. We will delete all used tools and I'll give you some tips to harden your security and learn how to protect yourself

Recommended reading:
​

MUST READ - security tips:

• Computer Security - a short guide to staying safer online.
• Simple and easy ways to keep your computer safe and secure on the Internet

MUST READ - general maintenance:

• What to do if your Computer is running slowly?

The Importance of Software Updating:
​

In order to stay protected it is very important that you regularly update all of your software. Cybercriminals depend on the apathy of users around software updates to keep their malicious endeavor running.​

Operating systems, such as Windows, and applications, such as Adobe Reader or JAVA, are used by tens of millions of computers and devices around the world, making them a huge target for cybercriminals. Downloading updates and installing them can sometimes be tedious, but the advantages you get from the updates are certainly worth it.

• How to configure and use Automatic Updates in Windows
• How to update Java
• How to update Adobe Reader

Recommended additional software:
​

TFC - to clean unneeded temporary files.

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware - to scan your system from time to time in search for malware.

Malwarebytes' Anti-Exploit - to prevent plenty of mostly exploited vulnerabilities.

McShield - to prevent infections spread by removable media.

Unchecky - to prevent from installing additional foistware, implemented in legitimate installations.

FiheHippo.com Update Checker - to keep your programs up-to-date.

Adblock - to surf the web without annoying ads!

Post-cleanup procedures:​

Download DelFix by Xplode and save it to your desktop.

• Run the tool by right click on the
  
  icon and Run as administrator option.
• Make sure that these ones are checked:
  • Remove disinfection tools
  • Purge system restore
  • Reset system settings
• Push Run and wait until the tool completes his work.
• All tools we used should be gone. Tool will create an report for you (C:\DelFix.txt)

The tool will also record healthy state of registry and make a backup using ERUNT program in %windir%\ERUNT\DelFix
Tool deletes old system restore points and create a fresh system restore point after cleaning.

My help is free for everybody.
If you're happy with the help provided and/or wish to buy me a beer for the assistance you received, then you can consider a donation:
Thank you!​

Stay safe,
TwinHeadedEagle