This thread provides information on malware removal, links to malware removal tools, and recommendations & links to anti-virus software. The intention of this thread is to provide quick and accurate support for malware-related issues and questions.
Many people here are willing to provide assistance if you're having computer problems, and this thread is not meant to discourage people from asking for help.... but, please read the information provided first, or else there's a good chance you'll be sent here, here, or here . We aren't Geek Squad, so while we won't grossly overcharge you for information and advice, we also aren't responsible for anything you do to your computer.
Also, feel free to make suggestions on the content of this post, and I'll try to keep it up to date.
Research
A lot of information can be found at this EliteKiller link, including...
Step 3 unzip the Kit, read the instruction file and run the tools in the order given.
Step 4 Thank me in about 3 hours for fixing your shit.
The Rogue Removal Kit is is a zipped file that includes malwarebytes, CCleaner (a registry cleaner that will also delete temporary files), Combofix, Hitman Pro, and HiJackThis (HiJackThis is optional, see below). The instructions guide you through running these tools in Safe Mode With Networking; then running malwarebytes and an online scanner in Normal Mode.
Some people don't recommend running Combofix unless you're fairly certain you need to use it, but I've never heard of people having major problems with it. Here's a list of symptoms to Vundo infections, which may help determine if you need to run Combofix. You can also look here to see instructions with screenshots on how to use Combofix.
Taken from the readme in the Rogue Removal Kit:
Quality Online Virus Scanners: (all scanners offer detection and removal)
My two cents on downloading anti-malware software...
Download it from another computer if possible, or from Safe Mode With Networking on the infected machine.
Verify you are downloading from a legit source and are not being redirected to a site where you'll end up downloading more malware. If you click on any links above, verify the link in the bottom left before clicking on it, then after clicking the link verify that's where you were taken in the address bar.
The elitekiller article mentions downloading the software to a USB drive. Do not download the software to a USB drive on the infected machine if you're not in Safe Mode, or else you risk infecting the USB drive and other computers you connect the drive to in the future.
Other Helpful Tips & Tools
Rkill will kill processes that may be preventing scanners from completely removing malware.
To get into Safe Mode With Networking, press F8 every couple of seconds while the computer is starting (before the Windows splash screen). If you see the Windows splash screen, you will need to try again. The safe thing to do is log into Windows, restart, and try pressing F8 several times before seeing the Windows splash screen. Alternatively, my advice that falls into the category of “what I'd do if it was my own computer, but wouldn't tell someone to do it if I worked in tech support” would be, if you didn't get into Safe Mode the first time and you're at the Windows splash screen, hold down the power button until the computer turns off. When you start the computer again, it should automatically ask you if you want to go into Safe Mode With Networking.
Still infected, or just want to make sure everything is okay?
HiJackThis is a tool that will create a log file that can be analyzed by geeks to see what is running on your computer. Install and run HiJackThis (preferably in Safe Mode With Networking), and select 'Do a system scan and save a log file'. You can then copy/paste the output to this thread, and with any luck, someone will stop by and let you know what you can delete. You can then checkmark the items in HiJackThis and click 'Fixed checked'.
If you don't get a quick response here or would rather do it yourself, you can also go to http://hijackthis.de/, which is an online analyzer for your HiJackThis log. Simply copy and paste the log into the text box and click the Analyze button. During my testing of the site, I found it wasn't perfect, especially when a proxy was setup (the visitor rating would be 'extremely nasty', but the site itself would say it was safe)... but, it's at least a good tool that can significantly shorten the time it takes to analyze the log, and it gives you an idea of which entries you can delete or at least Google/post here for further research.
You can also look at the responses to HiJackThis posts in this thread to get an idea of what is safe and what should be removed.
Windows Performance
A good starting point to knowing what processes and services are running on your computer is a HiJackThis log. There's also a lot of information that's only a Google search away.
To manage the process that start when Windows starts, use msconfig (Start button -> Run... -> msconfig -> Startup tab). This is a good resource on startup processes, and it includes a large database of startup processes with information on whether they're required to run Windows or if it's okay to uncheck them. You basically want processes that are in c:\Windows checked, and you can generally uncheck processes in c:\program files (but there are exceptions, like your antivirus), but do some research (Google, the provided links, this thread) if you're not sure. Adobe, Apple (including qttask, Boujour, AppleUpdater, etc), and any messenger program (unless you have it sign you in at startup) are always the first ones to get unchecked on my computer.
Services can be a little tougher to manage, because it's usually a much longer list, and it's not as simple as flipping them on or off. This is a great resource for managing Windows services (Start button -> Run... -> services.msc). Simply choose your version of Windows and then click on the Service Configuration link. It presents the default setup, a safe setup (what most people can use without any consequences), a tweaked setup for faster startup, and a bare bones setup for the super geek. There's also a Tweaks page for stuff like Adding/Removing programs and System Restore. [Reply]
:-)... and conveniently the only source for this is a small virus program vendor who doesn't bother explaining how he calculated those numbers. What a strange coincidence that the source informing us of this is also trying to sell us a product to fix it...
Anyway.. This is a little deceiving...
To get infected with this, a user must download a 3rd party application, provide administrator credentials, and actually install the application. So that's technically not malware, that's considered downloading a program that you don't know, and manually installing a program you don't know even after an "Are you sure?" admin confirmation. Anyone dumb enough to do that, on any OS platform, shouldn't have admin credentials in the first place and deserves a lesson in computer responsibility. [Reply]
Originally Posted by KC Fish:
Ahhh... another "Macs get viruses too!" scare.
:-)... and conveniently the only source for this is a small virus program vendor who doesn't bother explaining how he calculated those numbers. What a strange coincidence that the source informing us of this is also trying to sell us a product to fix it...
Anyway.. This is a little deceiving...
To get infected with this, a user must download a 3rd party application, provide administrator credentials, and actually install the application. So that's technically not malware, that's considered downloading a program that you don't know, and manually installing a program you don't know even after an "Are you sure?" admin confirmation. Anyone dumb enough to do that, on any OS platform, shouldn't have admin credentials in the first place and deserves a lesson in computer responsibility.
I agree being an informed user would prevent this from installing on their system. Yet the number of the uninformed usually outweighs intelligent users.
My main point I was trying to get across is no OS is safe anymore. Apple users thought they were bullet proof because most malware/trojans are meant for the more popular Windows system.
I just hooked up avast on my mobile and it's caught a couple hidden in some apps I wanted to try. [Reply]
Originally Posted by chasedude:
I agree being an informed user would prevent this from installing on their system. Yet the number of the uninformed usually outweighs intelligent users.
My main point I was trying to get across is no OS is safe anymore. Apple users thought they were bullet proof because most malware/trojans are meant for the more popular Windows system.
I just hooked up avast on my mobile and it's caught a couple hidden in some apps I wanted to try.
Well... most malware/trojans are written for Windows. Because it's infinitely easier to execute malicious code that doesn't require any user input. "Drive by" infection is still not possible with OS X. Which does provide OS X with a much greater resistance to infection, and makes antivirus programs for Mac pretty much unnecessary. The last few versions of OS X actually have malware protection built in to the OS, which most people don't realize. And OS X is much better at sandboxing everything you run to prevent infection, memory leaks, permission issues, etc. I completely agree that no OS is bullet proof. But OS X should still be considered one of the safest options available.
I could write a program in about 5 minutes, that could completely destroy an OS X install. But it would also require the user to authenticate as admin to install, no different than the "malware" above. I don't think that makes me a hax0r though, and I wouldn't consider OS X to be vulnerable because the program I wrote could harm it if it were installed. Because that's just common sense. No virus or malware protection is going to protect against irresponsible stupidity like that. [Reply]
Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.4
Scan saved at 9:14:01 AM, on 4/6/2012
Platform: Windows XP SP3 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.6001.18702)
Boot mode: Safe mode
