After noticing my internet connection slowing down, I found that svchost.exe was opening multiple smtp connections to various, and changing, servers. I have avast! 4.8 installed and updated, and a scan detected nothing, neither did online scans at Trend and Panda. I read about someone else having this problem and solving it by doing a system restore to a point before it started. When I tried to do a system restore, Windows went through the motions, rebooted then told me it couldn't restore and that no changes had been made.
Using Sysinternals Process Explorer, I open the properties for svchost -k DcomLaunch (the offending instance of svchost) and under Threads, kill a bunch of "kernel32.dll!CreateThread+022" threads with high CSwitch Delta values, and this gets rid of the smtp connections until the next reboot. Sysinternals RootKitRevealer found nothing interesting. Here is my HijackThis Log:
Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 11:03:48 PM, on 7/30/2008
Platform: Windows XP SP3 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16674)
Boot mode: Normal
Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.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:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\aswUpdSv.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashServ.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\EPSON\EPW!3 SSRP\E_S40RP7.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashWebSv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\xRaidSetup.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\Avast4\ashDisp.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\WDBtnMgr.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\RUNDLL32.EXE
C:\PROGRA~1\MAILFR~1\mantispm.exe
C:\Program Files\The Weather Channel FW\Desktop\DesktopWeather.exe
C:\Program Files\Free Download Manager\fdm.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
C:\Program Files\Zinio\ZinioReader.exe
C:\Program Files\Datacolor\Spyder3Elite\Utility\Spyder3Utility.exe
C:\Program Files\Trillian\trillian.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
C:\Program Files\SiSoftware\SiSoftware Sandra Professional Home XII.SP2c\RpcAgentSrv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe
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 = *.local
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHelperStub - {18DF081C-E8AD-4283-A596-FA578C2EBDC3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelperShim.dll
O2 - BHO: Spybot-S&D IE Protection - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_07\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: FDMIECookiesBHO Class - {CC59E0F9-7E43-44FA-9FAA-8377850BF205} - C:\Program Files\Free Download Manager\iefdm2.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [36X Raid Configurer] C:\WINDOWS\system32\xRaidSetup.exe boot
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [avast!] C:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\Avast4\ashDisp.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BluetoothAuthenticationAgent] rundll32.exe bthprops.cpl,,BluetoothAuthenticationAgent
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [JMB36X IDE Setup] C:\WINDOWS\RaidTool\xInsIDE.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WD Button Manager] WDBtnMgr.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nwiz] nwiz.exe /install
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvMediaCenter] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvMcTray.dll,NvTaskbarInit
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Matador] "C:\PROGRA~1\MAILFR~1\mantispm.exe" -quiet
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [DW6] "C:\Program Files\The Weather Channel FW\Desktop\DesktopWeather.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Free Download Manager] "C:\Program Files\Free Download Manager\fdm.exe" -autorun
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Zinio DLM] C:\Program Files\Zinio\ZinioReader.exe /autostart
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [EPSON Stylus Photo R270 Series] C:\WINDOWS\System32\spool\DRIVERS\W32X86\3\E_FATIBNP.EXE /FU "C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\E_S68E.tmp" /EF "HKCU"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [EPSON Stylus Photo R1800] C:\WINDOWS\System32\spool\DRIVERS\W32X86\3\E_FATI9LA.EXE /FU "C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\E_S730.tmp" /EF "HKCU"
O4 - Startup: Trillian.lnk = C:\Program Files\Trillian\trillian.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Spyder3Utility.lnk = C:\Program Files\Datacolor\Spyder3Elite\Utility\Spyder3Utility.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: Download all with Free Download Manager - file://C:\Program Files\Free Download Manager\dlall.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: Download selected with Free Download Manager - file://C:\Program Files\Free Download Manager\dlselected.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: Download video with Free Download Manager - file://C:\Program Files\Free Download Manager\dlfvideo.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: Download with Free Download Manager - file://C:\Program Files\Free Download Manager\dllink.htm
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_07\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_07\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Spybot - Search & Destroy Configuration - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
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
O16 - DPF: {2D8ED06D-3C30-438B-96AE-4D110FDC1FB8} (ActiveScan 2.0 Installer Class) - http://acs.pandasoftware.com/activescan ... stubie.cab
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://www.update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/v6/V5Controls/en/x86/client/wuweb_site.cab?1212766647870
O16 - DPF: {67A5F8DC-1A4B-4D66-9F24-A704AD929EEE} (System Requirements Lab) - http://www.nvidia.com/content/DriverDownload/srl/2.0.0.1/sysreqlab2.cab
O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://fpdownload2.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/swflash.cab
O18 - Protocol: skype4com - {FFC8B962-9B40-4DFF-9458-1830C7DD7F5D} - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\Skype\SKYPE4~1.DLL
O20 - Winlogon Notify: dhcpmon32 - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\dhcpmon32.dll
O23 - Service: avast! iAVS4 Control Service (aswUpdSv) - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\aswUpdSv.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Antivirus - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashServ.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Mail Scanner - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashMaiSv.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Web Scanner - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashWebSv.exe
O23 - Service: ##Id_String1.6844F930_1628_4223_B5CC_5BB94B879762## (Bonjour Service) - Apple Computer, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe
O23 - Service: EPSON V3 Service4(01) (EPSON_PM_RPCV4_01) - SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION - C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\EPSON\EPW!3 SSRP\E_S40RP7.EXE
O23 - Service: FLEXnet Licensing Service - Macrovision Europe Ltd. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Macrovision Shared\FLEXnet Publisher\FNPLicensingService.exe
O23 - Service: Google Updater Service (gusvc) - Google - C:\Program Files\Google\Common\Google Updater\GoogleUpdaterService.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\11\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: Imapi Helper - Alex Feinman - C:\Program Files\Alex Feinman\ISO Recorder\ImapiHelper.exe
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Display Driver Service (NVSvc) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
O23 - Service: SiSoftware Deployment Agent Service (SandraAgentSrv) - SiSoftware - C:\Program Files\SiSoftware\SiSoftware Sandra Professional Home XII.SP2c\RpcAgentSrv.exe
--
End of file - 8186 bytes
As far as I can tell everything looks legitimate. Any ideas?
Using Sysinternals Process Explorer, I open the properties for svchost -k DcomLaunch (the offending instance of svchost) and under Threads, kill a bunch of "kernel32.dll!CreateThread+022" threads with high CSwitch Delta values, and this gets rid of the smtp connections until the next reboot. Sysinternals RootKitRevealer found nothing interesting. Here is my HijackThis Log:
Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2
Scan saved at 11:03:48 PM, on 7/30/2008
Platform: Windows XP SP3 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16674)
Boot mode: Normal
Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.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:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\aswUpdSv.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashServ.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\EPSON\EPW!3 SSRP\E_S40RP7.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashWebSv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\system32\xRaidSetup.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\Avast4\ashDisp.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\rundll32.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\WDBtnMgr.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\RUNDLL32.EXE
C:\PROGRA~1\MAILFR~1\mantispm.exe
C:\Program Files\The Weather Channel FW\Desktop\DesktopWeather.exe
C:\Program Files\Free Download Manager\fdm.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
C:\Program Files\Zinio\ZinioReader.exe
C:\Program Files\Datacolor\Spyder3Elite\Utility\Spyder3Utility.exe
C:\Program Files\Trillian\trillian.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
C:\Program Files\SiSoftware\SiSoftware Sandra Professional Home XII.SP2c\RpcAgentSrv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\Program Files\Trend Micro\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe
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 = *.local
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHelperStub - {18DF081C-E8AD-4283-A596-FA578C2EBDC3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelperShim.dll
O2 - BHO: Spybot-S&D IE Protection - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_07\bin\ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: FDMIECookiesBHO Class - {CC59E0F9-7E43-44FA-9FAA-8377850BF205} - C:\Program Files\Free Download Manager\iefdm2.dll
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [36X Raid Configurer] C:\WINDOWS\system32\xRaidSetup.exe boot
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [avast!] C:\PROGRA~1\ALWILS~1\Avast4\ashDisp.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [BluetoothAuthenticationAgent] rundll32.exe bthprops.cpl,,BluetoothAuthenticationAgent
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [JMB36X IDE Setup] C:\WINDOWS\RaidTool\xInsIDE.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [WD Button Manager] WDBtnMgr.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nwiz] nwiz.exe /install
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvMediaCenter] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvMcTray.dll,NvTaskbarInit
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Matador] "C:\PROGRA~1\MAILFR~1\mantispm.exe" -quiet
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [DW6] "C:\Program Files\The Weather Channel FW\Desktop\DesktopWeather.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Free Download Manager] "C:\Program Files\Free Download Manager\fdm.exe" -autorun
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [Zinio DLM] C:\Program Files\Zinio\ZinioReader.exe /autostart
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [EPSON Stylus Photo R270 Series] C:\WINDOWS\System32\spool\DRIVERS\W32X86\3\E_FATIBNP.EXE /FU "C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\E_S68E.tmp" /EF "HKCU"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [EPSON Stylus Photo R1800] C:\WINDOWS\System32\spool\DRIVERS\W32X86\3\E_FATI9LA.EXE /FU "C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\E_S730.tmp" /EF "HKCU"
O4 - Startup: Trillian.lnk = C:\Program Files\Trillian\trillian.exe
O4 - Global Startup: Spyder3Utility.lnk = C:\Program Files\Datacolor\Spyder3Elite\Utility\Spyder3Utility.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: Download all with Free Download Manager - file://C:\Program Files\Free Download Manager\dlall.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: Download selected with Free Download Manager - file://C:\Program Files\Free Download Manager\dlselected.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: Download video with Free Download Manager - file://C:\Program Files\Free Download Manager\dlfvideo.htm
O8 - Extra context menu item: Download with Free Download Manager - file://C:\Program Files\Free Download Manager\dllink.htm
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_07\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_07\bin\ssv.dll
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Spybot - Search & Destroy Configuration - {DFB852A3-47F8-48C4-A200-58CAB36FD2A2} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHelper.dll
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
O16 - DPF: {2D8ED06D-3C30-438B-96AE-4D110FDC1FB8} (ActiveScan 2.0 Installer Class) - http://acs.pandasoftware.com/activescan ... stubie.cab
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://www.update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/v6/V5Controls/en/x86/client/wuweb_site.cab?1212766647870
O16 - DPF: {67A5F8DC-1A4B-4D66-9F24-A704AD929EEE} (System Requirements Lab) - http://www.nvidia.com/content/DriverDownload/srl/2.0.0.1/sysreqlab2.cab
O16 - DPF: {D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} (Shockwave Flash Object) - http://fpdownload2.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/swflash.cab
O18 - Protocol: skype4com - {FFC8B962-9B40-4DFF-9458-1830C7DD7F5D} - C:\PROGRA~1\COMMON~1\Skype\SKYPE4~1.DLL
O20 - Winlogon Notify: dhcpmon32 - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\dhcpmon32.dll
O23 - Service: avast! iAVS4 Control Service (aswUpdSv) - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\aswUpdSv.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Antivirus - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashServ.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Mail Scanner - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashMaiSv.exe
O23 - Service: avast! Web Scanner - ALWIL Software - C:\Program Files\Alwil Software\Avast4\ashWebSv.exe
O23 - Service: ##Id_String1.6844F930_1628_4223_B5CC_5BB94B879762## (Bonjour Service) - Apple Computer, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe
O23 - Service: EPSON V3 Service4(01) (EPSON_PM_RPCV4_01) - SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION - C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\EPSON\EPW!3 SSRP\E_S40RP7.EXE
O23 - Service: FLEXnet Licensing Service - Macrovision Europe Ltd. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Macrovision Shared\FLEXnet Publisher\FNPLicensingService.exe
O23 - Service: Google Updater Service (gusvc) - Google - C:\Program Files\Google\Common\Google Updater\GoogleUpdaterService.exe
O23 - Service: InstallDriver Table Manager (IDriverT) - Macrovision Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\Driver\11\Intel 32\IDriverT.exe
O23 - Service: Imapi Helper - Alex Feinman - C:\Program Files\Alex Feinman\ISO Recorder\ImapiHelper.exe
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Display Driver Service (NVSvc) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe
O23 - Service: SiSoftware Deployment Agent Service (SandraAgentSrv) - SiSoftware - C:\Program Files\SiSoftware\SiSoftware Sandra Professional Home XII.SP2c\RpcAgentSrv.exe
--
End of file - 8186 bytes
As far as I can tell everything looks legitimate. Any ideas?
