Solved Malware of unknown origin hijacking browser.

[mrkevin]

Bing and MSN seems to have hijacked my browser. HP pc w windows 8.1 newest IE (I believe) Norton anti-virus and, today, cleverbridge delux running as well as steps taken per this forum whilst browsing.

Have re-entered Google as homepage in Internet Options repeatedly.
Attempted to locate on "program uninstall", it's not there in any form or date as well.
in Manage add-ons under "types', bing appears (alone) but will not remove.
Have re-set Internet and personal settings twice.
Ran Norton Power eraser to no avail.
Bought and ran Cleverbridge (came up clean) to no avail.
In Internet Explorer "properties" there are no symbols after 1.explore.exe.

as a note...initially upon opening browser, message read, "no internet access", or, "address incorrect", etc, and I noticed that this malware kept adding an extra "https;//" to the correct address for Google in the search window. Altering that error only served to receive additional error messages.

 

[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 for the repair.
• If I don't hear from you within 3 days from this initial or any subsequent post, then this thread will be closed.

Rules and policies

We won't support any piracy.
That being told, if any evidence of illegal OS, software, cracks/keygens or any other will be revealed, any further assistance will be suspended. If you are aware that there is this kind of stuff on your machine, remove it before proceeding!
The same applies to any use of P2P software: uTorrent, BitTorrent, Vuze, Kazaa, Ares... We don't provide any help for P2P, except for their removal. All P2P software has to be uninstalled or at least fully disabled before proceeding!

Failure to follow these guidelines will result with closing your topic and withdrawning any assistance.

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.

 

[mrkevin]

TwinHeadedEagle, First, thanks for helping me! Well, My Norton keeps kicking the program out so I can't get any farther than the download page.

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Disable your Norton and try again.

 

[mrkevin]

Got it on and scanned but now I can't find it on my computer to attach the stuff. If I have to redownload it and run it again it will take me another day.

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Where did you run FRST from? What browser did you use to download FRST?

 

[mrkevin]

Here you go TwinHeadedEagle...Sorry for delay (and panic!!? on my part)

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

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;
  autoclean;
  ffdefaults;
  chrdefaults;
  emptyalltemp;
  ipconfig /flushdns;b

• 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)

Post its content into your next reply.

 

[mrkevin]

hope this is what we need.

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

How is your PC behaving now?

 

[mrkevin]

It is doing what it is supposed to more or less. When I open IE I no longer see bing or msn but the search bar has only "https;//,https;//" in it and if I type Google there I get Bings suggestions.
I really want to get my Norton Vault back up with my google toolbar.
Additionally, in manage add-ons bing appears as the default and is unremovable. I haven't checked the internet options in control panel but when I last looked it was MSN.

 

[mrkevin]

I just checked it and it is currently set to the https;// duplication thing. I won't change anything without hearing from you.

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Try to reset IE settings:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/internet-explorer/reset-ie-settings

 

[mrkevin]

Hi TwinHeadedEagle! sorry for the delay in getting back to you. Everything seems to be in order on my computer and I thank you very much. So nice these days to deal with INTEGRITY!! A donation to site is forthwith. Again, Thank you!
Kevin