Solved immediate trovi re-infection after system restore

[mike1127]

I tried to get trovi.com off of a friend's computer (Windows 8 laptop) by simply doing a reinstall of the OS from the factory recovery partition. This is a Samsung, and the recovery options are hard to understand. The recovery software seems to have been written by someone with a poor grasp of English and no concept of how to make a user interface, but I tried to ensure that I was wiping the main partition entirely. I told it not to preserve any user data.

After finishing the reinstall, I did the following:

(1) A program that I believed to be from Samsung called "SW Updater" ran and I let it download some software. Appeared to be Samsung custom help and service software.

(2) I downloaded Avast.

(3) While Avast was downloading I uninstalled Norton Internet security.

(4) I installed Avast and did an initial scan.

(5) I rebooted.

At that point I opened IE and holy crap there was lab.trovi.com again!

Did it infect the recovery partition? Where did it come from, as there was no download of any software other than Avast (and I watched carefully to make sure it didn't force any PUPs on me during the Avast Installation).

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Hello,


Before we start please note the following:

Analysis and research take some time, also sometimes real life gets in the way, please be patient.

Limit your internet access to posting here, some infections just wait to steal typed-in passwords.

Don't run any scripts or tools on your own, unsupervised usage may cause more harm than good.

Do not paste the logs in your posts, attachments make my work easier. There is a Upload a File button which you can use to attach your reports. Attach all reports.

Stay with me to the end, the absence of symptoms doesn't mean that your machine is fully operational.

Note that we may live in totally different time zones, what may cause some delays between answers.

I can't foresee everything, so if anything unexpected happens, please stop and inform me!

There are no silly questions. Never be afraid to ask if in doubt!

Scan with Farbar Recovery Scan Tool

Please download Farbar Recovery Scan Tool x64 and save it to your Desktop.

• 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).
• When the tool opens click Yes to disclaimer.
• Make sure that Addition option is checked.
• Press Scan button and wait.
• The tool will produce two logfiles on your desktop: FRST.txt and Addition.txt.

Please attach them into your next reply.

 

[mike1127]

okay, got it

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Do not perform System Restore, because it is bringing back Trovi.

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.

Scan with ZOEK

Please download ZOEK by Smeenk and save it to your desktop (preferred version is the *.exe one)
Temporary disable your AntiVirus and AntiSpyware protection - instructions here.

• Right-click on
  
  icon and select
  
  Run as Administrator to start the tool.
• Wait patiently until the main console will appear, it may take a minute or two.
• In the main box please paste in the following script:
  

  createsrpoint;
  process;
  services-list;
  startupall;
  skipfix-iedefaults;
  firefoxlook;
  chromelook;
  filesrcm;
  installedprogs;
  Trovi;a
  Trovi;z

• Make sure that Scan All Users option is checked.
• Push Run Script and wait patiently. The scan may take a couple of minutes.
• When the scan completes, a zoek-results logfile should open in notepad.
• If a reboot is needed, it will be opened after it. You may also find it at your main drive (usually C:\ drive)

Attach report into your next reply.

 

[mike1127]

There's no fixlist.txt attached.

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Sorry, try again...

 

[mike1127]

thanks for your help. files attached.

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

How is computer now?

 

[mike1127]

Seems to be fixed! Thank you! Did you say that the infection got into the recovery partition? When I titled my post "re-infection after system restore" I didn't mean to say that I was doing a "system restore"; rather I was doing a system recovery. If it got into the recovery partition, did your instructions remove it? I don't want it to come back in the future if my friend needs to do a system recovery.

Thank you again!

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Is your recovery partition used to load factory settings or custom backup you made?

 

[mike1127]

I used it to load factory settings. And trovi was there immediately after restoring to factory settings. However, I'm not entirely clear that's what I did--it's a very bad interface in this Samsung laptop, makes no sense at all. It seems to do other things, such as be an interface to System Restore.

 

[mike1127]

trovi was actually there after the first reboot after restoring to factory settings

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Weird. This shouldn't happen. What model of PC you have?

 

[mike1127]

Samsung NP270E4E. I looked back at my notes and I did do a couple of things before the reboot (1) allow what appeared to be a Samsung program called "SW Updater" to run and (2) download Avast free

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

I am afraid I can't help you about this, I think you should contact their support.


Below you will find my thoughts about securing your machine. Go ahead through it, you will benefit from some useful advice about safe computing.

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?

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.

CryptoPrevent - to secure yourself from very severe CryptoLocker infection.

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


• The following will implement some post-cleanup procedures:

=> Please download DelFix by Xplode to your Desktop.

Run the tool and check the following boxes below;

Remove disinfection tools

Create registry backup

Purge System Restore
Click Run button and wait a few seconds for the programme completes his work.
At this point all the tools we used here 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.



Stay safe,
TwinHeadedEagle

 

[mike1127]

Thank you, this stuff is great... I'm helping a friend who is less computer-savvy than me and needs to learn safe computing. She needs to learn to recognize foistware, for instance.