Based on these symptoms I suspected some malware in the system (I do not know if they come from the same source): - firstly my Avira stopped updating, noticed that after 5 or so days and tried to start update which ended with error message - removed Avira and tried to download and reinstall it with no luck - tried to run F-Secure online scan which made my screen flash and did not start - got mail from Gmail stating that there is suspicious activity on my account and asking me to change password which I did. Had in my mailbox some undelivered mail I definitely had not sent, but addresses were from my address list - tried to download Malwarebytes'Anti-malware, did not succeed - tried downloading some other malware catchers (forgot the names) with no luck, either they did not download or did not work - removed several programs (also Chrome) and files after which ran Ccleaner - downloaded Malwarebytes-etc. from another system and ran the scan from diskette. No problems found. Copied it down and left running - downloaded HijackThis on another system to a diskette. Have run it several times since & downloaded it to the hard disk. Include the latest output - have also followed the activity on Task Manager. Here I need to understand the difference between IE and Firefox. IE starts several processes while FF only one. I guessed IE starts a new process for each new instance or tab, but it does not seem to follow that logic. - checked the proxy setting, no proxy now though I *think* earlier I saw one which I removed. Now my system seems to be behaving, but as I have no idea what might have caused it to recover, I am not confident enough to go to my bank account or such. Gurus out there, please tell me what to do? And here is my HJT listing: (I know FF is ancient, I normally use Chrome in XP - there is also EComStation installed, but I do not believe any virus to recognize HPFS) Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.4 Scan saved at 10:14:45, on 13.2.2012 Platform: Windows XP SP3 (WinNT 5.01.2600) MSIE: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.6001.18702) Boot mode: Normal Running processes: C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\csrss.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\SMAgent.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\alg.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\wscntfy.exe C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\wbem\wmiapsrv.exe C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbamservice.exe C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbamgui.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\taskmgr.exe C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe C:\WINDOWS\system32\wuauclt.exe C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HiJackThis\HiJackThis.exe R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = about:blank R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157 R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896 R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896 R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157 R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyOverride = 127.0.0.1:9421 R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar,LinksFolderName = Linkit O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader -linkkiavustaja - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll O2 - BHO: AcroIEHelperStub - {18DF081C-E8AD-4283-A596-FA578C2EBDC3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelperShim.dll O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In SSV Helper - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\ssv.dll O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll O2 - BHO: JQSIEStartDetectorImpl - {E7E6F031-17CE-4C07-BC86-EABFE594F69C} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\lib\deploy\jqs\ie\jqs_plugin.dll O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NeroFilterCheck] C:\WINDOWS\system32\NeroCheck.exe O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Java\Java Update\jusched.exe" O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware] "C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbamgui.exe" /starttray O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe ARM] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\ARM\1.0\AdobeARM.exe" O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SoundMax] "C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\smax4.exe" /tray O4 - HKLM\..\RunOnce: [Malwarebytes Anti-Malware] C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbamgui.exe /install /silent O4 - HKLM\..\RunOnce: [InnoSetupRegFile.0000000001] "C:\WINDOWS\is-O2A3U.exe" /REG /REGSVRMODE O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [NBJ] "C:\Program Files\Ahead\Nero BackItUp\nbj.exe" O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Akamai NetSession Interface] "C:\Documents and Settings\MÄ\Local Settings\Application Data\Akamai\netsession_win.exe" O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-19\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'Paikallinen palve') O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-20\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'Verkkopalve') O4 - HKUS\S-1-5-18\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'SYSTEM') O4 - HKUS\.DEFAULT\..\Run: [CTFMON.EXE] C:\WINDOWS\system32\CTFMON.EXE (User 'Default user') O4 - Global Startup: Adobe Gamma Loader.exe.lnk = C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Calibration\Adobe Gamma Loader.exe O4 - Global Startup: Microsoft Office.lnk = C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office10\OSA.EXE O8 - Extra context menu item: Vie Microsoft E&xceliin - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\Office10\EXCEL.EXE/3000 O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe O12 - Plugin for .spop: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\Plugins\NPDocBox.dll O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://www.update.microsoft.com/win...ls/en/x86/client/wuweb_site.cab?1203511007954 O22 - SharedTaskScheduler: Browseui preloader - {438755C2-A8BA-11D1-B96B-00A0C90312E1} - C:\WINDOWS\system32\browseui.dll O22 - SharedTaskScheduler: Component Categories cache daemon - {8C7461EF-2B13-11d2-BE35-3078302C2030} - C:\WINDOWS\system32\browseui.dll O23 - Service: Loogisen levyn hallinnan valvontapalvelu (dmadmin) - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\System32\dmadmin.exe O23 - Service: Tapahtumaloki (Eventlog) - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe O23 - Service: CD-levyjen kirjoittamisen IMAPI COM -palvelu (ImapiService) - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\imapi.exe O23 - Service: Java Quick Starter (JavaQuickStarterService) - Sun Microsystems, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe O23 - Service: MBAMService - Malwarebytes Corporation - C:\Program Files\Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware\mbamservice.exe O23 - Service: NetMeeting etätyöpöydän jakaminen (mnmsrvc) - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\mnmsrvc.exe O23 - Service: Plug and Play (PlugPlay) - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe O23 - Service: Etätyöpöydän ohjeen istunnonhallinta (RDSessMgr) - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\sessmgr.exe O23 - Service: Älykortti (SCardSvr) - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\System32\SCardSvr.exe O23 - Service: SoundMAX Agent Service (SoundMAX Agent Service (default)) - Analog Devices, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Analog Devices\SoundMAX\SMAgent.exe O23 - Service: Resurssilokit ja -hälytykset (SysmonLog) - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\smlogsvc.exe O23 - Service: Aseman tilannevedos (VSS) - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\System32\vssvc.exe O23 - Service: WMI resurssisovitin (WmiApSrv) - Unknown owner - C:\WINDOWS\system32\wbem\wmiapsrv.exe -- End of file - 6992 bytes
dont see anything that sticks out.i see some files in what i assume to be finnish?dont know about those.
Thank you so much, Alden! The translated names mostly refer to normal services and many of them have the original name in parentheses, I am not real worried about them. I asked about the iexplore processes because I read somewhere there is a virus which creates fake iexplore processes, is that so? Is there a way to list also the info on what started or spawned a process on the Task Manager list? I ordered F-Secure and after I have installed it, I have to go back to work and stop worrying. You get kind of scared, thou, when your computer starts misbehaving.
the real processes are found in win32.having said that,sometimes the fakes install there as well.ive kept my computer clean for years with avira free antivirus,malwarebytes (feee),and superantispyware,also free.run regular scans and use a good cleanup program like ccleaner to clean crap files and registry.last and certainly not least a good defrag program.glad its working out for you.Al.