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hotwebsearch ruined my computer!

5 min read

This thread's last reply is from March 12, 2006, 5:42 AM UTC. Software, malware, and removal-tool advice below may be out of date — treat specific steps and download links with caution.

Vicunja
February 23, 2006, 9:55 PM UTC
Although not exactly a novice, most of the information on this site goes right over my pretty little head, so I'm hoping you can help me.

About 2 years ago my then landlord would break into my room whilst I was at work and use my computer for looking at filth. I obviously realised pretty quickly, but it was too late. I came home one day to find my computer - Windows - completely overtaken by the so called hotwebsearch. At the time I was aided by a friend and was eventually able to retake my browser - however, in the 2 years that have passed, my computer has just never recovered completely. At the moment, it seems particularly bad - the browser freezes and the computer shuts down or the internet suddenly becomes very slow. All of this, to me, indicates that there's something not right.

I have run various malware scans, but it doesn't seem to help much. I have the last 6 days run AVG Free Virus Scan, and even though I run it every day, it comes up with new things - trojans and other nasty stuff on every scan - yet seems not to do anything to rid my system of it.

Can you help me?? My HijackThis log is included below.

Many kind regards,

The Frustrated Llama



Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 21:38:12, on 23/02/2006
Platform: Windows ME (Win9x 4.90.3000)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP1 (6.00.2800.1106)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\KERNEL32.DLL
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSGSRV32.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SPOOL32.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MPREXE.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSTASK.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\STIMON.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\KB891711\KB891711.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\mmtask.tsk
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\RESTORE\STMGR.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\EXPLORER.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\TASKMON.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\SYSTRAY.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\LOADQM.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\QTTASK.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\GRISOFT\AVG FREE\AVGCC.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\GRISOFT\AVG FREE\AVGEMC.EXE
C:\PROGRAM FILES\GRISOFT\AVG FREE\AVGAMSVR.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\WMIEXE.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\WUAUCLT.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\DDHELP.EXE
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\PSTORES.EXE
D:\PROGRAM FILES\WINZIP\WINZIP32.EXE
C:\UNZIPPED\HIJACKTHIS\HIJACKTHIS.EXE

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = about:blank
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://www.lookfor.cc/sp.php?p=10213
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.lookfor.cc/index.php?p=10213
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://www.lookfor.cc/sp.php?p=10213
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://www.lookfor.cc/sp.php?p=10213
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.lookfor.cc/index.php?p=10213
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = about:blank
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL,SearchURL = http://teen-biz.com/
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Window Title = Microsoft Internet Explorer provided by ntl:home
R3 - Default URLSearchHook is missing
F1 - win.ini: run=c:\windows\system\mousebut.exe
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {53707962-6F74-2D53-2644-206D7942484F} - C:\PROGRA~1\SPYBOT~1\SDHELPER.DLL (file missing)
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {5C8B2A36-3DB1-42A4-A3CB-D426709BBFEB} - (no file)
O3 - Toolbar: &Radio - {8E718888-423F-11D2-876E-00A0C9082467} - C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\MSDXM.OCX
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ScanRegistry] C:\WINDOWS\scanregw.exe /autorun
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [TaskMonitor] C:\WINDOWS\taskmon.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [PCHealth] C:\WINDOWS\PCHealth\Support\PCHSchd.exe -s
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SystemTray] SysTray.Exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LoadPowerProfile] Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [LoadQM] loadqm.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [QuickTime Task] "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\QTTASK.EXE" -atboottime
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_CC] C:\PROGRA~1\GRISOFT\AVGFRE~1\AVGCC.EXE /STARTUP
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_EMC] C:\PROGRA~1\GRISOFT\AVGFRE~1\AVGEMC.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [AVG7_AMSVR] C:\PROGRA~1\GRISOFT\AVGFRE~1\AVGAMSVR.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [LoadPowerProfile] Rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,LoadCurrentPwrScheme
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [SchedulingAgent] mstask.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [*StateMgr] C:\WINDOWS\System\Restore\StateMgr.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [StillImageMonitor] C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\STIMON.EXE
O4 - HKLM\..\RunServices: [KB891711] C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM\KB891711\KB891711.EXE
O9 - Extra button: ICQ Pro - {6224f700-cba3-4071-b251-47cb894244cd} - C:\Program Files\ICQ\ICQ.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: ICQ - {6224f700-cba3-4071-b251-47cb894244cd} - C:\Program Files\ICQ\ICQ.exe
O9 - Extra button: ICQ Lite - {B863453A-26C3-4e1f-A54D-A2CD196348E9} - C:\Program Files\ICQLite\ICQLite.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: ICQ Lite - {B863453A-26C3-4e1f-A54D-A2CD196348E9} - C:\Program Files\ICQLite\ICQLite.exe
O9 - Extra button: Yahoo! Messenger - {E5D12C4E-7B4F-11D3-B5C9-0050045C3C96} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\YAHOO!\MESSENGER\YPAGER.EXE
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Yahoo! Messenger - {E5D12C4E-7B4F-11D3-B5C9-0050045C3C96} - C:\PROGRAM FILES\YAHOO!\MESSENGER\YPAGER.EXE
O14 - IERESET.INF: START_PAGE_URL=http://www.ntlworld.com/
O16 - DPF: {4F1E5B1A-2A80-42CA-8532-2D05CB959537} (MSN Photo Upload Tool) - http://by101fd.bay101.hotmail.msn.com/resources/MsnPUpld.cab
O16 - DPF: {17492023-C23A-453E-A040-C7C580BBF700} (Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool) - http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=34738&clcid=0x409
O16 - DPF: {B38870E4-7ECB-40DA-8C6A-595F0A5519FF} (MsnMessengerSetupDownloadControl Class) - http://messenger.msn.com/download/msnmessengersetupdownloader.cab
O16 - DPF: {11818680-FCF6-11D0-9808-0800092A4865} (Adobe Form Control) - http://www.kps.dk/Codebase/FormCtl.cab
O16 - DPF: {CDDCFBB3-4D93-11D2-B1A9-00A0C9B742BE} (Adobe Script Object) - http://www.kps.dk/codebase/scriptobject.cab
O16 - DPF: {92EB6641-286A-11D2-A68E-00A0C996A6DD} (Adobe Signature Object) - http://www.kps.dk/codebase/jfsignature.cab
O16 - DPF: {EF2FB80F-0975-408E-A871-B00CC863478A} (Adobe Soft Font Installer) - http://www.kps.dk/codebase/fontinstaller.cab
O16 - DPF: {1469FF24-47F6-11D2-8805-006008C537E3} (Adobe Mail Control) - http://www.kps.dk/codebase/ffmail.cab
askey127
February 25, 2006, 10:49 AM UTC
Vicunja
Hi.
As you suspected, you have picked up some junk from some malicious websites
-----------------------------------------------------------
Download CWShredder from here : http://www.trendmicro.com/cwshredder/, install it.
Open CWShredder and click I AGREE
Click Check For Update
Close CWShredder

Boot into Safe Mode - Restart your computer and as soon as it starts booting up again continuously tap F8. A menu should come up where you will be given the option to enter Safe Mode.
Now run CWShredder. Click I Agree, then Fix and then Next, let it fix everything it asks about.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Reboot into Normal Mode
-----------------------------------------------------------
Remove log items with HighjackThis. Start HijackThis.
Click Scan. When the Scan is complete, Check the following entries:
(Some of these lines may be missing)
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Bar = about:blank
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://www.lookfor.cc/sp.php?p=10213
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://www.lookfor.cc/index.php?p=10213
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://www.lookfor.cc/sp.php?p=10213
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://www.lookfor.cc/sp.php?p=10213
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.lookfor.cc/index.php?p=10213
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Search,SearchAssistant = about:blank
R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL,SearchURL = http://teen-biz.com/
R3 - Default URLSearchHook is missing
F1 - win.ini: run=c:\windows\system\mousebut.exe
Make sure Every other window except HJT is closed (No other tabs showing in the bottom tray), and Click Fix Checked.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Start Hijackthis. Open the Misc Tools Section, then Open Process Manager;
find this program and click kill process (if it exists).
Then, click Refresh, check again, and repeat this step it remains.
mousebut.exe
-----------------------------------------------------------
File Deletion.
In Windows Explorer (My Computer) , select View, Details. Then navigate to this file. Use Find (F3) or Start, Search if the folder is not shown; then Delete this file, if present:
c:\windows\system\mousebut.exe
If you have any problem deleting a file, right click the file and check Properties to see if it's read-only. Uncheck the read-only box, click Apply and OK. Then retry Delete.
Note if you cannot delete.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Post a New HJT Log
Reboot your computer. Start HijackThis. Click Do System Scan and Save a Log File.
When the Scan is complete, select the whole log (Ctrl-A), copy and paste the log contents in a reply.

askey127
NonSuch
March 12, 2006, 5:42 AM UTC
Whilst we appreciate that you may be busy, it has been 14 days or more since we heard from you.

Infections can change and fresh instructions will now need to be given. This topic is now closed, if you still require assistance then please start a new topic in the Malware Removal Forum.

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