Browsers (ie, Chrome, FF) can acess websites, all but search (google, bing, yahoo)

Status
Not open for further replies.

fedaykinn

Honorable
Feb 26, 2013
5
0
10,510
I have a user that for the last week cannot perform searches through the internet... regardless of the browser. I she types a website it works fine, but search pages do not load at all. Looked like some kind of malware, but Malwarebytes does not find anything.

She's running windows XP, a work environment with business firewall installed. All my other users with the same setup can work just fine.

Any ideas?
 

drifter77

Honorable
Nov 25, 2012
187
0
10,710
This situation can be caused by several issues. You say its a work environment and have a firewall installed, but she could be infected by a backdoor trojan or malware.

Try this:
- Clear all browsing data and cookies

- Have you tried different browsers? (Chrome / Firefox / IE / Opera)

- Download these free scanners and try them one by one:
RootkitBuster: http://free.antivirus.com/us/rootkit-buster/index.html
Stinger: http://www.mcafee.com/us/downloads/free-tools/stinger.a...
SpyBot: http://www.safer-networking.org/mirrors/

- If the above doesn't work try ComboFix:
http://api.viglink.com/api/click?format=go&key=552a35ca1eb1421626a0f973ac2a90af&loc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.techspot.com%2Fcommunity%2Ftopics%2Fi-cant-access-any-search-engines-google-etc.135983%2F&v=1&libid=1366030284019&out=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bleepingcomputer.com%2Fcombofix%2Fhow-to-use-combofix&ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com.eg%2F&title=I%20can't%20access%20any%20search%20engines%2C%20google%2C%20etc%20-%20TechSpot%20Forums&txt=%3Cb%3E%3Cspan%20style%3D%22color%3A%20Blue%22%3EHERE%3C%2Fspan%3E%3C%2Fb%3E&jsonp=vglnk_jsonp_13660305736332

For ComboFix:
- Disable all security programs, such as antiviruses, antispywares, and firewalls. Also disable your internet connection
- Run ComboFix.exe and follow the prompts
- Understand that things like your system clock changing and your desktop disappearing might happen. Do not worry, because all will be restored later
- Wait for the scan to be completed and reboot

If the above doesn't help, try searching a file named "hosts" in Windows Search (or under C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc).
Open that file with notepad and you can find some paragraphs in it. Delete all those paragraphs, and then save.
Check your browser.
 

fedaykinn

Honorable
Feb 26, 2013
5
0
10,510


Done all the above save combofix (don't want to risk it)

I have a feeling she had a trojan that before got cleaned by the corporate antivirus modified the host file... I will be rebuilding it tomorrow and letting you know of he result.

Thanks!!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.