Solved My web browser keeps getting redirected to Chinese ad sites or blank pages.

[Tarrot]

Probably typed too much in the above boxes, apologies for that, not sure what to leave out from there. If this fails to work, I'm going to pull the nuclear option and do a System Restore on my computer. As I've just gotten it back, the only thing I lose is the time in downloading my games/updates/drivers back on it as I've had it back for less than a week.

 

[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.

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 ZOEK

Please download ZOEK by Smeenk and save it to your desktop.
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;
  emptyclsid;
  emptyalltemp;
  ipconfig /flushdns >>"%temp%\log.txt";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)

Upload it in your next reply.

 

[Tarrot]

If you need the previous version I can upload it as well.

 

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

Please include their content into your next reply.

 

[Tarrot]

Here you are. Question if I may: Last night, my connection was turned off and on 3 times or so in a minute timeframe. I ignored it as my net sometimes does that, but today when I went to check my DNS servers, I noticed they were again set to the default instead of set to Google's DNS servers. Is it possible that whatever the issue is undid what I did with my DNS servers, or was this a consequence of using ZOEK, as I did not change them back myself.

 

[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.

 

[Tarrot]

I want to be clear: the desktop is not where my Farbar is. I'm to put this fixlist.txt on my desktop, then run Farbar, or replace the fixlist.txt that is in the Farbar folder, then run Farbar?

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Fixlist has to be in the same location as Farbar tool.

 

[Tarrot]

Here you are. Avoiding going to sites which may trigger the redirect for now just in case it causes another outbreak.

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

How is the situation now?

 

[Tarrot]

Tried it, first attempt at a problem site took me to hao.360.cn loading the tongji.in cookies, problem is not fixed.

 

[Tarrot]

Pre-emptive question: In another thread similar to mine, after this step failed, you told the user there to reset his router. I have two routers: One which comes from the ISP where the internet connects into which needs the ISP's information, and then that router connects to the wireless router which the apartment uses. Which router do I need to reset, or should I reset both of them? If that is not the next step, please ignore this post/question.

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

Try to reset both of them.

 

[Tarrot]

It'll take a few days to get back, I may need to contact my landlord to contact the ISP to have them reset their router as I think it has a password protection on it, and I'm afraid if I try to reset it by myself I might knock out the internet for the other roommates. I'll reply when I've had an opportunity to reset both.

 

[Tarrot]

Ok, landlord did not want to call the cable company to reset the Cable router, so we tried just the wireless router and so far the problem appears to be gone. At first I was still getting cookies/scripts from the tongji.in but those went away after I did a refresh on Firefox again. Hesitant to call it solved, but I'm not seeing any of the same symptoms.

Turns out, my roommates were also having the same issue. Any advice to give them to get anything that might be lingering on their computers out of the computer outside the basic scan for malware?

 

[TwinHeadedEagle]

It was only the infected router.