Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (
More info?)
Igor wrote:
> My computer, which runs Windows XP Home, is very badly infested with
> spyware and the like. I clean it every time with Ad-Aware and Spybot:
> S&D, but each time I turn it on, more is downloaded. The main culprit
> is a dialer that installs itself onto my C drive but there are many
> others. They show popups for SlimShield and also try to send e-mail
> from my computer, which slows it down considerably. Also, my Task
> Manager is disabled. I have also found many unknow executable files in
> C:\Windows and C:\Windows\system32, many of which have 3 letter
> filenames such as Bbv.exe and Uga.exe. There is also a file
> svch0st.exe, which obviously masquerades as svchost.exe while running.
> I am not sure how to get rid of all of this. Can someone halp?
Even though you've done some work on this, go through these general
removal steps. It is crucial that you do everything with updated tools
in Safe Mode. You will note that the first step is to scan with your
antivirus. If you do not have a current version, updated, full-featured
antivirus installed then start your scanning with TrendMicro's
Sysclean. Then get a full-featured av, install it, update it, and do a
thorough scan in Safe Mode. Instructions for getting and using Sysclean
follow the general removal steps.
A. General malware removal - First delete all Temporary and Temporary
Internet Files. For IE's Temporary Files, go to Control Panel>Internet
Options>General tab. You'll see where you can delete cookies and files.
For Firefox, clear its cache by going to Tools>Options>Privacy>Cache>
Clear. For Windows Temporary files, Start>Run cleanmgr [enter] and
then:
1) Scan in Safe Mode with current version (not earlier than 2004)
antivirus using updated definitions.
Before you remove malware, get LSPFix or WinSockFix for XP - see links
below.
2) Remove spyware with Spybot Search & Destroy and Ad-aware. These
programs are free, so use them both since they complement each other.
There is a new version of CWShredder from Intermute. I would not
install the other Intermute programs, however. Alternately, there are
CoolWebSearch malware removal steps at SilentRunners.
Be sure to update these programs before running, and it is a good idea
to do virus/spyware scans in Safe Mode. Make sure you are able to see
all hidden files and extensions (View tab in Folder Options).
If the malware remains even after you used Ad-aware and Spybot, you can
scan with HijackThis. HijackThis is an excellent tool to discover and
disable hijackers, but it requires expert skill. See below for
HijackThis links, including sites where you can post your HJT logs. A
combination of HijackThis and About:Buster works well in removing the
About:Blank homepage hijacker. Again, this is an expert tool and
novices should get help with it.
3) If you are running Windows ME or XP, you should disable/enable System
Restore after the system is clean because malware will be in the
Restore Points. With ME, you must disable System Restore completely.
With XP, you can delete all but the most recent (presumably clean)
System Restore point from the More Options section of Disk Cleanup
(Run>cleanmgr).
4) Make sure you've visited Windows Update and applied all security
patches. Do not install driver updates from Windows Update.
5) Run a firewall.
Links to help with malware:
Software/Methods:
http://www.safer-networking.org - Spybot Search & Destroy
http://www.lavasoftusa.com - Ad-aware
http://www.intermute.com/products/cwshredder.html
http://www.tomcoyote.com/hjt/ - HijackThis
http://www.intermute.com/spysubtract/cwshredder_download.html
http://www.silentrunners.org/sr_cwsremoval.html. - SilentRunners
http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm - Repair Winsock 2 settings after
removing spyware
http://www.spychecker.com/program/winsockxpfix.html - WinsockXPFix.exe
HijackThis:
http://www.aumha.org/a/hjttutor.htm - HijackThis tutorial by Jim
Eshelman
http://aumha.net - forums
http://spywarewarrior.com/viewforum.php?f=5 - Spyware Warrior HijackThis
forum
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/
http://forums.tomcoyote.org/
General:
http://aumha.net - look under "Security" for various forums
http://rgharper.mvps.org/cleanit.htm
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
http://www.aumha.org/a/parasite.htm - The Parasite Fight
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm
B. Sysclean - TrendMicro's Sysclean is an extensive antivirus tool which
has the advantage of not needing to be installed. It requires two parts
- the scanning engine and the virus pattern files. Delete all Temporary
and Temporary Internet Files before running the program.
1. Create a new folder on your Desktop or the C: drive named something
useful like "Sysclean".
2. Go here and download the two parts of the program to that folder:
http://www.trendmicro.com/download/dcs.asp - Sysclean
http://www.trendmicro.com/download/pattern.asp - virus pattern files
The pattern files will be zipped - extract them with your unzipper (like
WinZip) or if you have XP, you can just open the folder. You need to
put the extracted files in the Sysclean folder you made. For a more
automated way to get Sysclean, use Dave Lipman's Sysclean_FE from
http://www.ik-cs.com/got-a-virus.htm .
3. Restart your computer in Safe Mode. Get into Safe Mode by repeatedly
tapping the F8 key as the computer is starting up to get to the proper
menu.
4. Go to the Sysclean folder you made and double-click on sysclean.com.
Start the scan. After the scan is finished, look at the log. You may
need to make a note of where any viruses were found if they were not
able to be removed so you can manually delete them.
Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
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