Solved Default browser opens automatically + ads. Lots of ads.

[Infected_User]

To Mr. Volunteer, I have provided every information I can think of. It is my first time posting of such problem in a forum and I've read the forum guidelines but I apologize if there was something I missed and is out of place. If you have any further questions regarding the matter, please don't hesitate to ask and I will try to answer them to the best of what I can recall. Thank you for your time.

Edit: I would like to add the fact that most (but not all) automatically opening tabs with ads are triggered by clicks on the browser.

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Hello,


Please uninstall MalwareBytes from your computer. Then follow the instructions below:

Scan with Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware

Please download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and save it to your desktop.

• Install the progam.
• Click the Scan tab, choose Threat Scan is checked and click Start Scan.
• If threats are detected, click the Quarantine Selected button. You will now be prompted to reboot. Click Yes.
• Upon completion of the scan (or after the reboot), click the Reports tab.
• Double-click the Scan Log.
• At the bottom click Export and choose Text file.

Save the file to your desktop and include its content in your next reply.

 

[Infected_User]

Hello,


Please uninstall MalwareBytes from your computer. Then follow the instructions below:

Scan with Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware

Please download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and save it to your desktop.

• Install the progam.
• Click the Scan tab, choose Threat Scan is checked and click Start Scan.
• If threats are detected, click the Quarantine Selected button. You will now be prompted to reboot. Click Yes.
• Upon completion of the scan (or after the reboot), click the Reports tab.
• Double-click the Scan Log.
• At the bottom click Export and choose Text file.

Save the file to your desktop and include its content in your next reply.

I have followed your instructions and completed the scan. This was the result.

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

How is the situation now?

 

[Infected_User]

How is the situation now?

I noticed that the default browser does not open automatically during startup although with my previous experience, it is only a matter of time before it starts doing that again but for now, it's an improvement. (Sorry, I don't mean to sound pessimistic here but I feel I should let you know.)

The issue that it opens a new tab filled with ads when I click on the browser remains the same as before.
Let me describe it a bit more in detail:

The trigger

• The issue is actively triggered when I click something on the browser. This means more of it pops up when I'm using the browser for surfing the internet.

• It does not open a new tab every click.

• When I am not using the browser, it will automatically open itself and open an ad tab. Leave it a few more hours and it will open more tabs but not as bad as when I'm actively using the browser. (Maybe 3 tabs in a span of 7 hours on average)

The process

• When it is triggered, the action I did will follow through normally (For example, clicking a link will lead me to the proper location) but it will do so by opening a new tab.
• The previous tab will be redirected to an ad.

Using different browsers lead to some different ads (There are ads that I only see in Google Chrome and there are ads I only see in Internet Explorer) but there are still similar ones that opens on any browser.


Observations

• It happens every now and then but I noticed no set time interval.

• It will aggressively open ads during the first few hours being connected to the internet (6-10 tabs per hour during the initial time) but will slowly reduce its activity as more time passes by. (About 2-3 tabs when 5 hours have passed) <- Rough estimates
• Reconnecting to the internet after several hours will cause it to open ads aggressively again and the cycle continues.

I have listed everything I observed and it turned out to be pretty lengthy but if it will help you pinpoint the problem, it would be all worth it. Perhaps with your guidance, we can finally put an end to this.

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Scan with Farbar Recovery Scan Tool

Please re-run Farbar Recovery Scan Tool to give me a fresh look at your system.

• 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).
• Make sure that Addition.txt option is checked.
  
  
  
  
  
• Press Scan button and wait.
• The tool will produce two logfiles on your desktop: FRST.txt and Addition.txt.

Please attach report into your next reply.

 

[Infected_User]

Here they are.

 

[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 finishes FRST will generate a log on the Desktop, called Fixlog.txt.

Please attach it to your reply.

 

[Infected_User]

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 finishes FRST will generate a log on the Desktop, called Fixlog.txt.

Please attach it to your reply.

Here is the Fixlog.
The process was completed and it prompted me to restart the system after so I did. Sadly, the problem still persists.

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

In which browser is it happening and/or what is the current behavior?

 

[Infected_User]

In which browser is it happening and/or what is the current behavior?

I am currently using Google Chrome as my main browser so this is where it mostly happens but a few months ago, I was using UC Browser as my go-to browser. The problem started there so I thought I can delete its cookies, cache, history, and temporary files and hope it will be fixed but it didn't work out. Then, I tried updating the browser, removing extensions, and finally, deleting it and reinstalling but it was still the same so I abandoned ship and changed to Google Chrome. This leads me to think that it will keep happening regardless of what browser I am using.

I'm not sure if this is still relevant since you already solved the problem of the default browser automatically opening at startup when you asked me to run Malwarebytes but let me share it anyway. Both problems appeared at the same time so I assumed they were caused by the same malware but it was fixed and only the issue of ads opening when I click somewhere on my browser remained.

When I switched to Google Chrome, I did not set it as my default browser so every startup, it opens an ad in Internet Explorer. (Since I deleted my previous default browser, UC Browser, it automatically set Internet Explorer as the default.) This is how I realized that it will open the browser you set as default.

Other than that, the symptoms remain the same as I previously described in my previous post but I dare say that while it is still happening, the frequency of it has been significantly reduced to about 5-8 ads opening in the span of 8 hours.

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

You can always try to reinstall/reset your browser.

 

[Infected_User]

You can always try to reinstall/reset your browser.

Yes, that was actually what I tried as my first attempt in getting rid of it. It didn't show any results, however.

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Can you try one more time?

 

[Infected_User]

Can you try one more time?

Who knew that simple task would be the clincher! It looks like it's gone now. The problem that kept pestering me for over half a year is nowhere to be seen and I have you to thank for it! It's almost too good to be true. You really did a great job. Thank you so much!