BleepingComputer.com: Zentom Virus Guard Removal?

I am running Windows 7 Starter and somehow contracted the Zentom Virus Guard. I am having issuing removing it. I downloaded RKill and ran it, but it did not close anything. Then I downloaded Malwarebytes, but the virus is automatically killing the process once the scanner starts running. Then I am unable to run Malwarebytes without restarting the PC and the same thing occurs the next time, etc. I also cannot install any Windows Updates since I have contracted this virus. I do not want to reformat my PC but will if there are no other choices. Any help is much appreciated in advance. Thank you.

Welcome aboard

Please download GMER from one of the following locations and save it to your desktop:

• Main Mirror
  This version will download a randomly named file (Recommended)
  
• Zipped Mirror
  This version will download a zip file you will need to extract first. If you use this mirror, please extract the zip file to your desktop.

• Disconnect from the Internet and close all running programs.
  
• Temporarily disable any real-time active protection so your security programs will not conflict with gmer's driver.
  
• Double-click on the randomly named GMER file (i.e. n7gmo46c.exe) and allow the gmer.sys driver to load if asked.
  
• Note: If you downloaded the zipped version, extract the file to its own folder such as C:\gmer and then double-click on gmer.exe.
  
  
  
  
• GMER will open to the Rootkit/Malware tab and perform an automatic quick scan when first run. (do not use the computer while the scan is in progress)
  
• If you receive a WARNING!!! about rootkit activity and are asked to fully scan your system...click NO.
  
• Now click the Scan button. If you see a rootkit warning window, click OK.
  
• When the scan is finished, click the Save... button to save the scan results to your Desktop. Save the file as gmer.log.
  
• Click the Copy button and paste the results into your next reply.
  
• Exit GMER and be sure to re-enable your anti-virus, Firewall and any other security programs you had disabled.

IMPORTANT! If for some reason GMER refuses to run, try again.
If it still fails, try to UN-check "Devices" in right pane.
If still no joy, try to run it from Safe Mode.

I will test this out today and post how I make out. Thank you.

This post has been edited by HalliganHook: 01 September 2011 - 06:56 AM

OK, I downloaded GMER and ran it on the infected laptop. After scanning for about a minute the program closed by itself. I tried to re-open GMER and received a Windows error message saying "Windows cannot access the specific device, path, or file. You may not have permission to access the item." I restarted the laptop in Safe Mode with Networking and tried opening the program as Admin with no luck and got the same error message.

What is the next step? Seems like this virus is killing all of the normal methods of removing it.

HalliganHook, on 01 September 2011 - 05:21 PM, said:

What I do for any fake Anti Virus is open in safe mode (With networking, if you need to update malwarebytes) and simply run malwarebytes. As usual, a quick scan is sufficient but you can do a full scan if you want to be safe. I've heard that MBAM doesn't work right in Safe Mode, or that you shouldn't run MBAM in safe mode, but regardless, It's what I have done half a dozen times to multiple computers. I caused Zero damage, and i got the rogue AV off. I'm pretty sure that it will work for the rogue AV that you have.

Download TDSSKiller and save it to your desktop.

• Doubleclick on TDSSKiller.exe to run the application, then on Start Scan.
  
• If an infected file is detected, the default action will be Cure, click on Continue.
  
• If a suspicious file is detected, the default action will be Skip, click on Continue.
  
• It may ask you to reboot the computer to complete the process. Click on Reboot Now.
  
• If no reboot is require, click on Report. A log file should appear. Please copy and paste the contents of that file here.
  
• If a reboot is required, the report can also be found in your root directory (usually C:\ folder) in the form of TDSSKiller_xxxx_log.txt. Please copy and paste the contents of that file here.

Jayson201, on 01 September 2011 - 05:54 PM, said:

Most newer rogue malware do not allow you to run Malwarebytes or any other malware detection software. It blocks the *.exe files from executing, whether you are in safe mode or not. A trick that sometimes works is renaming MBAM.exe to something else and running it. This ZENTOM SYSTEM GUARD malware blocked me from doing that as well.

Broni, on 01 September 2011 - 07:56 PM, said:

Broni, I really appreciate the assistance, but I ended up using the System Recovery option on the Toshiba netbook and reformatted it back to its "Out of Box" state within ten minutes. Worked great. Thanks anyways.

Thanks for the update