Hi John - We've been seeing this a lot lately, and it's a very difficult CWS
parasite variant to remove. Try Basic Cleaning, below first and then if
necessary Approach 1 and/or Approach 2 and/or Approach 3.
#########IMPORTANT#########
Before you try to remove spyware using any of the programs below, download a
copy of LSPFIX from any of the following sites:
http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm
http://www.spychecker.com/program/winsockxpfix.html (if your OS is Win2k or
XP) The process of removing certain malware may kill your internet
connection. If this should occur, this program, LSPFIX, will enable you to
regain your connection.
#########IMPORTANT#########
Approach 1 - You can try this AT YOUR OWN RISK. I normally wouldn't advise
using a malware provider's uninstall, but this particular approach has been
reported to work if you have the about:blank CWS variant (there appear to be
at least three or four currently) which leads you to a Search page. Paste
the following IP into your browser:
195.190.118.131
On the screen you arrive at, you see a "Search For" window, and below it a
red "Uninstall Software". Download their uninstaller, uninstall.exe. At
this point I would either use TotalUninstall or make a complete
backup/Restore Point of my system for safety's sake (on the basis of "at
least keep what you've got"). Total Uninstall,
http://www.geocities.com/ggmartau/tu.html or direct dwnld here:
http://files.webattack.com/localdl834/tun234.zip
Run this uninstall program program that you downloaded from the malware
site, then UPDATE them and go to Safe mode to run UPDATED versions
CWShredder, AdAware and SpyBot per the directions in Basic, below.
Approach 2 - If you've already tried CWShredder to get rid of this parasite
(See below, v.159.0.1 or better and fully updated before use), then take a
look at this thread about manual removal of this parasite:
http://www.akadia.com/services/about_blank_virus.html
and this one:
http://www.daniweb.com/techtalkforums/thread5531.html
and this one:
http://computercops.biz/article-5199-nested-0-0.html
Approach 3 - I don't usually recommend anything but freeware that I've
confidence in, but AT YOUR OWN RISK, not free ($29.95), Adware Away, here:
http://www.adwareaway.com/ claims to fix it automatically.
Basic Cleaning - Note that this symptom often indicates the possibility of
other malware. You might want go to this page at Jim Eshelman's site, here:
http://aumha.org/a/noads.htm or here:
http://inetexplorer.mvps.org/parasite.htm and wait a little bit (be
patient), while an analysis of a number of possible parasites on your
machine will be made to help you identify and remove them. NOTE: You will
need to disable Ad Blocking in Zone Alarm 3.x, if present or any other Ad
Blocking software which interferes with Java Scripting for this scan to
work. You should get a message between the two lines of **** giving the
results of the scan.
#########IMPORTANT#########
All of these removal tools should be run from Safe mode when possible
#########IMPORTANT#########
For the general hijack case, the best way to start is to get Ad-Aware 6.0,
Build 181 or later, here:
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/.
UPDATE and run this regularly to get rid of most "spyware/hijackware" on
your machine. If it has to fix things, be sure to re-boot and rerun
AdAware again and repeat this cycle until you get a clean scan. The reason
is that it may have to remove things which are currently "in use" before it
can then clean up others.
Another excellent program for this purpose is SpyBot Search and Destroy
available here:
http://security.kolla.de/ SpyBot Support Forum here:
http://www.net-integration.net/cgi-bin/forums/ikonboard.cgi. I recommend
using both normally. After UPDATING and fixing things with SpyBot S&D, be
sure to re-boot and rerun SpyBot again and repeat this cycle until you get a
clean "no red" scan. The reason is that SpyBot sometimes has to remove
things which are currently "in use" before it can then clean up others.
Note that sometimes you need to make a judgement call about what these
programs report as spyware. See here, for example:
http://www.imilly.com/alexa.htm
A currently common parasite is some malware called CoolWebSearch. Do the
following:
Download, UPDATE before running, and run:
http://209.133.47.200/~merijn/files/CWShredder.exe to remove the parasite.
Be sure to close all instances of IE and OE. You may also get it here if
that link is blocked:
http://www.zerosrealm.com/downloads/CWShredder.zip
There's a good tutorial about CWS and using CWShredder here:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/index.php?showtutorial=47#domain
BE SURE that you get v.159.0.1 or later!
You will need to show Hidden files first and then at the end clear the
malware garbage from your System Restore backups after you've cleaned up.
It's best to perform CWShredder (and most other malware fixers too) from
Safe mode and then reboot. AFTER cleaning things up, then you can disable
and then re-enable System Restore. See ******** below.
The following links give instructions on how to do these various functions:
HOW TO Restart in Safe Mode
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2001052409420406
HOW TO Enable Hidden Files
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2002092715262339
HOW TO Disable/Flush System Restore (do this at the end AFTER cleaning or
use the suggested procedure for XP at the ******'s)
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2001111912274039
(WinXP)
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2001012513122239
(WinME)
Then download and run:
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/iegentabs.reg to restore your
tabs and remove any restrictions that the parasite has put in place.
Now download and run:
http://www.kellys-korner-xp.com/regs_edits/RestoreSearch2.REG to restore
your search functions if they've been affected (as they probably will have
been).
Be sure that you also download and install hotfix Q816093, here:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=816093
which blocks the exploit upon which this parasite family depends.
If they don't fix it then start here:
Download HijackThis, free, here:
http://209.133.47.200/~merijn/files/HijackThis.exe (Always download a new
fresh copy of HijackThis [and CWShredder also] - It's UPDATED frequently.)
You may also get it here if that link is blocked:
http://www.majorgeeks.com/downloadget.php?id=3155&file=3&evp=3304750663b552982a8baee6434cfc13
In Windows Explorer, click on Tools|Folder Options|View and check "Show
hidden files and folders" and uncheck "Hide protected operating system
files". (You may want to restore these when you're all finished with
HijackThis.)
Unzip the downloaded HijackThis to any convenient folder, start it then
press Scan. Click on SaveLog when it's finished which will create
hijackthis.log. Now click the Config button, then Misc Tools and click on
Generate StartupList.log which will create Startuplist.txt
Then go to one of the following forums:
Spyware and Hijackware Removal Support, here:
http://216.180.233.162/~swicom/forums/
or Net-Integration here:
http://www.net-integration.net/cgi-...86d536d57b5f65b6e40c55365e;act=ST;f=27;t=6949
or Tom Coyote here:
http://forums.tomcoyote.org/index.php?act=idx
Sign in, then copy and paste both files into a message asking for
assistance, Someone will answer with detailed instructions for the removal
of your parasite(s).
*******
ONLY IF you've successfully eliminated the malware, you can now make a new,
clean Restore Point and delete any previously saved (possibly infected)
ones. The following suggested approach is courtesy of Gary Woodruff: For XP
you can run a Disk Cleanup cycle and then look in the More Options tab. The
System Restore option removes all but the latest Restore Point. If there
hasn't been one made since the system was cleaned you should manually create
one before dumping the old possibly infected ones.
*******
Once you get this cleaned up, you might want to consider installing the
SpywareBlaster and SpywareGuard here to help prevent this kind of thing from
happening in the future:
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html>= (Prevents malware
Active
X installs) (BTW, SpyWare Blaster is not memory resident ... no CPU or
memory load - but keep it UPDATED) The latest version as of this writing
will prevent installation or prevent the malware from running if it is
already installed, and it provides information and fixit-links for a variety
of parasites.
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareguard.html (Monitors for attempts to
install malware) Keep it UPDATED. Both Very Highly Recommended
Finally, go to Windows Update and ensure that ALL Critical updates are
installed.
--
Please respond in the same thread.
Regards, Jim Byrd, MS-MVP
In
